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Lownik J, Boiarsky J, Birhiray R, Merchant A, Mead M. Sequencing of Anti-CD19 Therapies in the Management of Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma. Clin Cancer Res 2024; 30:2895-2904. [PMID: 38661647 PMCID: PMC11247318 DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-23-1962] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2023] [Revised: 12/01/2023] [Accepted: 03/28/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
Several second- and third-line immunotherapeutic options for patients with relapsed or refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma ineligible for autologous stem cell transplant are directed against the B-cell antigen cluster of differentiation 19 (CD19). The anti-CD19 monoclonal antibody tafasitamab, paired with the immunomodulator lenalidomide, mediates antibody-dependent cellular toxicity and phagocytosis; the antibody-drug conjugate loncastuximab tesirine delivers the DNA cross-linking agent tesirine via CD19 binding and internalization; and CD19-directed chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy (CAR-T) products are engineered from autologous T cells. Although CD19 expression is assessed at diagnosis, clinically relevant thresholds of CD19 expression-which may not be detectable using current routine methodologies-have not been defined and may vary between CD19-directed treatment modalities. Determining optimal treatment sequencing strategies for CD19-directed therapy is hampered by the exclusion of patients who have received prior CD19-directed therapies from major clinical trials. Antigen escape, which is attributed to mechanisms including epitope loss and defective cell surface trafficking of CD19, is an important cause of CAR-T failure. Limited data suggest that CD19 expression may be maintained after non-CAR-T CD19-directed therapy, and retrospective analyses indicate that some patients with disease relapse after CAR-T may benefit from subsequent CD19-directed therapy. To date, clinical evidence on the effect of anti-CD19 therapy prior to CAR-T has been limited to small case series. Prospective studies and detailed analyses are needed to understand how pretreatment and posttreatment CD19 expression correlates with clinical responses to subsequent CD19-directed therapy to fully maximize treatment strategies.
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MESH Headings
- Humans
- Antigens, CD19/immunology
- Lymphoma, Large B-Cell, Diffuse/drug therapy
- Lymphoma, Large B-Cell, Diffuse/immunology
- Lymphoma, Large B-Cell, Diffuse/therapy
- Lymphoma, Large B-Cell, Diffuse/genetics
- Immunotherapy, Adoptive/methods
- Disease Management
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph Lownik
- Cedars Sinai Medical Center, Samuel Oschin Cancer Center, Los Angeles, California.
| | | | - Ruemu Birhiray
- Hematology Oncology of Indiana/American Oncology Network, Indianapolis, Indiana.
| | - Akil Merchant
- Cedars Sinai Medical Center, Samuel Oschin Cancer Center, Los Angeles, California.
| | - Monica Mead
- UCLA, Santa Monica Cancer Care, Santa Monica, California.
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2
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Ong SY, Chen Y, Tan MSY, Ho AYL, Hwang WYK, Lim FLWI. Current perspectives on resistance to chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy and strategies to improve efficacy in B-cell lymphoma. Eur J Haematol 2024; 112:144-152. [PMID: 36987995 DOI: 10.1111/ejh.13964] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2022] [Revised: 03/11/2023] [Accepted: 03/16/2023] [Indexed: 03/30/2023]
Abstract
Although chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy has demonstrated remarkable efficacy in patients with chemo-refractory B-cell lymphoma, a significant portion is refractory or relapse. Resistance is a major barrier to improving treatment efficacy and long-term survival in CAR T-cell therapy, and clinicians have very limited tools to discriminate a priori patients who will or will not respond to treatment. While CD19-negative relapses due to loss of target antigen is well described, it accounts for only about 30% of cases with treatment failure. Recent efforts have shed light on mechanisms of CD19-positive relapse due to tumor intrinsic resistance, T-cell quality/manufacturing, or CAR T-cell exhaustion mediated by hostile tumor microenvironment. Here, we review the latest updates of preclinical and clinical trials to investigate the mechanisms of resistance and relapse post CAR T-cell therapy in B cell lymphoma and discuss novel treatment strategies to overcome resistance as well as advances that are useful for a CAR T therapist to optimize and personalize CAR T-cell therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shin Yeu Ong
- Department of Haematology, Singapore General Hospital, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Yunxin Chen
- Department of Haematology, Singapore General Hospital, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Melinda Si Yun Tan
- Department of Haematology, Singapore General Hospital, Singapore, Singapore
| | | | - William Ying Khee Hwang
- Department of Haematology, Singapore General Hospital, Singapore, Singapore
- Division of Medical Oncology, National Cancer Centre, Singapore, Singapore
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3
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Brooks TR, Caimi PF. A paradox of choice: Sequencing therapy in relapsed/refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. Blood Rev 2024; 63:101140. [PMID: 37949705 DOI: 10.1016/j.blre.2023.101140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2023] [Revised: 10/24/2023] [Accepted: 10/25/2023] [Indexed: 11/12/2023]
