CARs race for supremacy against aggressive non-Hodgkin lymphoma

June 25, 2017|Hematology News

AT EHA 2017

Dr. Salles presented results of an interim analysis of available efficacy data on 51 patients with at least 3 months of follow-up. In this population, the best overall response rate was 59%. Three-month ORR was 45%, consisting of 37% complete responses and 8% partial responses. Relapse-free survival at 6 months was 79%, and all patients who had responses at 3 months continued to have responses at the time of data cutoff.

In a safety analysis including 85 patients, the CRS was seen in 57% of all patients, including grade 3 in 17% and grade 4 in 9%.

Other common adverse events occurring within 8 weeks of CTL019 infusion were infections in 26% of patients, cytopenias lasting longer than 28 days in 26%, neurologic events in 21%, febrile neutropenia in 14%, and tumor lysis syndrome in 1%.

There were no cases of cerebral edema, and no deaths attributable to the CAR-T cell construct, Dr. Salles said.

Peter Borchmann, MD, from the University of Cologne, Germany, who attended the briefing but was not involved with either study, commented that investigators in ZUMA-1 need to monitor patients carefully, because previous clinical trials using other CAR-T cells with CD28 costimuatory domains have been associated with several cases of fatal cerebral edema.

“I think you can use CD28 in lymphoma, and it’s highly active as we have seen, but my personal impression is that you have to be aware that this might happen,” he said in an interview.

The ZUMA-1 study is funded by Kite Pharma. Dr. Lin disclosed research funding from Janssen. The JULIET study is supported by Novartis. Dr. Salles disclosed serving on an advisory board for the company. Dr. Borchmann had no disclosures.