The safety and accuracy of intratumoral catheter placement to infuse viral immunotherapies in children with malignant brain tumors: a multi-institutional study

OBJECTIVE

Relatively little is known about the safety and accuracy of catheter placement for oncolytic viral therapy in children with malignant brain tumors. Accordingly, this study combines data from two phase I clinical trials that employed viral immunotherapy across two institutions to describe the adverse event profile, safety, and accuracy associated with the stereotactic placement and subsequent removal of intratumoral catheters.

METHODS

Children with progressive/recurrent supratentorial malignant tumors were enrolled in two clinical trials (NCT03043391 and NCT02457845) and treated with either the recombinant polio:rhinovirus (lerapolturev) or the genetically modified oncolytic herpesvirus (G207). Age, sex, race, tumor diagnosis, and tumor location were analyzed. Events related to the catheter placement or removal were categorized. A catheter that was either pulled back or could not be used was defined as "misplaced." Neuronavigation software was used to analyze the accuracy of catheter placement for NCT03043391. Descriptive statistics were performed.

RESULTS

Nineteen patients were treated across the two completed trials with a total of 49 catheters. The mean ± SD (range) age was 14.1 ± 3.6 (7-19) years. All tumors were grade 3 or 4 gliomas. Nonlobar catheter tip placement included the corpus callosum, thalamus, insula, and cingulate gyrus. Six of 19 patients (31.6%) had minor hemorrhage noted on CT; however, no patients were symptomatic and/or required intervention related to these findings. One of 19 patients had a delayed CSF leak after catheter removal that required oversewing of the surgical site. No patients developed infection or a neurological deficit. In 7 patients with accuracy data, the mean ± SD distance of the planned trajectory (PT) to the catheter tip was 1.57 ± 1.6 mm, the mean angle of the PT to the catheter was 2.43° ± 2.1°, and the greatest distance of PT to the catheter in the parallel plane was 1.54 ± 1.5 mm. Three of 49 (6.1%) catheters were considered misplaced.

CONCLUSIONS

Although instances of minor hemorrhage were encountered, they were clinically asymptomatic. One of 49 catheters required intervention for a CSF leak. Congruent with previous studies in the literature, the stereotactic placement of catheters in these pediatric tumor patients was accurate with approximately 95% of catheters having been adequately placed.

Cognitive outcomes following aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage: Rehabilitation strategies

Despite decreases in mortality rate, the treatment of cognitive deficits following aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) remains a serious challenge for clinicians and survivors alike. Deficits in executive function, language, and memory prevent more than half of survivors from returning to their previous level of work and put a tremendous amount of stress on the individual and their family. New therapies are needed for survivors of aSAH in order to improve cognitive outcomes and quality of life. The aim of this review is to discuss the prevalence and contributing factors of cognitive deficits following aSAH, as well as areas for therapeutic intervention. Due to the limited research on cognitive rehabilitative strategies for aSAH, a literature search of traumatic brain injury (TBI) was used to explore therapies with the potential to improve cognitive outcomes in aSAH. Across cognitive domains, existing rehabilitative and pharmacotherapeutic strategies for TBI show promise to be useful for survivors of aSAH. However, further study of these therapies in addition to consistent assessment of cognitive deficits are required to determine their efficacy in survivors of aSAH.

Antithrombotic Therapy in Cerebral Cavernous Malformations: A Systematic Review, Meta-Analysis, and Network Meta-Analysis

BACKGROUND

Cerebral cavernous malformations are complex vascular anomalies in the central nervous system associated with a risk of intracranial hemorrhage. Traditional guidelines have been cautious about the use of antithrombotic therapy in this patient group, citing concerns about potential bleeding risk. However, recent research posits that antithrombotic therapy may actually be beneficial. This study aims to clarify the association between antithrombotic therapy, including antiplatelet and anticoagulant medications, and the risk of intracranial hemorrhage in patients with cerebral cavernous malformations.

