PRL2 phosphatase enhances oncogenic FLT3 signaling via dephosphorylation of the E3 ubiquitin ligase CBL at tyrosine 371.

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is an aggressive blood cancer with poor prognosis. FMS-like tyrosine kinase receptor-3 (FLT3) is one of the major oncogenic receptor tyrosine kinases aberrantly activated in AML. Although protein tyrosine phosphatase PRL2 is highly expressed in some subtypes of AML compared with normal human hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells, the mechanisms by which PRL2 promotes leukemogenesis are largely unknown. We discovered that genetic and pharmacological inhibition of PRL2 significantly reduce the burden of FLT3-internal tandem duplications-driven leukemia and extend the survival of leukemic mice. Furthermore, we found that PRL2 enhances oncogenic FLT3 signaling in leukemia cells, promoting their proliferation and survival. Mechanistically, PRL2 dephosphorylates the E3 ubiquitin ligase CBL at tyrosine 371 and attenuates CBL-mediated ubiquitination and degradation of FLT3, leading to enhanced FLT3 signaling in leukemia cells. Thus, our study reveals that PRL2 enhances oncogenic FLT3 signaling in leukemia cells through dephosphorylation of CBL and will likely establish PRL2 as a novel druggable target for AML.

Patient-reported symptom monitoring and adherence to therapy in patients with newly diagnosed chronic myeloid leukemia.

BACKGROUND: The authors assessed the clinical utility of patient-reported symptom monitoring in the setting of newly diagnosed chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). The primary objective was to evaluate adherence to therapy. METHODS: The authors conducted an international prospective study that included patients with newly diagnosed, chronic-phase CML. Before clinical consultation, patients were provided a tablet computer to self-rate their symptoms, and the results were available in real time to each physician during the patient's visit. Adherence was assessed by pill count and with a validated self-reported questionnaire. The proportions of optimal responders at 3 and 6 months were assessed according to the European LeukemiaNet criteria. RESULTS: Between July 2020 and August 2021, 94 patients with a median age of 57 years were enrolled. Pill count adherence analysis indicated that 86 of 93 evaluable patients (92.5%) took at least 90% of prescribed tyrosine kinase inhibitor therapy during the 6-month observation period. The online platform was well accepted by patients and physicians. An optimal response was achieved by 69 of 79 patients (87.3%) at 3 months and by 61 of 81 patients (75.3%) at 6 months. CONCLUSIONS: Patient-reported symptom monitoring from the beginning of therapy in patients with CML may be critical to improve adherence to therapy and early molecular response rates (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT04384848).

Structural racism is a mediator of disparities in acute myeloid leukemia outcomes.

Non-Hispanic Black (NHB) and Hispanic patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) have higher mortality rates than non-Hispanic White (NHW) patients despite more favorable genetics and younger age. A discrete survival analysis was performed on 822 adult patients with AML from 6 urban cancer centers and revealed inferior survival among NHB (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.59; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.15, 2.22) and Hispanic (HR = 1.25; 95% CI: 0.88, 1.79) patients compared with NHW patients. A multilevel analysis of disparities was then conducted to investigate the contribution of neighborhood measures of structural racism on racial/ethnic differences in survival. Census tract disadvantage and affluence scores were individually calculated. Mediation analysis of hazard of leukemia death between groups was examined across 6 composite variables: structural racism (census tract disadvantage, affluence, and segregation), tumor biology (European Leukemia Network risk and secondary leukemia), health care access (insurance and clinical trial enrollment), comorbidities, treatment patterns (induction intensity and transplant utilization), and intensive care unit (ICU) admission during induction chemotherapy. Strikingly, census tract measures accounted for nearly all of the NHB-NHW and Hispanic-NHW disparity in leukemia death. Treatment patterns, including induction intensity and allogeneic transplant, and treatment complications, as assessed by ICU admission during induction chemotherapy, were additional mediators of survival disparities in AML. This is the first study to formally test mediators for observed disparities in AML survival and highlights the need to investigate the mechanisms by which structural racism interacts with known prognostic and treatment factors to influence leukemia outcomes.

