Impact of rabbit anti-thymocyte globulin (ATG) exposure on outcomes after ex vivo T-cell-depleted hematopoietic cell transplantation in pediatric and young adult patients.

BACKGROUND AIMS: Traditional weight-based dosing of rabbit anti-thymocyte globulin (rATG) used in allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) to prevent graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) and graft rejection leads to variable exposures. High exposures induce delayed CD4+immune reconstitution (CD4+IR) and greater mortality. We sought to determine the impact of rATG exposure in children and young adults receiving various types of EX-VIVO T-cell-depleted (EX-VIVO-TCD) HCT. METHODS: Patients receiving their first EX-VIVO-TCD HCT (CliniMACS CD34+, Isolex or soybean lectin agglutination), with removal of residual T cells by E-rosette depletion (E-) between 2008 and 2018 at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center were retrospectively analyzed. rATG exposure post-HCT was estimated (AU*d/L) using a validated population pharmacokinetic model. Previously defined rATG-exposures, <30, 30-55, ≥55 AU*d/L, were related with outcomes of interest. Cox proportional hazard and cause-specific models were used for analyses. RESULTS: In total, 180 patients (median age 11 years; range 0.1-44 years) were included, malignant 124 (69%) and nonmalignant 56 (31%). Median post-HCT rATG exposure was 32 (0-104) AU*d/L. Exposure <30 AU*d/L was associated with a 3-fold greater probability of CD4+IR (P < 0.001); 2- to 4-fold lower risk of death (P = 0.002); and 3- to 4-fold lower risk of non-relapse mortality (NRM) (P = 0.02). Cumulative incidence of NRM was 8-fold lower in patients who attained CD4+IR compared with those who did not (P < 0.0001). There was no relation between rATG exposure and aGVHD (P = 0.33) or relapse (P = 0.23). Effect of rATG exposure on outcomes was similar in three EX-VIVO-TCD methods. CONCLUSIONS: Individualizing rATG dosing to target a low rATG exposure post-HCT while maintaining total cumulative exposure may better predict CD4+IR, reduce NRM and increase overall survival, independent of the EX-VIVO-TCD method.

Toxicity and response after CD19-specific CAR T-cell therapy in pediatric/young adult relapsed/refractory B-ALL.

Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells have demonstrated clinical benefit in patients with relapsed/refractory (R/R) B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL). We undertook a multicenter clinical trial to determine toxicity, feasibility, and response for this therapy. A total of 25 pediatric/young adult patients (age, 1-22.5 years) with R/R B-ALL were treated with 19-28z CAR T cells. Conditioning chemotherapy included high-dose (3 g/m2) cyclophosphamide (HD-Cy) for 17 patients and low-dose (≤1.5 g/m2) cyclophosphamide (LD-Cy) for 8 patients. Fifteen patients had pretreatment minimal residual disease (MRD; <5% blasts in bone marrow), and 10 patients had pretreatment morphologic evidence of disease (≥5% blasts in bone marrow). All toxicities were reversible, including severe cytokine release syndrome in 16% (4 of 25) and severe neurotoxicity in 28% (7 of 25) of patients. Treated patients were assessed for response, and, among the evaluable patients (n = 24), response and peak CAR T-cell expansion were superior in the HD-Cy/MRD cohorts, as compared with the LD-Cy/morphologic cohorts without an increase in toxicity. Our data support the safety of CD19-specific CAR T-cell therapy for R/R B-ALL. Our data also suggest that dose intensity of conditioning chemotherapy and minimal pretreatment disease burden have a positive impact on response without a negative effect on toxicity. This trial was registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov as #NCT01860937.

The clinical severity of hemoglobin S/Black (A γδß)0 -thalassemia.

Hemoglobin S/Black (A γδß)0 -thalassemia is a rare sickle cell disease (SCD) variant. On the basis of limited descriptions in the literature, the disease is reported as a mild microcytic anemia with an uncomplicated course. We report the clinical and laboratory data of nine patients whose diagnoses were confirmed by DNA-based techniques. Despite having mild anemia and high fetal hemoglobin level postinfancy, these patients developed many of the classic complications of SCD, including vaso-occlusive crisis, acute chest syndrome, avascular necrosis, and cholelithiasis. On the basis of these findings, we recommend that patients with this rare disorder receive specialized hematology care according to SCD guidelines.