Abstract
The available treatments for relapsed or refractory (R/R) diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) have experienced a dramatic change since 2017. Incremental advances in basic and translational science over several decades have led to innovations in immune-oncology. These innovations have culminated in eight separate approvals by the US Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of patients with R/R DLBCL over the last 10 years. High-dose therapy and autologous stem cell transplant (HDT-ASCT) remains the standard of care for transplant-eligible patients who relapse after an initial remission. For transplant-ineligible patients or for those who relapse following HDT-ASCT, multiple options exist. Monoclonal antibodies targeting CD19, antibody-drug conjugates, bispecific antibodies, immune effector cell products, and other agents with novel mechanisms of action are now available for patients with R/R DLBCL. There is increasing use of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cells as second-line therapy for patients with early relapse of DLBCL or those who are refractory to initial chemoimmunotherapy. The clinical benefits of these strategies vary and are influenced by patient and disease characteristics, as well as the type of prior therapy administered. Therefore, there are multiple clinical scenarios that clinicians might encounter when treating R/R DLBCL. An optimal sequence of drugs has not been established, and there is no evidence-based consensus on how to best order these agents. This abundance of choices introduces a paradox: proliferating treatment options are initially a boon to patients and providers, but as choices grow further they no longer liberate. Rather, more choices make the management of R/R DLBCL more challenging due to lack of direct comparisons among agents and a desire to maximize patient outcomes. Here, we provide a review of recently-approved second- and subsequent-line agents, summarize real-world data detailing the use of these medicines, and provide a framework for sequencing therapy in R/R DLBCL.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taylor R Brooks
- Department of Hematology and Oncology, Cleveland Clinic Taussig Cancer Center, Cleveland, OH, United States of America
| | - Paolo F Caimi
- Department of Hematology and Oncology, Cleveland Clinic Taussig Cancer Center, Cleveland, OH, United States of America; Case Comprehensive Cancer Center, Cleveland, OH, United States of America.
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de Ramon Ortiz C, Wang S, Stathis A, Bertoni F, Zenz T, Novak U, Simonetta F. How to integrate CD19 specific chimeric antigen receptor T cells with other CD19 targeting agents in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma? Hematol Oncol 2024; 42:e3237. [PMID: 37937474 DOI: 10.1002/hon.3237] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2023] [Revised: 10/12/2023] [Accepted: 10/13/2023] [Indexed: 11/09/2023]
Abstract
About one third of patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) have a relapsing/refractory (R/R) disease after first line chemo-immunotherapy, with particularly poor outcomes observed in patients with primary refractory disease and early relapse. CD19 specific chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy is a game changer that results in durable and complete response rates in almost half of the patients with R/R DLBCL. Other emerging CD19-targeting therapies include monoclonal antibodies, bispecific antibodies and targeting antibody-drug conjugates, which also show encouraging results. However, the timing and sequencing of different anti-CD19-targeting agents and how they might interfere with subsequent CAR T cell treatment is still unclear. In this review, we summarize the results of the pivotal clinical trials as well as evidence from real-world series of the use of different CD19-targeting approved agents. We discuss the effect of various therapies on CD19 expression and its implications for treatment sequencing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carmen de Ramon Ortiz
- Division of Hematology, Department of Oncology, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Sisi Wang
- Translational Research Center for Oncohematology, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Anastasios Stathis
- Oncology Institute of Southern Switzerland, EOC, Bellinzona, Switzerland
| | - Francesco Bertoni
- Oncology Institute of Southern Switzerland, EOC, Bellinzona, Switzerland
- Institute of Oncology Research, Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, USI, Bellinzona, Switzerland
| | - Thorsten Zenz
- Department of Medical Oncology and Hematology, University Hospital Zürich and University of Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Urban Novak
- Department of Medical Oncology, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Federico Simonetta
- Division of Hematology, Department of Oncology, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland
- Translational Research Center for Oncohematology, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