Long-term outcomes in patients with relapsed or refractory hairy cell leukemia treated with vemurafenib monotherapy.

Vemurafenib, an oral BRAF inhibitor, has demonstrated high response rates in relapsed/refractory (R/R) hairy cell leukemia (HCL). However, little is known about long-term outcomes and response to retreatment. Herein, we report the results of 36 patients with R/R HCL treated with vemurafenib from the United States arm of the phase 2 clinical trial (NCT01711632). The best overall response rate was 86%, including 33% complete response (CR) and 53% partial response (PR). After a median follow-up of 40 months, 21 of 31 responders (68%) experienced relapse with a median relapse-free survival (RFS) of 19 months (range, 12.5-53.9 months). There was no significant difference in the RFS for patients with CR vs PR. Fourteen of 21 (67%) relapsed patients were retreated with vemurafenib, with 86% achieving complete hematologic response. Two patients acquired resistance to vemurafenib with the emergence of new KRAS and CDKN2A mutations, respectively. Six of 12 (50%) responders to vemurafenib retreatment experienced another relapse with a median RFS of 12.7 months. Overall survival (OS) was 82% at 4 years, with a significantly shorter OS in patients who relapsed within 1 year of initial treatment with vemurafenib. Higher cumulative doses or a longer duration of treatment did not lengthen the durability of response. All adverse events in the retreatment cohort were grade 1/2 except for 1 case of a grade 3 rash and 1 grade 3 fever/pneumonia. Our data suggest that vemurafenib retreatment is a safe and effective option for patients with R/R HCL.

Phase 3 trial of gilteritinib plus azacitidine vs azacitidine for newly diagnosed FLT3mut+ AML ineligible for intensive chemotherapy.

Treatment results for patients with newly diagnosed FMS-like tyrosine kinase 3 (FLT3)-mutated (FLT3mut+) acute myeloid leukemia (AML) ineligible for intensive chemotherapy are disappointing. This multicenter, open-label, phase 3 trial randomized (2:1) untreated adults with FLT3mut+ AML ineligible for intensive induction chemotherapy to receive gilteritinib (120 mg/d orally) and azacitidine (GIL + AZA) or azacitidine (AZA) alone. The primary end point was overall survival (OS). At the interim analysis (August 26, 2020), a total of 123 patients were randomized to treatment (GIL + AZA, n = 74; AZA, n = 49). Subsequent AML therapy, including FLT3 inhibitors, was received by 20.3% (GIL + AZA) and 44.9% (AZA) of patients. Median OS was 9.82 (GIL + AZA) and 8.87 (AZA) months (hazard ratio, 0.916; 95% CI, 0.529-1.585; P = .753). The study was closed based on the protocol-specified boundary for futility. Median event-free survival was 0.03 month in both arms. Event-free survival defined by using composite complete remission (CRc) was 4.53 months for GIL + AZA and 0.03 month for AZA (hazard ratio, 0.686; 95% CI, 0.433-1.087; P = .156). CRc rates were 58.1% (GIL + AZA) and 26.5% (AZA) (difference, 31.4%; 95% CI, 13.1-49.7; P < .001). Adverse event (AE) rates were similar for GIL + AZA (100%) and AZA (95.7%); grade ≥3 AEs were 95.9% and 89.4%, respectively. Common AEs with GIL + AZA included pyrexia (47.9%) and diarrhea (38.4%). Gilteritinib steady-state trough concentrations did not differ between GIL + AZA and gilteritinib. GIL + AZA resulted in significantly higher CRc rates, although similar OS compared with AZA. Results support the safety/tolerability and clinical activity of upfront therapy with GIL + AZA in older/unfit patients with FLT3mut+ AML. This trial was registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov as #NCT02752035.

