ENGINE: a Phase III randomized placebo controlled study of enzastaurin/R-CHOP as frontline therapy in high-risk diffuse large B-cell lymphoma patients with the genomic biomarker DGM1

Single-cell analysis reveals transcriptomic features and therapeutic targets in primary pulmonary lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma

Primary pulmonary lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma (PPLELC) is a rare subtype of non-small-cell lung cancer. Duo to the current lack of precise targeted therapies, there is an urgent need to identify novel therapeutic targets. In this study, we perform single-nucleus transcriptome analysis on PPLELC samples to reveal the molecular tumor heterogeneity and characterize the functional states of immune cells within the tumor microenvironment. We identify a critical malignant subpopulation of PPLELC characterized by elevated expression of AKT3 and FGFR2. Higher expression levels of AKT3 and FGFR2 are associated with poorer patient outcomes. Moreover, treatment with either an AKT3 inhibitor or an FGFR2 inhibitor significantly attenuates tumor progression in patient-derived xenograft models. Our findings highlight AKT3 and FGFR2 as potential therapeutic targets and prognostic biomarkers, providing valuable insights for the development of rational targeted therapies and immunotherapeutic strategies.

Targeting PKC as a Therapeutic Strategy to Overcome Chemoresistance in TNBC by Restoring Aurora Kinase B Expression

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) poses a significant challenge due to its high mortality rates, primarily attributed to resistance against chemotherapy regimens containing taxanes like paclitaxel. Thus, developing combinatorial strategies to override resistance is a pressing need. By taking advantage of a library screening with various kinase inhibitors, we found that the small-molecule inhibitor enzastaurin targeting protein kinase C (PKC) could overcome resistance in TNBC cells. Mechanistically, dual treatment with paclitaxel and enzastaurin resulted in efficient mitotic arrest and subsequent cell death by restoring AURKB expression. Further analysis revealed that the GCN2-p-eIF2α axis was responsible for the posttranscriptional accumulation of AURKB upon combinatorial treatment. Finally, we confirmed that combinatorial regimens synergistically suppressed tumour growth in vivo in mouse models. Moreover, the efficiency of dual treatment was largely determined by AURKB, implying that AURKB could be a potential predictive marker for stratifying patients who may benefit from the combinatorial treatment. Collectively, our study not only unravels a novel underlying mechanism for paclitaxel resistance in TNBC but also provides a new potential combinatorial therapeutic strategy in the clinic.

The current landscape of frontline large B-cell lymphoma trials

ABSTRACT

At least 25% to 35% of patients with large B-cell lymphoma (LBCL) are not cured with frontline treatment, with generally poor subsequent outcomes. This motivates ongoing and intense interest in improving the frontline treatment of this disease. R-CHOP (rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone) has remained the standard of care for 20 years despite dozens of trials aiming to improve upon this regimen, and only recently has a novel regimen (pola-R-CHP [polatuzumab vedotin, rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, and prednisone]) challenged its supremacy. Fortunately, at least 15 promising randomized trials evaluating new treatments in frontline LBCL treatment are underway. They differ not only in the therapy evaluated in the experimental arm, but in the choice of control arm, primary end point, and patient selection strategy, with some targeting specific biologic subtypes, some focusing on specific high-risk patient populations, and others enrolling older or frail patients. Novel response-adapted strategies leveraging circulating tumor DNA are also underway. Although this variety of approaches provides a welcome increase in the overall likelihood of success, it will also present challenges if several of these trials are successful and we must choose among multiple potential treatment options that were not all tested in the same fashion. In this review, we summarize the main ongoing frontline randomized trials and discuss some of the questions that we will face in interpreting and applying their results in clinical practice in the next few years.

