CAR T-cells effective for post-CART relapse: A new treatment paradigm.

Authors

null

Elizabeth M. Holland

Pediatric Oncology Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, NIH, Bethesda, MD

Elizabeth M. Holland , Bonnie Yates , Sara K. Silbert , Toni Foley , Lauren Little , Terry J. Fry , Steven Highfill , David Stroncek , Haneen Shalabi , Nirali N. Shah

Organizations

Pediatric Oncology Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, NIH, Bethesda, MD, Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders, Children's National Hospital, Washington, DC, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus and Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders, Children's Hospital of Colorado, Aurora, CO, Center for Cellular Engineering, NIH Clinical Center, Bethesda, MD

Research Funding

U.S. National Institutes of Health

Background: Chimeric antigen receptor T-cells (CART) induce remarkable responses in B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL), but relapse remains a challenge. Effective therapies for post-CART relapse are limited but may include infusion of a unique CART construct, a strategy distinct from reinfusion of the same CART product. Given limited data evaluating outcomes of a unique CART as salvage therapy for post-CART relapse, we report on the impact of prior CART constructs on subsequent CART responses. Methods: This was a retrospective review (NCT03827343) of children and young adults receiving CD19 and/or CD22 CART therapy for B-ALL between 7/1/12-12/30/21 at our center. Patients included received at least 2 unique CART constructs at some point in therapy, excluding interim CART reinfusions. CART-A was the first CART construct ever received and CART-B the second unique CART. The primary objective was to evaluate complete remission (CR) rates following CART-A versus CART-B. Results: Of 135 heavily pretreated patients, 54 (40%) received at least one prior CART. The majority (n=37, 68.5%) were male. Median age at CART-A and CART-B was 12.5 (range, 3.3-30.4) and 13.7 years (range, 4.5-30.7), respectively. In 42 (77.8%) patients, CART-B targeted a different antigen than CART-A, primarily due to loss of antigen target after CART-A. CR rate was substantially lower with CART-B (n=35, 64.8%) than with CART-A (n=48, 88.9%, p=0.006) (Table). Still, two (3.7%) patients with CART-A nonresponse attained CR with CART-B. Most CART-B responders (n=31, 88.6%) had CART-B targeting a different antigen than CART-A, suggesting limitations of same antigen targeting even with a unique CART construct. CART-B responses amongst 10 patients with interim hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) after CART-A were similar to CART-B responses in those without interim HSCT (5 of 10, 50% vs. 30 of 44, 68.2%, p=0.3). In those where CRS grade was known for both CART infusions (n=40), CRS severity was milder with CART-B (≥grade 3, n=1, 2.5%) than with CART-A (≥grade 3, n=15, 37.5%, p=0.0001). Conclusions: Using an alternative CART for post-CART relapse is effective in a substantial proportion of patients, particularly when targeting a unique antigen. As post-CART relapse occurs more frequently and patients receive multiple CARTs, identifying optimization strategies for CART-B will be critical. Further investigation of indication for CART-B, role of interim HSCT, and optimal timing for sequential CART infusions is underway.

Responses to CART-A and CART-B (n=54)
CART-A CR
CART-B CR
CART-B Targeting Encompasses Same Antigen as CART-A, n=12


Interim HSCT between CART-A and CART-B (n=3)
2
1
No Interim HSCT between CART-A and CART-B (n=9)
7
3
CART-B Targeting Different Antigen than CART-A, n=42


Interim HSCT between CART-A and CART-B (n=7)
7
4
No Interim HSCT between CART-A and CART-B (n=35)
32
27
Total Complete Remission (CR), n (%)
48 (88.9)
35 (64.8)

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Abstract Details

Meeting

2022 ASCO Annual Meeting

Session Type

Publication Only

Session Title

Hematologic Malignancies—Lymphoma and Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia

Track

Hematologic Malignancies

Sub Track

Cell Therapy, Bispecific Antibodies, and Autologous Stem Cell Transplantation for NHL, HL, or CLL

Citation

J Clin Oncol 40, 2022 (suppl 16; abstr e19508)

DOI

10.1200/JCO.2022.40.16_suppl.e19508

Abstract #

e19508

Abstract Disclosures

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