A multicenter phase Ib trial of the histone deacetylase inhibitor entinostat in combination with pembrolizumab in patients with myelodysplastic syndromes/neoplasms or acute myeloid leukemia refractory to hypomethylating agents.

Patients with myelodysplastic syndromes/neoplasms (MDS) or acute myeloid leukemia (AML) with hypomethylating agent failure have a poor prognosis. Myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) can contribute to MDS progression and mediate resistance to anti-PD1 therapy. As histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDACi) decrease MDSCs in preclinical models, we conducted an investigator-initiated, NCI-Cancer Therapy Evaluation Program-sponsored, multicenter, dose escalation, and expansion phase Ib trial (NCT02936752) of the HDACi entinostat and the anti-PD1 antibody pembrolizumab. Twenty-eight patients (25 MDS and 3 AML) were enrolled. During dose escalation (n=13 patients), there was one dose-limiting toxicity (DLT) on dose level (DL) 1 (G5 pneumonia/bronchoalveolar hemorrhage) and two DLTs at DL 2 (G3 pharyngeal mucositis and G3 anorexia). Per the 3 + 3 dose escalation design, DL 1 (entinostat 8 mg PO days 1 and 15 + pembrolizumab 200 mg IV day 1 every 21 days) was expanded and another 15 patients were enrolled. Hematologic adverse events (AEs) were common. The most common non-hematologic ≥G3 AEs were infection (32%), hypoxia/respiratory failure (11%), and dyspnea (11%). There were no protocol-defined responses among the 28 patients enrolled. Two patients achieved a marrow complete remission (mCR). Using a systems immunology approach with mass cytometry and machine learning analysis, mCR patients had increased classical monocytes and macrophages but there was no significant change of MDSCs. In conclusion, combining entinostat with pembrolizumab in patients with advanced MDS and AML was associated with limited clinical efficacy and substantial toxicity. Absence of an effect on MDSCs could be a potential explanation for the limited efficacy of this combination. ClinicalTrial.gov Identifier: NCT02936752.

Chronic Myeloid Leukemia, Version 2.2024, NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology.

Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) is defined by the presence of Philadelphia chromosome resulting from a reciprocal translocation between chromosomes 9 and 22 [t9;22] that gives rise to a BCR::ABL1 fusion gene. CML occurs in 3 different phases (chronic, accelerated, and blast phase) and is usually diagnosed in the chronic phase in developed countries. Tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) therapy is a highly effective treatment option for patients with chronic phase-CML. The primary goal of TKI therapy in patients with chronic phase-CML is to prevent disease progression to accelerated phase-CML or blast phase-CML. Discontinuation of TKI therapy with careful monitoring is feasible in selected patients. This manuscript discusses the recommendations outlined in the NCCN Guidelines for the diagnosis and management of patients with chronic phase-CML.

Clinical implications of additional chromosomal abnormalities in adult acute myeloid leukemia with inv (16)/t(16;16)/CBFB::MYH11.

OBJECTIVES: This study assesses the clinical significance of additional cytogenetic abnormalities (ACAs) and/or the deletion of 3'CBFB (3'CBFBdel) resulting in unbalanced CBFB::MYH11 fusion in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) with inv (16)/t(16;16)/CBFB::MYH11. METHODS: We retrospectively evaluated the clinicopathologic features of 47 adult de novo AML with inv (16)/t(16;16)/CBFB::MYH11 fusion. There were 44 balanced and 3 unbalanced CBFB::MYH11 fusions. Given the low frequency of unbalanced cases, the latter group was combined with 19 published cases (N = 22) for statistic and meta-analysis. RESULTS: Both balanced and unbalanced cases were characterized by frequent ACAs (56.5% and 72.7%, respectively), with +8, +22, and del(7q) as the most frequent abnormalities. The unbalanced group tends to be younger individuals (p = .04) and is associated with a lower remission rate (p = .02), although the median overall survival (OS) was not statistically different (p = .2868). In the balanced group, "ACA" subgroup had higher mortality (p = .013) and shorter OS (p = .011), and patients with relapsed disease had a significantly shorter OS (p = .0011). Cox multivariate regression analysis confirmed that ACAs and history of disease relapse are independent risk factors, irrespective of disease relapse status. In the combined cohort, cases with ACAs had shorter OS than those with "Sole" abnormality (p = .0109). CONCLUSIONS: ACAs are independent high-risk factors in adult AML with inv (16)/t(16;16)/CBFB::MYH11 fusion and should be integrated for risk stratification in this disease. Larger studies are needed to assess the clinical significance of the unbalanced CBFB::MYH11 fusion resulting from the 3'CBFBdel.