Addressing challenges of clinical trials in acute pain: The Pain Management of Vaso-occlusive Crisis in Children and Young Adults with Sickle Cell Disease Study.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Neuropathic pain is a known component of vaso-occlusive pain in sickle cell disease; however, drugs targeting neuropathic pain have not been studied in this population. Trials of acute pain are complicated by the need to obtain consent, to randomize participants expeditiously while optimally treating pain. We describe the challenges in designing and implementing the Pain Management of Vaso-occlusive Crisis in Children and Young Adults with Sickle Cell Disease Study (NCT01954927), a phase II, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial to determine the effect of gabapentin for vaso-occlusive crisis. METHODS: In the Pain Management of Vaso-occlusive Crisis in Children and Young Adults with Sickle Cell Disease Study, we aim to assess the analgesic effect of gabapentin during vaso-occlusive crisis. Difficulties we identified included avoiding delay of notification of study staff of potential participants which we resolved by automated notification. Concern for rapid randomization and drug dispensation was addressed through careful planning with an investigational pharmacy and a single liquid formulation. We considered obtaining consent during well-visits to avoid the time constraints with acute presentations, but the large number of patients and limited duration that consent is valid made this impractical. RESULTS: In all, 79% of caregivers/children approached have agreed to participate. The trial is currently active, and enrollment is at 45.8% of that targeted (76 of 166) and expected to continue for two more years. Maintaining staff availability after-hours remains problematic, with 8% of screened patients missed for lack of available staff. LESSONS LEARNED: Lessons learned in designing a trial to expedite procedures in the acute pain setting include (1) building study evaluations upon a standard-of-care backbone; (2) implementing a simple study design to facilitate consent and data capture; (3) assuring ample, well-trained study staff; and (4) utilizing technology to automate procedures whenever possible. CONCLUSION: This study design has circumvented many of the logistical barriers usually associated with acute pain trials and may serve as a prototype for future studies.

Silent cerebral infarcts in very young children with sickle cell anaemia are associated with a higher risk of stroke.

Silent cerebral infarctions (SCI) are the most common neurological injury in children with sickle cell anaemia (SCA), but their incidence/prognosis in early childhood has not been well described. We report clinical, neuroradiological, psychometric and academic follow-up over an average period of 14 years in 37 children with SCA who had magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) of the brain between ages 7 and 48 months. Ten patients (27%) younger than age 5 years (Group I) had SCI, as did 12 (32%) older than 5 years (Group II). Fifteen (41%) had no lesions (Group III). Overt stroke or transient ischaemic attack occurred in 5/9 (56%) in Group I. Most Group I patients had progressive MRI abnormalities, concurrent stenosis, decreased cognitive ability, attention/executive function deficits and hindered academic attainment. The proportions of subjects in Group I with subsequent neurological events (P ≤ 0·006), progressive ischaemia (P ≤ 0·001) and vascular stenosis (P ≤ 0·006) were greater than in Groups II and III. Thus, SCI in young children with SCA may predict overt central nervous system events, progressive MRI abnormalities, stenosis, cognitive dysfunction and poor academic performance. Children younger than 5 years may benefit from MRI/MRA testing and should be considered for aggressive intervention when SCI are detected.

Association between busulfan exposure and survival in patients undergoing a CD34+ selected stem cell transplantation.

Busulfan is an alkylating drug routinely used in conditioning regimens for allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (allo-HCT). A myeloablative conditioning regimen, including busulfan, is commonly used in patients undergoing T-cell depletion (TCD) and allo-HCT, but data on optimal busulfan pharmacokinetic (PK) exposure in this setting are limited. Between 2012 and 2019, busulfan PK was performed to target an area under the curve exposure between 55 and 66 mg × h/L over 3 days using a noncompartmental analysis model. We retrospectively re-estimated busulfan exposure following the published population PK (popPK) model (2021) and correlated it with outcomes. To define optimal exposure, univariable models were performed with P splines, wherein hazard ratio (HR) plots were drawn, and thresholds were found graphically as the points at which the confidence interval crossed 1. Cox proportional hazard and competing risk models were used for analyses. 176 patients were included, with a median age of 59 years (range, 2-71). Using the popPK model, the median cumulative busulfan exposure was 63.4 mg × h/L (range, 46.3-90.7). The optimal threshold was at the upper limit of the lowest quartile (59.5 mg × h/L). 5-year overall survival (OS) with busulfan exposure ≥59.5 vs <59.5 mg × h/L was 67% (95% CI, 59-76) vs 40% (95% CI, 53-68), respectively (P = .02), and this association remained in a multivariate analyses (HR, 0.5; 95% CI, 0.29; 0.88; P = .02). In patients undergoing TCD allo-HCT, busulfan exposure is significantly associated with OS. The use of a published popPK model to optimize exposure may significantly improve the OS.