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Nedved A, Maddocks K, Nowakowski GS. Clinical Treatment Guidelines for Tafasitamab Plus Lenalidomide in Patients with Relapsed or Refractory Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma. Oncologist 2023; 28:199-207. [PMID: 36648324 PMCID: PMC10020798 DOI: 10.1093/oncolo/oyac256] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2022] [Accepted: 10/27/2022] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) accounts for approximately 24% of new cases of B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma in the US each year. Up to 50% of patients relapse or are refractory (R/R) to the standard first-line treatment option, R-CHOP. The anti-CD19 monoclonal antibody tafasitamab, in combination with lenalidomide (LEN), is an NCCN preferred regimen for transplant-ineligible patients with R/R DLBCL and received accelerated approval in the US (July 2020) and conditional marketing authorization in Europe (August 2021) and other countries, based on data from the L-MIND study. The recommended dose of tafasitamab is 12 mg/kg by intravenous infusion, administered in combination with LEN 25 mg for 12 cycles, followed by tafasitamab monotherapy until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Tafasitamab + LEN is associated with durable responses in patients with R/R DLBCL. The majority of clinically significant treatment-associated adverse events are attributable to LEN and can be managed with dose modification and supportive therapy. We provide guidelines for the management of patients with R/R DLBCL treated with tafasitamab and LEN in routine clinical practice, including elderly patients and those with renal and hepatic impairment, and advice regarding patient education as part of a comprehensive patient engagement plan. Our recommendations include LEN administration at a reduced dose if required in patients unable to tolerate the recommended dose. No dose modification is required for tafasitamab in special patient populations.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Kami Maddocks
- Arthur G. James Comprehensive Cancer Center, Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Grzegorz S Nowakowski
- Corresponding author: Grzegorz S. Nowakowski, MD, Division of Hematology, Mayo Clinic, 200 First St. SW, Rochester, MN 55905, USA.
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Sermer D, Elavalakanar P, Abramson JS, Palomba ML, Salles G, Arnason J. Targeting CD19 for diffuse large B cell lymphoma in the era of CARs: Other modes of transportation. Blood Rev 2023; 57:101002. [PMID: 35989138 DOI: 10.1016/j.blre.2022.101002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2022] [Revised: 08/01/2022] [Accepted: 08/02/2022] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
CD19 is nearly ubiquitously expressed on B-lymphocytes and in B-cell malignancies. Although CD19-directed CAR T cells have greatly improved outcomes in B-cell malignancies, there are significant limitations with this therapy. CD19 can also be effectively targeted by other drug classes, such as monoclonal antibodies, antibody-drug conjugates, and bispecific T cell engagers or antibodies. However, the optimal patient selection and sequencing of these novel therapies has not yet been established. In this review, we discuss the utilization of CD19 as a target for the treatment of DLBCL, focusing on tafasitamab, loncastuximab tesirine, and blinatumomab. We provide a comprehensive review of the pivotal clinical trials, discussing the strength and limitations of the data for each agent. We explore the emerging evidence that CD19 expression is retained following exposure to these agents and that patients can be successfully re-challenged with anti-CD19 therapies of a different drug class upon disease relapse post-CAR T cells. Finally, we discuss how these drugs potentially fit into the most current treatment paradigm for DLBCL.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Sermer
- Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA; Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
| | | | - Jeremy S Abramson
- Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - M Lia Palomba
- Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA; Weill-Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, USA
| | - Gilles Salles
- Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA; Weill-Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, USA
| | - Jon Arnason
- Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA; Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
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Aparicio-Pérez C, Carmona MD, Benabdellah K, Herrera C. Failure of ALL recognition by CAR T cells: a review of CD 19-negative relapses after anti-CD 19 CAR-T treatment in B-ALL. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1165870. [PMID: 37122700 PMCID: PMC10140490 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1165870] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2023] [Accepted: 03/31/2023] [Indexed: 05/02/2023] Open
Abstract