Clinical outcomes of hypomethylating agents plus Venetoclax as frontline treatment in patients 75 years and older with acute myeloid leukemia: Real-world data from eight US academic centers.

Venetoclax (VEN) combined with hypomethylating agents (HMAs) is the standard of care for the treatment of patients with newly diagnosed acute myeloid leukemia (AML) unfit for intensive chemotherapy. To date, real-world data published on HMAs plus VEN have been either single-center studies or using community-based electronic databases with limited details on mutational landscape, tolerability, and treatment patterns in elderly patients. Therefore, we conducted a multicenter retrospective study to assess the real-world experience of 204 elderly patients (≥75 years) with newly diagnosed AML treated with HMAs plus VEN from eight academic centers in the United States. Overall, 64 patients achieved complete remission (CR; 38%) and 43 CR with incomplete count recovery (CRi; 26%) for a CR/CRi rate of 64%, with a median duration of response of 14.2 months (95% CI: 9.43, 22.1). Among responders, 63 patients relapsed (59%) with median overall survival (OS) after relapse of 3.4 months (95% CI, 2.4, 6.7). Median OS for the entire population was 9.5 months (95% CI, 7.85-13.5), with OS significantly worse among patients with TP53-mutated AML (2.5 months) and improved in patients harboring NPM1, IDH1, and IDH2 mutations (13.5, 18.3, and 21.1 months, respectively). The 30-day and 60-day mortality rates were 9% and 19%, respectively. In conclusion, HMAs plus VEN yielded high response rates in elderly patients with newly diagnosed AML. The median OS was inferior to that reported in the VIALE-A trial. Outcomes are dismal after failure of HMAs plus VEN, representing an area of urgent unmet clinical need.

A Randomized Study to Determine the Effect of a Culturally Focused Video Intervention on Improving HPV Vaccine Intentions in a Christian Population in the United States.

Safe and effective vaccines have been developed that protect against high-risk strains of HPV, but uptake is relatively low. We previously identified factors such as sexual attitudes and HPV knowledge that impact the intent of Christian parents to vaccinate their children against HPV. We hypothesized that culturally specific interventions in the form of short videos would be effective at improving HPV vaccine intentions and attitudes. We made three short educational videos, one with a Christian focus, one informational about HPV, and one control. Videos were distributed electronically with accompanying surveys, and responses were measured before and after watching a randomly selected video. The religious-focused and educational interventions significantly (p < 0.0001, p = 0.0015) improved intentions towards HPV vaccination. The religiously-focused video also significantly diminished the belief that the HPV vaccine is unnecessary because of a family's values (p = 0.014). Parents significantly credited both interventions with improving their intent to vaccinate their children against HPV (p < 0.001 for both). These results suggest that culturally focused educational interventions are effective at influencing vaccine intentions and attitudes, even when those are based on religious or cultural feelings. Highly specific interventions are likely to be necessary for optimal improvement in vaccine hesitancy.

TP53-altered acute myeloid leukemia and myelodysplastic syndrome with excess blasts should be approached as a single entity.