METHODS AND RESULTS

A comprehensive literature search was conducted in PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus databases, following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. Nine single-center, nonrandomized cohort studies involving 2709 patients were included. Outcomes were analyzed using random-effects model, and a network meta-analysis was conducted for further insight. Of the 2709 patients studied, 388 were on antithrombotic therapy. Patients on antithrombotic therapy had a lower risk of presenting with intracranial hemorrhage (odds ratio [OR], 0.56 [95% CI, 0.45-0.7]; P<0.0001). In addition, the use of antithrombotic therapy was associated with lower risk of intracranial hemorrhage from a cerebral cavernous malformation on follow-up (OR, 0.21 [95% CI, 0.13-0.35]; P<0.0001). A network meta-analysis revealed a nonsignificant OR of 0.73 (95% CI, 0.23-2.56) when antiplatelet therapy was compared with anticoagulant therapy.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study explores the potential benefits of antithrombotic therapy in cerebral cavernous malformations. Although the analysis suggests a possible role for antithrombotic agents, it is critical to note that the evidence remains preliminary. Fundamental biases in study design, such as ascertainment and assignment bias, limit the weight of our conclusions. Therefore, our findings should be considered hypothesis-generating and not definitive for clinical practice change.

Temporal trends and predictors of gestational exposure to organophosphate ester flame retardants and plasticizers

BACKGROUND

Organophosphate esters (OPEs), used as flame retardants and plasticizers, are chemicals of concern for maternal and infant health. Prior studies examining temporal trends and predictors of OPE exposure are primarily limited by small sample sizes.

OBJECTIVES

Characterize temporal trends and predictors of OPE exposure biomarkers.

METHODS

We determined urinary concentrations of eight biomarkers of OPE exposure at three timepoints during pregnancy for participants in the LIFECODES Fetal Growth Study (n = 900), a nested case-cohort recruited between 2007 and 2018. We examined biomarker concentrations, their variability during pregnancy, and temporal trends over the study period. In addition, we identified sociodemographic and pregnancy characteristics associated with biomarker concentrations. Analyses were conducted using both the within-subject pregnancy geometric means and biomarker concentrations measured at individual study visits.

RESULTS

Five OPE biomarkers were detected in at least 60% of the study participants. Biomarkers were not strongly correlated with one another and intraclass correlation coefficients, measuring within-subject variability during pregnancy, ranged from 0.27 to 0.51. Biomarkers exhibited varying temporal trends across study years. For example, bis(1-chloro-2-propyl) phosphate (BCIPP) increased monotonically, whereas bis(1,3-dichloro-2-propyl) phosphate (BDCIPP) and diphenyl phosphate (DPHP), displayed non-monotonic trends with concentrations that peaked between 2011 and 2014. We observed associations between sociodemographic characteristics and OPE biomarkers. In general, concentrations of most OPE biomarkers were higher among participants from racial and ethnic minority populations, participants who were younger, had higher pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI), and less than a college degree. We observed consistent results using either averaged or visit-specific biomarker concentrations.

SIGNIFICANCE

We observed widespread exposure to several OPEs and OPE biomarkers displayed varying temporal trends in pregnant people from 2007 to 2018. Concentrations of most OPE biomarkers varied according to sociodemographic factors, suggesting higher burdens of exposure among participants with higher pre-pregnancy BMI, those belonging to racial and ethnic minority populations, and lower educational attainment.

Impact of COVID-19 on clinical outcomes of robotic inguinal hernia repair

PURPOSE

To investigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the clinical impact of the clinical outcomes of robotic inguinal hernia repair.

METHODS

Patients who underwent RIHR 2 years before and after March 10, 2020, were included in this retrospective study and assigned accordingly to the pre- or post-COVID group. Pre-, intra-, and postoperative variables including patients' demographics, hernia characteristics, complications, and hernia recurrence rates were compared between groups.