Evaluating the impact of laboratory-based eligibility criteria by race/ethnicity in first-line clinical trials of DLBCL

ABSTRACT

Underrepresentation of racial and ethnic subgroups in cancer clinical trials remains a persistent challenge. Restrictive clinical trial eligibility criteria have been shown to exacerbate this problem. We previously identified that up to 24% of patients treated with standard immunochemotherapy would have been excluded from recent first-line trials in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) based on 5 laboratory-based criteria. These ineligible patients had worse clinical outcomes and increased deaths related to lymphoma progression, suggesting the potential exclusion of patients who could have benefited most from the novel therapies being evaluated. Using data from the prospectively enrolled Lymphoma Epidemiology Outcomes cohort study, with demographics broadly similar to the US patients diagnosed with lymphoma, we evaluated the impact of laboratory eligibility criteria from recent first-line DLBCL trials across various racial and ethnic backgrounds. There were significant differences in the baseline laboratory values by race/ethnicity with Black/African American (AA) patients having the lowest mean hemoglobin and highest creatinine clearance. Based on recent clinical trial eligibility criteria, AA and Hispanic patients had higher rates of laboratory-based ineligibility than non-Hispanic White patients. The largest gap in the clinical outcomes between eligible and noneligible patients was noted within AA patients with an overall survival hazard ratio based on POLARIX clinical trial criteria of 4.09 (95% confidence interval, 1.83-9.14). A thoughtful approach to the utility of each criterion and cutoffs for eligibility needs to be evaluated in the context of its differential impact across various racial/ethnic groups.

Computer-aided drug repurposing to tackle antibiotic resistance based on topological data analysis

The progressive emergence of antimicrobial resistance has become a global health problem in need of rapid solution. Research into new antimicrobial drugs is imperative. Drug repositioning, together with computational mathematical prediction models, could be a fast and efficient method of searching for new antibiotics. The aim of this study was to identify compounds with potential antimicrobial capacity against Escherichia coli from US Food and Drug Administration-approved drugs, and the similarity between known drug targets and E. coli proteins using a topological structure-activity data analysis model. This model has been shown to identify molecules with known antibiotic capacity, such as carbapenems and cephalosporins, as well as new molecules that could act as antimicrobials. Topological similarities were also found between E. coli proteins and proteins from different bacterial species such as Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Salmonella Typhimurium, which could imply that the selected molecules have a broader spectrum than expected. These molecules include antitumor drugs, antihistamines, lipid-lowering agents, hypoglycemic agents, antidepressants, nucleotides, and nucleosides, among others. The results presented in this study prove the ability of computational mathematical prediction models to predict molecules with potential antimicrobial capacity and/or possible new pharmacological targets of interest in the design of new antibiotics and in the better understanding of antimicrobial resistance.

Bisindolyl Maleimides and Indolylmaleimide Derivatives-A Review of Their Synthesis and Bioactivity

The evolution of bisindolyl maleimides and indolyl maleimide derivatives and their unique biological activities have stimulated great interest in medicinal chemistry programs. Bisindolylmaleimide (BIM)-type compounds arise from natural sources such as arcyriarubin and are biosynthetically related to indolocarbazoles. BIMs are commonly the immediate synthetic precursors of indolocarbazoles, lacking a central bond between the two aromatic units and making them more flexible and drug-like. Synthetic endeavours within this class of compounds are broad and have led to the development of both remarkably potent and selective protein kinase inhibitors. Clinical BIM examples include ruboxistaurin and enzastaurin, which are highly active inhibitors of protein kinase C-β. While BIMs are widely recognised as protein kinase inhibitors, other modes of activity have been reported, including the inhibition of calcium signalling and antimicrobial activity. Critically, structural differences can be used to exploit new bioactivity and therefore it is imperative to discover new chemical entities to address new targets. BIMs can be highly functionalised or chemically manipulated, which provides the opportunity to generate new derivatives with unique biological profiles. This review will collate new synthetic approaches to BIM-type compounds and their associated bioactivities with a focus on clinical applications.