TP53-altered myelodysplastic syndrome with excess blasts and TP53-altered acute myeloid leukemia should be considered under one unifying classification term for their study in clinical trials. Ultimately, such a unification would simplify the screening processes for clinical trials and allow a focus on treating the patient for a genetically defined disorder rather than one based on an arbitrary blast threshold.

Acute Myeloid Leukemia, Version 3.2023, NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology.

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a heterogeneous hematologic malignancy characterized by the clonal expansion of myeloid blasts in the peripheral blood, bone marrow, and/or other tissues. It is the most common form of acute leukemia among adults and accounts for the largest number of annual deaths from leukemias in the United States. Like AML, blastic plasmacytoid dendritic cell neoplasm (BPDCN) is a myeloid malignancy. It is a rare malignancy characterized by the aggressive proliferation of precursors of plasmacytoid dendritic cells that frequently involves the bone marrow, skin, central nervous system, and other organs and tissues. This discussion section focuses on the diagnosis and management of BPDCN as outlined in the NCCN Guidelines for AML.

Comparison of myeloid neoplasms with nonclassic 3q26.2/MECOM versus classic inv(3)/t(3;3) rearrangements reveals diverse clinicopathologic features, genetic profiles, and molecular mechanisms of MECOM activation.

MECOM rearrangements are recurrent in myeloid neoplasms and associated with poor prognosis. However, only inv(3)(q21q26.2) and t(3;3)(q21;q26.2), the classic MECOM rearrangements resulting in RPN1-MECOM rearrangement with Mecom overexpression and GATA2 haploinsufficiency, define the distinct subtype of acute myeloid leukemia (AML), and serve as presumptive evidence for myelodysplastic syndrome based on the current World Health Organization classification. Myeloid neoplasms with nonclassic 3q26.2/MECOM rearrangements have been found to be clinically aggressive, but comparative analysis of clinicopathologic and genomic features is limited. We retrospectively studied cohorts of myeloid neoplasms with classic and nonclassic MECOM rearrangements. Cases with classic rearrangements consisted predominantly of AML, often with inv(3) or t(3;3) as the sole chromosome abnormality, whereas the group of nonclassic rearrangements included a variety of myeloid neoplasms, often with complex karyotype without TP53 mutations and similarly dismal overall survival. Immunohistochemistry revealed Mecom protein overexpression in both groups, but overexpression in cases with nonclassic rearrangements was mediated through a mechanism other than GATA2 distal enhancer involvement typical for classic rearrangement. Our results demonstrated that myeloid neoplasms with nonclassic 3q26.2/MECOM rearrangements encompass a diverse group of diseases with poor clinical outcome, overexpression of Mecom protein as a result of the nonclassic mechanism of MECOM activation.

Therapy-related myeloid neoplasms with normal karyotype show distinct genomic and clinical characteristics compared to their counterparts with abnormal karyotype.

Therapy-related myeloid neoplasms (t-MNs) are a complication of treatment with cytotoxic chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy. The majority of t-MNs show chromosomal abnormalities associated with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) or KMT2A rearrangements and are characterized by poor clinical outcomes. A small but substantial subset of patients have normal karyotype (NK) and their clinical characteristics and mutational profiles are not well studied. We retrospectively studied patients diagnosed with t-MN at three institutions and compared the mutational profile and survival data between t-MNs with NK and t-MNs with abnormal karyotype (AK). A total of 204 patients with t-MN were identified including 158 with AK and 46 with NK. NK t-MNs, compared to AK, were enriched for mutations in TET2 (p < 0.0001), NPM1 (p < 0.0001), ASXL1 (p = 0.0003), SRSF2 (p < 0.0001), RUNX1 (p = 0.0336) and STAG2 (p = 0.0099) and showed a significantly lower frequency of TP53 mutations (p < 0.0001). Overall survival (OS) was significantly lower in AK t-MNs as compared to NK cases (p = 0.0094). In our study, NK t-MNs showed a significantly better OS, a higher prevalence of MN-associated mutations and a lower frequency of TP53 mutations compared to their AK counterparts. The distinct clinical and mutational profile of NK t-MNs merits a separate classification.