The use of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T lymphocytes in the treatment of refractory or relapsed (R/R) B cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) has meant a radical change in the prognosis of these patients, whose chances of survival with conventional treatment are very low. The current probability of event-free survival by R/R B-ALL patients treated using anti-CD 19 CART cell therapy is as high as 50-60% at 1.5 years, which is a very important advance for this group of very ill patients. Although most patients (70 to 94%) achieve complete remission (CR), the main problem continues to be relapse of the disease. Most relapses, both in clinical trials and real-world evidence, are due to failure of CAR-T cell expansion or limited CAR-T persistence. However, despite the adequate functioning of infused CART lymphocytes, the tumor cells of an important group of patients manage to evade CAR-T attack, resulting in a CD 19-negative relapse. Several mechanisms have been described that may be able to produce the escape of leukemic cells, such as acquired mutations and alternative splicing of the CD19 antigen, CD19 epitope loss or masking, leukemia lineage switching, and trogocytosis. In the present review, we comprehensively analyze the leukemic cell escape mechanisms, the incidence of CD19-negative relapse reported in clinical trials and real-world evidence (outside clinical trials), and provide an update on the main lines of current research into the prevention of leukemia evasion.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - MDolores Carmona
- Maimonides Institute of Biomedical Research in Cordoba (IMIBIC), Cell Therapy, Cordoba, Spain
- Red de Investigación Cooperativa Orientada a Resultados en Salud-Terapias Avanzadas (RICORS-TERAV), Carlos III Health Center (ISCIII), Madrid, Spain
| | - Karim Benabdellah
- Red de Investigación Cooperativa Orientada a Resultados en Salud-Terapias Avanzadas (RICORS-TERAV), Carlos III Health Center (ISCIII), Madrid, Spain
- Department of Genomic Medicine, Pfizer-University of Granada-Andalusian Regional Government Centre for Genomics and Oncological Research (GENYO), Granada, Spain
| | - Concha Herrera
- Department of Hematology, Reina Sofía University Hospital, Cordoba, Spain
- Maimonides Institute of Biomedical Research in Cordoba (IMIBIC), Cell Therapy, Cordoba, Spain
- Red de Investigación Cooperativa Orientada a Resultados en Salud-Terapias Avanzadas (RICORS-TERAV), Carlos III Health Center (ISCIII), Madrid, Spain
- Medicine Department, University of Cordoba, Cordoba, Spain
- *Correspondence: Concha Herrera,
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Mian A, Bhattarai N, Sheu M, Ondrejka SL, Caimi PF, Hill BT. Sequential loss of B-cell target antigens in multiply relapsed high-grade B-cell lymphoma treated with targeted therapies. Br J Haematol 2022; 198:e71-e74. [PMID: 35733291 DOI: 10.1111/bjh.18333] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2022] [Revised: 06/09/2022] [Accepted: 06/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Agrima Mian
- Department of Internal Medicine, Taussig Cancer Institute, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Narendra Bhattarai
- Robert J. Tomsich Pathology & Laboratory Medicine Institute, Taussig Cancer Institute, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Michael Sheu
- Department of Internal Medicine, Taussig Cancer Institute, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Sarah L Ondrejka
- Robert J. Tomsich Pathology & Laboratory Medicine Institute, Taussig Cancer Institute, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Paolo F Caimi
- Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Taussig Cancer Institute, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Brian T Hill
- Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Taussig Cancer Institute, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
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Marhelava K, Krawczyk M, Firczuk M, Fidyt K. CAR-T Cells Shoot for New Targets: Novel Approaches to Boost Adoptive Cell Therapy for B Cell-Derived Malignancies. Cells 2022; 11:1804. [PMID: 35681499 PMCID: PMC9180412 DOI: 10.3390/cells11111804] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2022] [Accepted: 05/27/2022] [Indexed: 12/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cell therapy is undeniably a promising tool in combating various types of hematological malignancies. However, it is not yet optimal and a significant number of patients experience a lack of response or relapse after the treatment. Therapy improvement requires careful analysis of the occurring problems and a deeper understanding of the reasons that stand behind them. In this review, we summarize the recent knowledge about CAR-T products' clinical performance and discuss diversified approaches taken to improve the major shortcomings of this therapy. Especially, we prioritize the challenges faced by CD19 CAR-T cell-based treatment of B cell-derived malignancies and revise the latest insights about mechanisms mediating therapy resistance. Since the loss of CD19 is one of the major obstacles to the success of CAR-T cell therapy, we present antigens that could be alternatively used for the treatment of various types of B cell-derived cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katsiaryna Marhelava
- Department of Immunology, Medical University of Warsaw, 02-097 Warsaw, Poland; (K.M.); (M.K.); (M.F.)
| | - Marta Krawczyk
- Department of Immunology, Medical University of Warsaw, 02-097 Warsaw, Poland; (K.M.); (M.K.); (M.F.)
- Laboratory of Immunology, Mossakowski Medical Research Institute, Polish Academy of Sciences, 02-106 Warsaw, Poland
- Doctoral School of Translational Medicine, Mossakowski Medical Research Institute, Polish Academy of Sciences, 02-106 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Malgorzata Firczuk
- Department of Immunology, Medical University of Warsaw, 02-097 Warsaw, Poland; (K.M.); (M.K.); (M.F.)
- Laboratory of Immunology, Mossakowski Medical Research Institute, Polish Academy of Sciences, 02-106 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Klaudyna Fidyt
- Department of Immunology, Medical University of Warsaw, 02-097 Warsaw, Poland; (K.M.); (M.K.); (M.F.)
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