Anti-CCR9 chimeric antigen receptor T cells for T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

T cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) is an aggressive malignancy of immature T lymphocytes, associated with higher rates of induction failure compared with those in B cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia. The potent immunotherapeutic approaches applied in B cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia, which have revolutionized the treatment paradigm, have proven more challenging in T-ALL, largely due to a lack of target antigens expressed on malignant but not healthy T cells. Unlike B cell depletion, T-cell aplasia is highly toxic. Here, we show that the chemokine receptor CCR9 is expressed in >70% of cases of T-ALL, including >85% of relapsed/refractory disease, and only on a small fraction (<5%) of normal T cells. Using cell line models and patient-derived xenografts, we found that chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cells targeting CCR9 are resistant to fratricide and have potent antileukemic activity both in vitro and in vivo, even at low target antigen density. We propose that anti-CCR9 CAR-T cells could be a highly effective treatment strategy for T-ALL, avoiding T cell aplasia and the need for genome engineering that complicate other approaches.

Real-world use of pomalidomide and dexamethasone in double refractory multiple myeloma suggests benefit in renal impairment and adverse genetics: a multi-centre UK experience.

Myeloma patients who become refractory to immunomodulatory agents (IMiDs) and bortezomib have poor survival, with limited therapeutic options. Pomalidomide has shown improved survival and good tolerability in this patient cohort in clinical trials, but real world data are scarce. We retrospectively analysed all patients treated with pomalidomide at five UK centres between 2013 and 2016. Of 85 patients identified, 70 had sufficient information for response assessments. Median age was 66 years [40-89], 96·5% were refractory to IMiDs, 72·9% were refractory to both an IMiD and bortezomib and 92·9% were refractory to their last treatment. Of 45 patients with fluorescence in situ hybridization results 64% had adverse risk, 19 patients (22·4%) had an estimated glomerular filtration rate <45 ml/min. Grade ≥3 non-haematological toxicities occurred in 42·4%, and grade ≥3 neutropenia and thrombocytopenia in 38% and 24% respectively, but only 18·8% had dose reductions. The overall response rate was 52·9%. At a median follow-up of 13·2 months, median progression-free survival was 5·2 months [95% confidence interval (CI) 4·150-6·238], and median overall survival was 13·7 months (95% CI 11·775-15·707). No significant difference was seen in response, survival or tolerability by renal function, age or cytogenetic risk. This real-world data support the results seen in published clinical trials.

Monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) and smoldering myeloma (SMM): a practical guide to management.

Monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance and smoldering multiple myeloma are precursor conditions of symptomatic multiple myeloma (MM). Diagnostic principles are aimed at excluding MM requiring therapy, other conditions associated with paraproteins that may require different management, and risk stratifying patients for the purposes of tailored follow-up and investigation. The International Myeloma Working Group have recently published a revised definition of MM, which singles out a small group of patients with smoldering multiple myeloma who are at very high risk of progression and organ damage; such patients are now included under the definition of MM and recommended to start anti-myeloma treatment. Furthermore, the recently published National Institute of Health and Care Excellence guideline recommends cross-sectional imaging techniques in place of skeletal survey. These recent recommendations are discussed, and practical guidance for investigation and management are presented.