RESULTS

183 (94.5% male) and 141 (96.4% male) patients were assigned to the pre- and post-COVID groups, respectively. Patient demographics and medical comorbidities did not differ between groups. Operative time was approximately 40 min longer in the post-COVID group (p < 0.001) with higher rates of bilateral IHR (pre-COVID: 30.1% vs. post-COVID: 46.4%, p = 0.003). Mesh material differed between groups with predominance of polyester mesh in the pre-COVID group vs. polypropylene in the post-COVID one. Median hospital length of stay (LOS) was 0 days in both groups, and same-day discharge rates were 93.4% pre-pandemic and 92.8% post-pandemic (p = 0.09). There were no pulmonary complications recorded in either group or no cases of COVID-19 detected within two weeks postoperatively in the post-COVID group. Seromas were more frequent in the post-COVID group (pre-COVID: 2 vs. post-COVID: 8, p = 0.018) and no hernia recurrences were recorded.

CONCLUSION

This is the first study to describe the impact of COVID-19 on RIHR. Clinical outcomes and hernia-specific complications were not impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Neuro-psychiatric symptoms in directly and indirectly blast exposed civilian survivors of urban missile attacks

BACKGROUND

Blast-explosion may cause traumatic brain injury (TBI), leading to post-concussion syndrome (PCS). In studies on military personnel, PCS symptoms are highly similar to those occurring in post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), questioning the overlap between these syndromes. In the current study we assessed PCS and PTSD in civilians following exposure to rocket attacks. We hypothesized that PCS symptomatology and brain connectivity will be associated with the objective physical exposure, while PTSD symptomatology will be associated with the subjective mental experience.

METHODS

Two hundred eighty nine residents of explosion sites have participated in the current study. Participants completed self-report of PCS and PTSD. The association between objective and subjective factors of blast and clinical outcomes was assessed using multivariate analysis. White-matter (WM) alterations and cognitive abilities were assessed in a sub-group of participants (n = 46) and non-exposed controls (n = 16). Non-parametric analysis was used to compare connectivity and cognition between the groups.

RESULTS

Blast-exposed individuals reported higher PTSD and PCS symptomatology. Among exposed individuals, those who were directly exposed to blast, reported higher levels of subjective feeling of danger and presented WM hypoconnectivity. Cognitive abilities did not differ between groups. Several risk factors for the development of PCS and PTSD were identified.

CONCLUSIONS

Civilians exposed to blast present higher PCS/PTSD symptomatology as well as WM hypoconnectivity. Although symptoms are sub-clinical, they might lead to the future development of a full-blown syndrome and should be considered carefully. The similarities between PCS and PTSD suggest that despite the different etiology, namely, the physical trauma in PCS and the emotional trauma in PTSD, these are not distinct syndromes, but rather represent a combined biopsychological disorder with a wide spectrum of behavioral, emotional, cognitive and neurological symptoms.

CTIM-15. RESULTS OF A PHASE IB TRIAL OF RECOMBINANT POLIO:RHINOVIRUS IMMUNOTHERAPY FOR RECURRENT PEDIATRIC HIGH GRADE GLIOMA

BACKGROUND

Outcomes of recurrent pediatric high grade glioma (pHHG) are poor with a median overall survival (OS) of &lt; 6 months. Viral immunotherapy such as the polio:rhinovirus chimera, PVSRIPO, is a novel treatment approach for recurrent pHHG. PVSRIPO is genetically engineered to prevent neurovirulence. In adults with recurrent glioblastoma treated with PVSRIPO, 21% survived &gt; 36 months. The poliovirus receptor, CD155, is ubiquitously expressed in malignant pediatric brain tumors including pHHG.

METHODS

The primary objective of this Phase 1b clinical trial was to evaluate the safety and feasibility of PVSRIPO for recurrent pHGG. PVSRIPO was given at a single dose, 5x107 50% tissue-culture infectious dose (TCID50) administered by convection enhanced delivery (CED) to children with biopsy-confirmed recurrent pHHG between ≥ 1 and ≤ 5.5 in diameter. 3 mL of PVSRIPO was delivered at 0.5 mL/hr via a single catheter.