Protein Kinase C at the Crossroad of Mutations, Cancer, Targeted Therapy and Immune Response

The frequent PKC dysregulations observed in many tumors have made these enzymes natural targets for anticancer applications. Nevertheless, this considerable interest in the development of PKC modulators has not led to the expected therapeutic benefits, likely due to the complex biological activities regulated by PKC isoenzymes, often playing ambiguous and protective functions, further driven by the occurrence of mutations. The structure, regulation and functions of PKCs have been extensively covered in other publications. Herein, we focused on PKC alterations mostly associated with complete functional loss. We also addressed the modest yet encouraging results obtained targeting PKC in selected malignancies and the more frequent negative clinical outcomes. The reported observations advocate the need for more selective molecules and a better understanding of the involved pathways. Furthermore, we underlined the most relevant immune mechanisms controlled by PKC isoforms potentially impacting the immune checkpoint inhibitor blockade-mediated immune recovery. We believe that a comprehensive examination of the molecular features of the tumor microenvironment might improve clinical outcomes by tailoring PKC modulation. This approach can be further supported by the identification of potential response biomarkers, which may indicate patients who may benefit from the manipulation of distinctive PKC isoforms.

Maintenance regimen of GM-CSF with rituximab and lenalidomide improves survival in high-risk B-cell lymphoma by modulating natural killer cells

BACKGROUND

The treatment of high-risk B-cell lymphoma (BCL) remains a challenge, especially in the elderly.

METHODS

A total of 83 patients (median age 65 years), who have achieved a complete response after induction therapy, were divided into two groups: R²  + GM-CSF regimen (lenalidomide, rituximab, granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor [GM-CSF]) as maintenance therapy (n = 39) and observation (n = 44). The efficacy of the R²  + GM-CSF regimen as maintenance in patient with high-risk BCL was analyzed and compared with observation.

RESULTS

The number of natural killer cells in patients increased after R²  + GM-CSF regimen administration (0.131 × 10⁹ /L vs. 0.061 × 10⁹ /L, p = 0.0244). Patients receiving the R²  + GM-CSF regimen as maintenance therapy had longer remission (duration of response: 18.9 vs. 11.3 months, p = 0.001), and longer progression-free survival (not reached (NR) vs. 31.7 months, p = 0.037), and overall survival (OS) (NR vs. NR, p = 0.015). The R²  + GM-CSF regimen was safe and well tolerated. High international prognostic index score (p = 0.012), and high tumor burden (p = 0.005) appeared to be independent prognostic factors for worse PFS.

CONCLUSIONS

The maintenance therapy of R²  + GM-CSF regimen may improve survival in high-risk BCL patients, which might be modulated by amplification of natural killer cells. The efficacy of the R²  + GM-CSF maintenance regimen has to be further validated in prospective random clinical trials.

Enzastaurin cardiotoxicity: QT interval prolongation, negative inotropic responses and negative chronotropic action

Several clinical trials observed that enzastaurin prolonged QT interval in cancer patients. However, the mechanism of enzastaurin-induced QT interval prolongation is unclear. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the effect and mechanism of enzastaurin on QT interval and cardiac function. The Langendorff and Ion-Optix MyoCam systems were used to assess the effects of enzastaurin on QT interval, cardiac systolic function and intracellular Ca²⁺ transient in guinea pig hearts and ventricular myocytes. The effects of enzastaurin on the rapid delayed rectifier (I_Kr), the slow delayed rectifier K⁺ current (I_Ks), transient outward potassium current (I_to), action potentials, Ryanodine Receptor 2 (RyR2) and the sarcoplasmic/endoplasmic reticulum Ca²⁺ ATPase 2a (SERCA2a) expression and activity in HEK 293 cell system and primary cardiomyocytes were investigated using whole-cell recording technique and western blotting. We found that enzastaurin significantly prolonged QT interval in guinea pig hearts and increased the action potential duration (APD) in guinea pig cardiomyocytes in a dose-dependent manner. Enzastaurin potently inhibited I_Kr by binding to the human Ether-à-go-go-Related gene (hERG) channel in both open and closed states, and hERG mutant channels, including S636A, S631A, and F656V attenuated the inhibitory effect of enzastaurin. Enzastaurin also moderately decreased I_Ks. Additionally, enzastaurin also induced negative chronotropic action. Moreover, enzastaurin impaired cardiac systolic function and reduced intracellular Ca²⁺ transient via inhibition of RyR2 phosphorylation. Taken together, we found that enzastaurin prolongs QT, reduces heart rate and impairs cardiac systolic function. Therefore, we recommend that electrocardiogram (ECG) and cardiac function should be continuously monitored when enzastaurin is administered to cancer patients.