Ivosidenib induces deep durable remissions in patients with newly diagnosed IDH1-mutant acute myeloid leukemia.

Ivosidenib (AG-120) is an oral, targeted agent that suppresses production of the oncometabolite 2-hydroxyglutarate via inhibition of the mutant isocitrate dehydrogenase 1 (IDH1; mIDH1) enzyme. From a phase 1 study of 258 patients with IDH1-mutant hematologic malignancies, we report results for 34 patients with newly diagnosed acute myeloid leukemia (AML) ineligible for standard therapy who received 500 mg ivosidenib daily. Median age was 76.5 years, 26 patients (76%) had secondary AML, and 16 (47%) had received ≥1 hypomethylating agent for an antecedent hematologic disorder. The most common all-grade adverse events were diarrhea (n = 18; 53%), fatigue (n = 16; 47%), nausea (n = 13; 38%), and decreased appetite (n = 12; 35%). Differentiation syndrome was reported in 6 patients (18%) (grade ≥3 in 3 [9%]) and did not require treatment discontinuation. Complete remission (CR) plus CR with partial hematologic recovery (CRh) rate was 42.4% (95% confidence interval [CI], 25.5% to 60.8%); CR 30.3% (95% CI, 15.6% to 48.7%). Median durations of CR+CRh and CR were not reached, with 95% CI lower bounds of 4.6 and 4.2 months, respectively; 61.5% and 77.8% of patients remained in remission at 1 year. With median follow-up of 23.5 months (range, 0.6-40.9 months), median overall survival was 12.6 months (95% CI, 4.5-25.7). Of 21 transfusion-dependent patients (63.6%) at baseline, 9 (42.9%) became transfusion independent. IDH1 mutation clearance was seen in 9/14 patients achieving CR+CRh (5/10 CR; 4/4 CRh). Ivosidenib monotherapy was well-tolerated and induced durable remissions and transfusion independence in patients with newly diagnosed AML. This trial was registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov as #NCT02074839.

Gilteritinib clinical activity in relapsed/refractory FLT3 mutated acute myeloid leukemia previously treated with FLT3 inhibitors.

Gilteritinib is approved for the treatment of relapsed/refractory (R/R) acute myeloid leukemia (AML) with an FLT3-mutation (FLT3mut+ ). However, the gilteritinib phase 3 ADMIRAL study (Perl et al NEJM 2019) was conducted prior to widespread adoption of either midostaurin as a component of standard intensive induction and consolidation or posttransplant FLT3 inhibitor maintenance. We performed a retrospective analysis using data from 11 US centers and where we identified 113 patients who received gilteritinib alone or as combination therapy for the treatment of R/R FLT3mut+ AML. The composite complete remission (CR) rate (CRc, defined as CR + CRi + CR with incomplete platelet recovery [CRp]) was 48.7% (n = 55). The CRc rate after treatment with gilteritinib in patients who were treated with only prior 7+3 and midostaurin with or without consolidation was 58% with a median survival of 7.8 months. Survival was longest in patients who obtained a CR, particularly a cMRD (clinical minimal or measurable residual disease) negative response; this remained significant after censoring at the time of stem cell transplant. The mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway activating mutations that are known for gilteritinib resistance (NRAS, KRAS, and PTPN11) had lower CRc (35% vs. 60.5%) and lower median overall survival than patients' whose leukemia did not express these mutations (4.9 months vs. 7.8 months) (HR 2.4; 95% CI 1. 5.4) p value <.01.

BL-8040 CXCR4 antagonist is safe and demonstrates antileukemic activity in combination with cytarabine for the treatment of relapsed/refractory acute myelogenous leukemia: An open-label safety and efficacy phase 2a study.