RESULTS

Eight patients were treated with PVSRIPO including 5 males and 3 females with a median age of 16.5 (range 9-19). Six patients had recurrent glioblastoma, 2 had recurrent anaplastic astrocytoma. The median number of previous recurrences prior to enrollment was 3.5 (range 1-5). Four patients received bevacizumab on-study for treatment-related peritumoral inflammation/edema. Six of 8 patients experienced 26 treatment related adverse events (AEs) possibly, probably, or definitely related to protocol treatment. There were no Grade 4 or 5 AEs. There were 3 Grade 3 AEs: 2 headaches and 1 seizure. There were no AEs related to biopsy or CED catheter insertion/removal. Median OS was 4.13 months (range 1.23-NA). One patient is currently alive at &gt; 21 months. Monocyte and T cell inflammatory phenotypes and total CD4+ T cells were increased in peripheral blood after treatment.

CONCLUSIONS

CED of PVSPRIO is both safe and feasible for the treatment of recurrent pHHG. Histologic correlative results will also be presented.

CTIM-23. DOSE ESCALATION TRIAL OF FC-ENGINEERED ANTI-CD40 MONOCLONAL ANTIBODY (2141-V11) ADMINISTERED INTRATUMORALLY WITH D2C7-IT VIA CONVECTION-ENHANCED DELIVERY (CED) FOR RECURRENT MALIGNANT GLIOMAS (RMGS)

BACKGROUND

D2C7-IT, a novel immunotoxin-based cytotoxic therapy, targets epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and mutant EGFR variant III. In preclinical studies, D2C7-IT kills tumor cells and prolongs survival, but is unable to generate cures in all animals. We hypothesized that immunosuppression in glioblastoma limits D2C7-IT efficacy. Eliminating glioblastoma immunosuppression via CD40 co-stimulation is anticipated to enhance D2C7-IT-induced antitumor responses. In murine glioma models, CED of D2C7-IT+αCD40 generated cures and long-term tumor-specific adaptive immunity. Hence, we are conducting a phase 1 trial of D2C7-IT+2141-V11 (αhuman-CD40) administered via CED in rMG patients.

METHODS

Eligibility includes adult patients with solitary supratentorial rMG (WHO grade 3/4); ≥ 4 weeks after chemotherapy, bevacizumab, or study drug; adequate organ function; and KPS ≥ 70%. Cohorts of 3 patients are treated with increasing doses of 2141-V11 to determine the maximum tolerated dose when administered sequentially following D2C7-IT (166,075 ng) via CED at 0.5 mL/hr. Five dose levels (DLs) are evaluated (2141-V11 at: #1: 0.70 mg; #2: 2.0 mg; #2**: 3.0 mg #2*: 4.0 mg; #3: 7.0 mg).

RESULTS

As of May 29, 2022, 13 patients were treated (3 patients on DL1, DL2, and DL2**; 2 patients on DL3 and DL2*). No dose-limiting toxicities were observed; however, lower DLs were added due to higher frequency of adverse events (AEs) expected with D2C7-IT+2141-V11 with DL3 and DL2* (fever, neurologic symptoms). All patients remain alive 0.7-10.6 months after therapy. Grade ≥ 2 AEs due to D2C7-IT+2141-V11 include: headache (grade 3, n = 1; grade 2, n = 4); pyramidal tract disorder (grade 3, n = 1; grade 2, n = 2); paresthesia (grade 3, n = 1); dysphasia (grade 3, n = 1); seizures (grade 2; n = 2); fever (grade 2; n = 2); and one each of grade 2 depressed level of consciousness, fatigue, and concentration impairment. Enrollment is ongoing.

CONCLUSIONS

Intratumoral administration of D2C7-IT+2141-V11 via CED is safe, encouraging efficacy results are observed.

A Case of ALECT2 Renal Amyloidosis Associated with IgG4 Related Kidney Disease, Membranous Nephropathy and Early Diabetic Kidney Injury

Introduction/Objective

ALECT-2 amyloidosis is a rare type of amyloidosis that mostly involves kidneys with other organs rarely affected. It has a high prevalence among patients of Hispanic descent. Membranous nephropathy is one of the most common causes of proteinuria in adults. IgG4-related disease is a systemic disease, which commonly involves the pancreas, but occasionally affects the kidney and manifests as chronic renal insufficiency. Here we describe a very unusual case of concurrence of membranous nephropathy, IgG4 disease involving the kidney, ALECT2 amyloidosis, and early diabetic kidney injury.