DLBCL 1L—What to Expect beyond R-CHOP?

Simple Summary

Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is the most common aggressive non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. About two-thirds of patients are cured by the first-line (1L) standard of care (SOC), the R-CHOP (Rituximab, Cyclophosphamide, Doxorubicin, Vincristine and Prednisolone) immunochemotherapy protocol. The profound molecular heterogeneity of DLBCL is the underlying reason why many patients, despite improved next-line options, eventually succumb to the disease. Hence, enhancing the efficacy of 1L treatment is critical for improving long-term outcomes in DLBCL. A plethora of novel treatment options with potential in later lines is currently under evaluation in 1L settings. We summarize here the established and emerging strategies for newly diagnosed DLBCL and emphasize the need for individualized treatment decisions.

Abstract

The R-CHOP immunochemotherapy protocol has been the first-line (1L) standard of care (SOC) for diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) patients for decades and is curative in approximately two-thirds of patients. Numerous randomized phase III trials, most of them in an “R-CHOP ± X” design, failed to further improve outcomes. This was mainly due to increased toxicity, the large proportion of patients not in need of more than R-CHOP, and the extensive molecular heterogeneity of the disease, raising the bar for “one-size-fits-all” concepts. Recently, an R-CHP regimen extended by the anti-CD79b antibody–drug conjugate (ADC) Polatuzumab Vedotin proved superior to R-CHOP in terms of progression-free survival (PFS) in the POLARIX phase III trial. Moreover, a number of targeted agents, especially the Bruton’s tyrosine kinase (BTK) inhibitor Ibrutinib, seem to have activity in certain patient subsets in 1L and are currently being tested in front-line regimens. Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cells, achieving remarkable results in ≥3L scenarios, are being exploited in earlier lines of therapy, while T-cell-engaging bispecific antibodies emerge as conceptual competitors of CAR T-cells. Hence, we present here the findings and lessons learnt from phase III 1L trials and piloting phase II studies in relapsed/refractory (R/R) and 1L settings, and survey chemotherapy-free regimens with respect to their efficacy and future potential in 1L. Novel agents and their mode of action will be discussed in light of the molecular landscape of DLBCL and personalized 1L perspectives for the challenging patient population not cured by the SOC.

Treatment resistance in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma

Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is a highly heterogeneous disease and represents the most common subtype of lymphoma. Although 60-70% of all patients can be cured by the current standard of care in the frontline setting, the majority of the remaining patients will experience treatment resistance and have a poor clinical outcome. Numerous efforts have been made to improve the efficacy of the standard regimen by, for example, dose intensification or adding novel agents. However, these results generally failed to demonstrate significant clinical benefits. Hence, understanding treatment resistance is a pressing need to optimize the outcome of those patients. In this Review, we first describe the conceptual sources of treatment resistance in DLBCL and then provide detailed and up-to-date molecular insight into the mechanisms of resistance to the current treatment options in DLBCL. We lastly highlight the potential strategies for rationally managing treatment resistance from both the preventive and interventional perspectives.

Why R-CHOP + X is not enough: lessons learned and next steps in the mission to improve frontline therapy for diffuse large B-cell lymphoma

Two-thirds of newly diagnosed cases of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) are cured with R-CHOP, an immunochemotherapy regimen that has been the standard of care for almost two decades. Ongoing molecular characterization of DLBCL has revealed a heterogeneous disease comprised of multiple subtypes based on putative cell of origin or somatic mutations with unique oncogenic signaling pathways. The door has been opened to the use of novel agents that target the specific molecular vulnerabilities of DLBCL, but despite this, multiple randomized studies have not identified a suitable drug 'X' to combine with R-CHOP. This report will review recent attempts to add individual novel agents to R-CHOP in the mission to improve frontline treatment for DLBCL and discuss promising ongoing studies. It will offer potential strategies to explore when designing future clinical trials, including exploiting synergy between multiple novel agents.

Impact of Organ Function-Based Clinical Trial Eligibility Criteria in Patients With Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma: Who Gets Left Behind?