BACKGROUND: CXCR4 mediates the retention and survival of acute myelogenous leukemia blasts in bone marrow and contributes to their resistance to chemotherapy. The authors evaluated a combination of the high-affinity CXCR4 antagonist BL-8040 with high-dose cytarabine (HiDAC) chemotherapy in a phase 2a study of patients with relapsed and refractory AML. METHODS: Forty-two patients received treatment with BL-8040 monotherapy for 2 days followed by a combination of BL-8040 with HiDAC for 5 days. Six escalating BL-8040 dose levels were investigated (0.5, 0.75, 1.0, 1.25, 1.5, and 2.0 mg/kg), and 1.5 mg/kg was selected as the dose for the expansion phase (n = 23). RESULTS: BL-8040 in combination with HiDAC was safe and well tolerated at all dose levels. Clinical response was observed with BL-8040 doses ≥1.0 mg/kg. The composite response rate (complete remissions plus complete remissions with incomplete hematologic recovery of platelets or neutrophils) was 29% (12 of 42) in all patients and 39% (9 of 23) in the 1.5-mg/kg phase. The median overall survival was 8.4 months for all patients, 10.8 months in the 1.5-mg/kg phase, and 21.8 months for responding patients in the 1.5-mg/kg cohort. Two days of BL-8040 monotherapy triggered the mobilization of blasts into peripheral blood, with significantly higher mean fold-changes in responders versus nonresponders. This was accompanied by a decrease in bone marrow blasts. CONCLUSIONS: The current results demonstrate the efficacy of CXCR4 targeting with BL-8040 and support continued clinical development in acute myelogenous leukemia.

Results of a randomized phase 3 study of oral sapacitabine in elderly patients with newly diagnosed acute myeloid leukemia (SEAMLESS).

BACKGROUND: Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is fatal in elderly patients who are unfit for standard induction chemotherapy. The objective of this study was to evaluate the survival benefit of administering sapacitabine, an oral nucleoside analogue, in alternating cycles with decitabine, a low-intensity therapy, to elderly patients with newly diagnosed AML. METHODS: This randomized, open-label, phase 3 study (SEAMLESS) was conducted at 87 sites in 11 countries. Patients aged ≥70 years who were not candidates for or chose not to receive standard induction chemotherapy were randomized 1:1 to arm A (decitabine in alternating cycles with sapacitabine) received 1-hour intravenous infusions of decitabine 20 mg/m2 once daily for 5 consecutive days every 8 weeks (first cycle and subsequent odd cycles) and sapacitabine 300 mg twice daily on 3 consecutive days per week for 2 weeks every 8 weeks (second cycle and subsequent even cycles) or to control arm C who received 1-hour infusions of decitabine 20 mg/m2 once daily for 5 consecutive days every 4 weeks. Prior hypomethylating agent therapy for preexisting myelodysplastic syndromes or myeloproliferative neoplasms was an exclusion criterion. Randomization was stratified by antecedent myelodysplastic syndromes or myeloproliferative neoplasms, white blood cell count (<10 × 109 /L and ≥10 × 109 /L), and bone marrow blast percentage (≥50% vs <50%). The primary end point was overall survival (OS). Secondary end points were the rates of complete remission (CR), CR with incomplete platelet count recovery, partial remission, hematologic improvement, and stable disease along with the corresponding durations, transfusion requirements, number of hospitalized days, and 1-year survival. The trial is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT01303796). RESULTS: Between October 2011 and December 2014, 482 patients were enrolled and randomized to receive decitabine administered in alternating cycles with sapacitabine (study arm, n = 241) or decitabine monotherapy (control arm, n = 241). The median OS was 5.9 months on the study arm versus 5.7 months on the control arm (P = .8902). The CR rate was 16.6% on the study arm and 10.8% on the control arm (P = .1468). In patients with white blood cell counts <10 × 109 /L (n = 321), the median OS was higher on the study arm versus the control arm (8.0 vs 5.8 months; P = .145), as was the CR rate (21.5% vs 8.6%; P = .0017). CONCLUSIONS: The regimen of decitabine administered in alternating cycles with sapacitabine was active but did not significantly improve OS compared with decitabine monotherapy. Subgroup analyses suggest that patients with baseline white blood cell counts <10 × 109 /L might benefit from decitabine alternating with sapacitabine, with an improved CR rate and the convenience of an oral drug. These findings should be prospectively confirmed.