Methods/Case Report

A 49-year-old Hispanic male patient with a history of diabetes and IgG4-related autoimmune pancreatitis and primary sclerosing cholangitis presented with abrupt onset of proteinuria and hypoalbuminemia. A kidney biopsy was performed and showed severe interstitial plasma cell-rich inflammatory infiltrates and interstitial fibrosis which had a storiform pattern. The glomerular basement membranes (GBM) showed focal pinpoint holes but no spikes by silver stain. Immunofluorescence microscopy (IF) showed diffuse and finely granular capillary loop staining for IgG, with Kappa and lambda light chains of equal intensity. IF for Anti-phospholipase A2 receptor (PLA2R) was negative. Immunohistochemical (IHC) stain showed IgG4 positivity in about 60% of IgG-positive plasma cells. Congo red was positive for birefringent deposits predominantly in the interstitium and arteriolar walls with focal deposits in the glomerular mesangium and capillary wall. IHC stain for Amyloid AA and DNAJB9 were negative. Electron microscopy showed scattered subepithelial immune complex-type electron dense deposits consistent with membranous nephropathy, randomly oriented fibrils in interstitium, mesangium and GBM, consistent with amyloidosis, and thickening of GBM (average 559 nm), consistent with early diabetic kidney change. The tissue was sent for mass spectrometry which showed a peptide profile consistent with ALECT-2 (Leukocyte chemotactic factor 2) type amyloidosis.

Results (if a Case Study enter NA)

NA

Conclusion

In up to a third of cases reported in the literature, a concomitant renal pathology was present. Diabetic nephropathy was the most common concurrent pathology, to be followed by IgA nephropathy and membranous nephropathy. However, the concurrence of membranous nephropathy, IgG4 disease involving the kidney, ALECT2 amyloidosis, and early diabetic kidney injury has never been described before.

POS0685 LONG-TERM SAFETY AND EFFICACY OF UPADACITINIB IN PATIENTS WITH RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS: FINAL RESULTS FROM THE BALANCE-EXTEND OPEN-LABEL EXTENSION STUDY

Background

Upadacitinib (UPA) was previously evaluated in two Phase 2, randomized, controlled trials (RCTs) in patients (pts) with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and inadequate response to tumor necrosis factor inhibitors (BALANCE-1) or methotrexate (BALANCE-2).

Objectives

To assess the final safety and efficacy of UPA in BALANCE-EXTEND, a 312-week open-label extension (OLE) enrolling pts who completed either BALANCE-1 or BALANCE-2.

Methods

All pts initially received UPA 6 mg twice daily (BID). Increase to 12 mg BID was required for pts with <20% improvement in swollen or tender joint counts (S/TJC) at Week 6 or 12, and permitted for those not achieving Clinical Disease Activity Index (CDAI) low disease activity (LDA). Pts with <20% improvement in SJC or TJC 6 weeks after escalation, or at any two consecutive visits, discontinued. Return to 6 mg BID was permitted for safety or tolerability reasons. After January 2017, the 6 and 12 mg BID doses were replaced by 15 and 30 mg once-daily (QD) extended-release equivalents. As-observed efficacy data are shown at Week 312 for three subgroups: pts who received 6 mg BID/15 mg QD throughout (“Never titrated”), those titrated up to 12 mg BID/30 mg QD for efficacy (“Titrated up”), and those titrated up to 12 BID/30 mg QD and then back to 6 mg BID/15 mg QD due to safety concerns (“Titrated up and down”). Exposure-adjusted adverse events (EAERs) per 100 patient-years (PY) of exposure were summarized from OLE Day 1 in all pts who received UPA (Any UPA).