PURPOSE

Exclusion of patients needing urgent treatment or requiring novel biomarkers before enrollment has impacted the ability to enroll real-world patients in frontline trials of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). The impact of baseline organ function-based eligibility criteria on this effect and clinical trial exclusion is less well-understood.

METHODS

Consecutive patients with newly diagnosed lymphoma were enrolled from 2002 to 2015 into the Molecular Epidemiology Resource (MER) of the University of Iowa and Mayo Clinic Lymphoma Specialized Program of Research Excellence. The current analysis includes 1,265 patients with DLBCL receiving standard immunochemotherapy. Organ function parameters were identified from criteria for hemoglobin, absolute neutrophil count, platelet count, creatinine clearance, and bilirubin, as reported in frontline DLBCL trials. Abstracted laboratory values from MER were used to determine the percent (%) of patients excluded. Outcomes and cause-of-death analyses comparing ineligible and eligible groups in MER were conducted. An interactive online tool was developed to estimate exclusions based on organ function for future trial design.

RESULTS

Between 9% and 24% of MER patients with DLBCL receiving standard immunochemotherapy were excluded on the basis of baseline organ function alone. Ineligible patients based on organ function had significantly inferior event-free survival (hazard ratios, 1.67-2.16), overall survival (hazard ratios, 1.87-2.56), and event-free survival at 24 months (odds ratio, 1.71-2.16). Ineligible patients were more likely to die from lymphoma progression than increased therapy-related complications.

CONCLUSION

Current national and international trials exclude up to 24% of patients from participation on the basis of organ function alone. A significant difference in the outcomes, notably lymphoma-related death, suggests issues with generalization and potential exclusion of high-risk patients. These data will help future clinical trial development and meet US Food and Drug Administration and ASCO recommendations to increase trial accrual.

New agents and regimens for diffuse large B cell lymphoma

As a widely recognized standard regimen, R-CHOP (rituximab plus cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone) is able to cure two-thirds patients with diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL), and the remaining patients suffer from refractory or relapsed disease due to resistance to R-CHOP and fare poorly. Unsatisfied outcomes for those relapsed/refractory patients prompted efforts to discover new treatment approaches for DLBCL, including chimeric antigen receptor T cells, bispecific T cell engagers, immunomodulatory drugs, immune checkpoint inhibitors, monoclonal antibodies, antibody-drug conjugates, molecular pathway inhibitors, and epigenetic-modifying drugs. Herein, up-to-date data about the most promising treatment approaches for DLBCL are recapitulated, and novel genetic classification systems are introduced to guide individualized treatment for DLBCL.

A perspective on improving the R-CHOP regimen: from Mega-CHOP to ROBUST R-CHOP, the PHOENIX is yet to rise

The integration of rituximab (R) into cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone (CHOP) by Coiffier and colleagues was the first, and last, successful modification of this backbone regimen, which has endured now for almost 20 years. Countless attempts to redefine R-CHOP for patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) have migrated from a focus on dose-intense and dose-dense regimens, to the use of maintenance therapies, and most recently the addition of novel agents. To date, none have changed the basic formula. Although there are many reasons for the absence of success, the incredible molecular heterogeneity of DLBCL is likely to be a major complicating factor. It is clear that as the scientific field's understanding of the genetic heterogeneity of DLBCL deepens, a precision medicine approach should be accounted for and might be one of several paths that could lead to improved outcomes. The rapid identification of poor prognostic groups within the evolving diverse molecular landscape of DLBCL will create new opportunities to produce the next generation of studies with targeted agents against specific pathological drivers. It is conceivable that targeting these driver pathways will require more than one agent, and of course, splitting the pool of patients with DLBCL into smaller groups on the basis of molecular characteristics, will reduce the number of eligible patients for clinical trial investigation. The integration of immunological agents might afford new opportunities to develop treatments agnostic to the complex molecular diversity, while adding minimal toxicity to the regimen. With each of these iterations, the hope is to ultimately shift away from a one-size-fits-all chemotherapy mentality to one predicated on an individualised approach, whether that be through the use of a targeted small molecule or a biological drug. In this Viewpoint, we explore the history of the collective efforts to improve upon R-CHOP, and underscore those lessons that might help to reshape our future plans.