Durable Remissions with Ivosidenib in IDH1-Mutated Relapsed or Refractory AML.

BACKGROUND: Mutations in the gene encoding isocitrate dehydrogenase 1 ( IDH1) occur in 6 to 10% of patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Ivosidenib (AG-120) is an oral, targeted, small-molecule inhibitor of mutant IDH1. METHODS: We conducted a phase 1 dose-escalation and dose-expansion study of ivosidenib monotherapy in IDH1-mutated AML. Safety and efficacy were assessed in all treated patients. The primary efficacy population included patients with relapsed or refractory AML receiving 500 mg of ivosidenib daily with at least 6 months of follow-up. RESULTS: Overall, 258 patients received ivosidenib and had safety outcomes assessed. Among patients with relapsed or refractory AML (179 patients), treatment-related adverse events of grade 3 or higher that occurred in at least 3 patients were prolongation of the QT interval (in 7.8% of the patients), the IDH differentiation syndrome (in 3.9%), anemia (in 2.2%), thrombocytopenia or a decrease in the platelet count (in 3.4%), and leukocytosis (in 1.7%). In the primary efficacy population (125 patients), the rate of complete remission or complete remission with partial hematologic recovery was 30.4% (95% confidence interval [CI], 22.5 to 39.3), the rate of complete remission was 21.6% (95% CI, 14.7 to 29.8), and the overall response rate was 41.6% (95% CI, 32.9 to 50.8). The median durations of these responses were 8.2 months (95% CI, 5.5 to 12.0), 9.3 months (95% CI, 5.6 to 18.3), and 6.5 months (95% CI, 4.6 to 9.3), respectively. Transfusion independence was attained in 29 of 84 patients (35%), and patients who had a response had fewer infections and febrile neutropenia episodes than those who did not have a response. Among 34 patients who had a complete remission or complete remission with partial hematologic recovery, 7 (21%) had no residual detectable IDH1 mutations on digital polymerase-chain-reaction assay. No preexisting co-occurring single gene mutation predicted clinical response or resistance to treatment. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with advanced IDH1-mutated relapsed or refractory AML, ivosidenib at a dose of 500 mg daily was associated with a low frequency of grade 3 or higher treatment-related adverse events and with transfusion independence, durable remissions, and molecular remissions in some patients with complete remission. (Funded by Agios Pharmaceuticals; ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT02074839 .).

Identification and targeting of novel CDK9 complexes in acute myeloid leukemia.

Aberrant activation of mTOR signaling in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) results in a survival advantage that promotes the malignant phenotype. To improve our understanding of factors that contribute to mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling activation and identify novel therapeutic targets, we searched for unique interactors of mTOR complexes through proteomics analyses. We identify cyclin dependent kinase 9 (CDK9) as a novel binding partner of the mTOR complex scaffold protein, mLST8. Our studies demonstrate that CDK9 is present in distinct mTOR-like (CTOR) complexes in the cytoplasm and nucleus. In the nucleus, CDK9 binds to RAPTOR and mLST8, forming CTORC1, to promote transcription of genes important for leukemogenesis. In the cytoplasm, CDK9 binds to RICTOR, SIN1, and mLST8, forming CTORC2, and controls messenger RNA (mRNA) translation through phosphorylation of LARP1 and rpS6. Pharmacological targeting of CTORC complexes results in suppression of growth of primitive human AML progenitors in vitro and elicits strong antileukemic responses in AML xenografts in vivo.