Results

Overall, 493 pts entered the OLE, receiving UPA for ≤6.2 years (Never titrated, n=306; Titrated up, n=149; Titrated up and down, n=38), and 270 pts (54.8%) discontinued, mostly due to withdrawal of consent (16.8%; n=83) or AEs (14.6%; n=72). Mean (standard deviation) duration of UPA exposure was 3.8 (2.4) years (range <1–6.2 years); cumulative exposure was 1863 PY. The AE profile in pts receiving UPA 15 mg was generally similar to the Any UPA population, and to that observed in the Phase 3 UPA 15 mg clinical trial population (Table 1). Efficacy was maintained to Week 312, with 84.5% and 86.6% of pts in the Never titrated group achieving DAS28-CRP ≤3.2 and CDAI LDA, respectively (Figure 1).

Table 1.

Summary of AEs in pts who received UPA 6 mg BID/15 mg QD in the OLE and in the UPA 15 mg Phase 3 study program

BALANCE-EXTEND (UPA 6 mg BID/15 mg QD)UPA 15 mg – Phase 3 programbEvents/100 PY (95 CI)aEvents/100 PY (95% CI)aN=493, PY=1277N=3209, PY=9079Any AE138.4 (132.0, 145.0)205.5 (202.5, 208.5)Any SAE7.9 (6.4, 9.6)12.4 (11.7, 13.2)AE leading to discontinuation4.2 (3.2, 5.5)4.9 (4.4, 5.3)Death0.4 (0.1, 0.9)0.5 (0.4, 0.7)cInfection49.2 (45.5, 53.2)63.9 (62.3, 65.6) Serious infection1.4 (0.8, 2.2)2.8 (2.4, 3.1) Opportunistic infection0.2 (0.0, 0.6)0.3 (0.2, 0.4) Herpes zoster2.0 (1.3, 3.0)3.0 (2.6, 3.3)Anemia1.1 (0.6, 1.8)3.0 (2.7, 3.4)Neutropenia1.3 (0.8, 2.1)2.1 (1.8, 2.5)Lymphopenia1.7 (1.1, 2.6)1.7 (1.4, 1.9)Gastrointestinal perforation0<0.1 (0.0, 0.1)Any malignancy1.2 (0.7, 1.9)1.1 (0.9, 1.4)Non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC)0.4 (0.1, 0.9)0.4 (0.3, 0.5) Excluding NMSC0.8 (0.4, 1.4)0.7 (0.6, 0.9)Creatinine phosphokinase elevation3.4 (2.5, 4.6)4.4 (4.0, 4.9)Hepatic disorder4.1 (3.0, 5.3)10.2 (9.5, 10.8)Venous thromboembolism0.5 (0.2, 1.0)0.4 (0.3, 0.6)Major adverse cardiovascular event0.5 (0.2, 1.0)0.4 (0.3, 0.5)

aMultiple events occurring in the same pts are counted in the calculation of events/100 PY. bCut-off, June 30, 2021. cBased on 9080 PY.

Conclusion

In this OLE, UPA treatment over ~312 weeks showed sustained long-term efficacy in pts with RA who had completed Phase 2 RCTs. Overall safety results showed that UPA was well tolerated over time; the types and frequencies of AEs were consistent with those in pts with similar populations of moderately to severely active RA receiving Janus kinase inhibitors.

Acknowledgements

AbbVie funded this study; contributed to its design; participated in data collection, analysis, and interpretation of the data; and participated in the writing, review, and approval of the abstract. AbbVie and the authors thank all study investigators for their contributions and the patients who participated in this study. No honoraria or payments were made for authorship. Medical writing support was provided by Dan Booth, PhD, of 2 the Nth (Cheshire, UK), and was funded by AbbVie.