Antithymocyte globulin exposure in CD34+ T-cell-depleted allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation.

Traditional weight-based dosing results in variable rabbit antithymocyte globulin (rATG) clearance that can delay CD4+ T-cell immune reconstitution (CD4+ IR) leading to higher mortality. In a retrospective pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) analysis of patients undergoing their first CD34+ T-cell-depleted (TCD) allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) after myeloablative conditioning with rATG, we estimated post-HCT rATG exposure as area under the curve (arbitrary unit per day/milliliter [AU × day/mL]) using a validated population PK model. We related rATG exposure to nonrelapse mortality (NRM), CD4+ IR (CD4+ ≥50 cells per µL at 2 consecutive measures within 100 days after HCT), overall survival, relapse, and acute graft-versus-host disease (aGVHD) to define an optimal rATG exposure. We used Cox proportional hazard models and multistate competing risk models for analysis. In all, 554 patients were included (age range, 0.1-73 years). Median post-HCT rATG exposure was 47 AU × day/mL (range, 0-101 AU × day/mL). Low post-HCT area under the curve (<30 AU × day/mL) was associated with lower risk of NRM (P < .01) and higher probability of achieving CD4+ IR (P < .001). Patients who attained CD4+ IR had a sevenfold lower 5-year NRM (P < .0001). The probability of achieving CD4+ IR was 2.5-fold higher in the <30 AU × day/mL group compared with 30-55 AU × day/mL and threefold higher in the <30 AU × day/mL group compared with the ≥55 AU × day/mL group. In multivariable analyses, post-HCT rATG exposure ≥55 AU × day/mL was associated with an increased risk of NRM (hazard ratio, 3.42; 95% confidence interval, 1.26-9.30). In the malignancy subgroup (n = 515), a tenfold increased NRM was observed in the ≥55 AU × day/mL group, and a sevenfold increased NRM was observed in the 30-55 AU × day/mL group compared with the <30 AU × day/mL group. Post-HCT rATG exposure ≥55 AU × day/mL was associated with higher risk of a GVHD (hazard ratio, 2.28; 95% confidence interval, 1.01-5.16). High post-HCT rATG exposure is associated with higher NRM secondary to poor CD4+ IR after TCD HCT. Using personalized PK-directed rATG dosing to achieve optimal exposure may improve survival after HCT.

Developments in the treatment of hemophilia B: focus on emerging gene therapy.

Hemophilia B is a genetic disorder that is characterized by a deficiency of clotting factor IX (FIX) and excessive bleeding. Advanced understanding of the pathophysiology of the disease has led to the development of improved treatment strategies that aim to minimize the acute and long-term complications of the disease. Patients with hemophilia B are ideal candidates for gene therapy, mostly because a small increase in protein production can lead to significantly decreased bleeding diathesis. Although human clotting FIX was cloned and sequenced over 30 years ago, progress toward achieving real success in human clinical trials has been slow, with long-term, therapeutically relevant gene expression only achieved in one trial published in 2011. The history of this extensive research effort has revealed the importance of the interactions between gene therapy vectors and multiple arms of the host immune system at multiple stages of the transduction process. Different viral vector systems each have unique properties that influence their ability to deliver genes to different tissues, and the data generated in several clinical trials testing different vectors for hemophilia have guided our understanding toward development of optimal configurations for treating hemophilia B. The recent clinical success implementing a novel adeno-associated virus vector demonstrated sufficient FIX expression in patients to convert a severe hemophilia phenotype to mild, an achievement which has the potential to profoundly alter the impact of this disease on human society. Continued research should lead to vector designs that result in higher FIX activity at lower vector doses and with reduced host immune responses to the vector and the transgene product.