Impact of fludarabine exposure on the depth and duration of lymphopenia and CAR T-cell outcomes.

Authors

null

Keagan Lipak

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

Keagan Lipak , Bonnie Yates , Nicole Binder , Haneen Shalabi , Cody J. Peer , William Douglas Figg , Edward Michael Gertz , Nirali N. Shah

Organizations

Pediatric Oncology Branch, Center for Cancer Research (CCR), National Cancer Institute, NIH, Bethesda, MD, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, Pharmacy Department, NIH Clinical Center, Bethesda, MD, Pediatric Oncology Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, NIH, Bethesda, MD, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD, Clinical Pharmacology Program, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, Cancer Data Science Laboratory, CCR, NCI, NIH, Bethesda, MD

Research Funding

U.S. National Institutes of Health
U.S. National Institutes of Health

Background: Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cells are highly effective for patients with relapsed or refractory B-ALL. Lymphodepletion has been paramount to CAR T-cell expansion and efficacy. Recent data identified an association of fludarabine exposure with reduced relapse rates, longer leukemia free survival, and more prolonged B-cell aplasia following tisagenlecleucel. However, the relationship of fludarabine exposure to lymphopenia and the mechanism by which dosing impacts outcomes following CAR T-cells remains unknown. Methods: We conducted a retrospective review of children and young adults with B-ALL who received fludarabine for lymphodepletion (LD) prior to infusion of anti-CD19, anti-CD22, or anti-CD19/22 bispecific CAR T-cells. The primary objective of this study was to investigate the impact of fludarabine on the depth and duration of lymphopenia. Secondary objectives included examining the impact of fludarabine exposure on: 1) overall clinical response, and 2) CAR T-cell expansion. All patients in the analysis cohort received fludarabine 25 mg/m2/day x 3 days ( = 75 mg/m2 cumulative dosing). Fludarabine exposure (AUC per dose) for each patient was predicted using a validated population PK model and analyzed with various responses/endpoints using the 3-day cumulative exposure/patient. Results: Of 137 children and young adults, the median cumulative AUC was 8.3 mg*hr/mL (range, 3.00-13.83 mg*hr /mL). The overall complete response (CR) rate was: 67.9% (93/137). The median duration of lymphopenia (defined as an absolute lymphocyte count (ALC) £ 150 K/uL) was 5 days (range, 0-15); and the median ALC on Day 0 was 80 K/uL (range, 0-1250 K/uL). When stratified by the median fludarabine exposure, there was no difference in depth or duration of lymphopenia or CAR T-cell expansion collectively or per trial. The median fludarabine exposure also did not differ between responders and non-responders. However, depth and duration of lymphopenia did differ in the CD22 CAR T-cell trial. Specifically, in those achieving CR, the duration of lymphopenia was longer than in non-responders (7 days versus 4 days, p = 0.030). Similarly, CAR T-cell expansion was higher if lymphopenia duration was greater than 5 days (p = 0.019). These findings were not seen across our less persistent CD19 or CD19/22 CAR T-cell trials. Conclusions: Although lymphodepletion impacts CAR T-cell response, we did not find an association between CR rate, depth of lymphopenia, or duration of lymphopenia with varying fludarabine exposures. This raises additional questions regarding the impact of LD therapy on CAR T-cell outcomes—especially since a more prolonged lymphopenia was associated with high CR rates and greater peak expansion in at least one of our studies (CD22 CAR T-cells). Future analysis will evaluate the impact of fludarabine on Day 0 cytokines and other immune parameters. Clinical trial information: NCT03448393.

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Abstract Details

Meeting

2023 ASCO Annual Meeting

Session Type

Poster Session

Session Title

Pediatric Oncology

Track

Pediatric Oncology

Sub Track

Leukemia/Lymphoma

Clinical Trial Registration Number

NCT03448393

Citation

J Clin Oncol 41, 2023 (suppl 16; abstr 10033)

DOI

10.1200/JCO.2023.41.16_suppl.10033

Abstract #

10033

Poster Bd #

339

Abstract Disclosures

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