Disclosure of Interests

Alan Kivitz Shareholder of: Amgen, Gilead, GlaxoSmithKline, Novartis, Pfizer, and Sanofi (stocks or options), Consultant of: AbbVie, Amgen, Boehringer Ingelheim, Eli Lilly, Flexion, Genzyme, Gilead, Horizon, Janssen, Merck, Novartis, Pfizer, Regeneron, Sanofi, Sanofi Aventis, SUN Pharma Advanced Research, and UCB, Grant/research support from: AbbVie (his institution received fees for his role as a Principal Investigator in the study), Alvin F. Wells Consultant of: AbbVie, Juan Ignacio Vargas Consultant of: AbbVie, Grant/research support from: AbbVie (as a Principal Investigator in the study), Herbert S.B. Baraf Consultant of: Gilead and Janssen, Grant/research support from: AbbVie, Eli Lilly, Genentech, Gilead, and Janssen, Maureen Rischmueller Consultant of: AbbVie, Bristol-Myers Squibb, CSL Behring, Eli Lilly, Gilead Sciences, Janssen Global Services, Pfizer, Sanofi US Services, and UCB Biosciences, Grant/research support from: AbbVie, Amgen, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Eli Lilly, Janssen Global Services, Novartis, Pfizer, Sanofi Pasteur Biologics, and UCB Biosciences, Justin Klaff Shareholder of: AbbVie (may own stocks or options), Employee of: AbbVie, Nasser Khan Shareholder of: AbbVie (may own stocks or options), Employee of: AbbVie, Yihan Li Shareholder of: AbbVie (may own stocks or options), Employee of: AbbVie, Kyle Carter Shareholder of: AbbVie (may own stocks or options), Employee of: AbbVie, Alan Friedman Shareholder of: AbbVie (may own stocks or options), Employee of: AbbVie, Patrick Durez Speakers bureau: Eli Lilly and Galapagos

CTIM-18. LUMINOS-101: INITIAL SAFETY AND TOLERABILITY OF PVSRIPO AND PEMBROLIZUMAB COMBINATION THERAPY IN RECURRENT GLIOBLASTOMA

BACKGROUND

Recurrent glioblastoma (rGBM) is rapidly fatal with current therapies. PVSRIPO is an intratumoral immunotherapy targeting CD155 on antigen-presenting and malignant cells of solid tumors. Preclinically, PVSRIPO treatment leads to systemic, tumor antigen-specific, polyfunctional T-cell–mediated anti-tumor response, predominately driven by type I/III interferons. This inflammatory signature generates anti-tumor immunity and upregulates the programmed death (PD)-1 immune checkpoint in the tumor microenvironment. Preclinical models (including GBM) have shown that PVSRIPO+anti-PD-1/L1 therapy was more efficacious than either agent alone, warranting further investigation.

METHODS

Adults with histologically confirmed rGBM (1-2 prior progressions), Karnofsky performance status (KPS) ≥70, and an active, supratentorial, contrast-enhancing lesion (1-5.5 cm), received PVSRIPO (5x107 TCID50) intratumorally via convection-enhanced delivery (Day 1), followed by 200 mg pembrolizumab IV at week 2, given every 3 weeks for up to 24 months, to evaluate the safety/efficacy of the combination. A safety lead-in period (n=3-6) with a minimum 21–28-day delay before treatment of subsequent patients was planned, with a data safety monitoring board (DSMB) evaluating safety/tolerability prior to expansion (up to N=30).

RESULTS

The first 3 patients enrolled (ages 55-60, KPS 90-100) all received PVSRIPO followed by pembrolizumab (1-5 cycles), as planned. At cutoff (26-106 days of follow-up), there were no dose-limiting toxicities, treatment-emergent (TE) serious adverse events (SAE), or TEAEs necessitating a delay in initial/subsequent pembrolizumab treatments. All patients experienced a related TEAE, all grade 1 or 2 in severity. One patient experienced an AE of special interest (peritumoral edema, resulting in headache and hemiparesis), successfully managed with low-dose bevacizumab and corticosteroids. The DSMB unanimously recommended the study proceed without modification.

CONCLUSIONS

Intratumoral PVSRIPO+pembrolizumab was reasonably well tolerated, warranting continued investigation of the safety and efficacy of this combination in patients with rGBM.

CTIM-10. REPRODUCIBILITY OF CLINICAL TRIALS USING CMV-TARGETED DENDRITIC CELL VACCINES IN PATIENTS WITH GLIOBLASTOMA

INTRODUCTION

Vaccination with dendritic cells (DCs) fares poorly in primary and recurrent glioblastoma (GBM). Moreover, GBM vaccine trials are often underpowered due to limited sample size.

METHODS

To address these limitations, we conducted three sequential clinical trials utilizing Cytomegalovirus (CMV)-specific DC vaccines in patients with primary GBM. Autologous DCs were generated and electroporated with mRNA encoding for the CMV protein pp65. Serial vaccination was given throughout adjuvant temozolomide cycles, and 111Indium radiolabeling was implemented to assess migration efficiency of DC vaccines. Patients were followed for median overall survival (mOS) and OS.

RESULTS

Our initial study was the phase II ATTAC study (NCT00639639; total n=12) with 6 patients randomized to vaccine site preconditioning with tetanus-diphtheria (Td) toxoid. This led to an expanded cohort trial (ATTAC-GM; NCT00639639) of 11 patients receiving CMV DC vaccines containing granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF). Follow-up data from ATTAC and ATTAC-GM revealed 5-year OS rates of 33.3% (mOS 38.3 months; CI95 17.5-undefined) and 36.4% (mOS 37.7 months; CI95 18.2-109.1), respectively. ATTAC additionally revealed a significant increase in DC migration to draining lymph nodes following Td preconditioning (P=0.049). Increased DC migration was associated with OS (Cox proportional hazards model, HR=0.820, P=0.023). Td-mediated increased migration has been recapitulated in our larger confirmatory trial ELEVATE (NCT02366728) of 43 patients randomized to preconditioning (Wilcoxon rank sum, Td n=24, unpulsed DC n=19; 24h, P=0.031 and 48h, P=0.0195). In ELEVATE, median follow-up of 42.2 months revealed significantly longer OS in patients randomized to Td (P=0.026). The 3-year OS for Td-treated patients in ELEVATE was 34% (CI95 19-63%) compared to 6% given unpulsed DCs (CI95 1-42%).

CONCLUSION

We report reproducibility of our findings across three sequential clinical trials using CMV pp65 DCs. Despite their small numbers, these successive trials demonstrate consistent survival outcomes, thus supporting the efficacy of CMV DC vaccine therapy in GBM.

BIOM-20. TUMOR-INTRINSIC AND PERIPHERAL FEATURES ASSOCIATE WITH SURVIVAL AFTER POLIO VIROTHERAPY IN RECURRENT GBM

BACKGROUND

PVSRIPO is a live-attenuated recombinant rhino:poliovirus that mediates antitumor efficacy by engaging antitumor immunity. A subset (~20%) of patients with recurrent GBM (rGBM) survive &gt;24 months after therapy. We previously reported that low tumor mutation burden (TMB) is associated with longer survival after PVSRIPO and immune checkpoint blockade therapy in rGBM, and that low TMB associates with higher inflammatory gene expression signatures in rGBM tumors.

METHODS

Clinical features were tested for association with survival after PVSRIPO therapy. Whole exome sequencing and RNA-sequencing of tumors were used to correlate mutational landscape, tumor mutation burden (TMB), and gene expression signatures of patient tumors with survival. An in vitro assay that measures inflammatory responses of patient PBMCs to PVSRIPO was performed. An independent cohort of paired primary and recurrent GBM tumors was used to assess longitudinal changes in TMB and gene expression signatures after standard of care treatment.

RESULTS

A short time to recurrence and low TMB associated with longer survival after PVSRIPO therapy; these features were not prognostic for longer survival in immunotherapy naïve rGBM cohorts. Unexpectedly, higher pre-treatment polio neutralizing antibody titers were also associated with longer survival after PVSRIPO therapy in two independent clinical cohorts. PBMCs from patients surviving longer after PVSRIPO therapy mounted higher TNF, but lower IFN-a responses after in vitro challenge with PVSRIPO. In analysis of paired primary vs recurrent GBM tumors, we discovered that patients with low TMB upon recurrence were more likely to experience increased tumor inflammation and suppression of overall TMB. Low TMB in rGBM tumors was also associated with neoantigen depletion. Collectively, these observations imply that patients with low TMB and/or shorter duration of standard of care therapy may have intact immune surveillance, and that pre-treatment immunological status may dictate survival response to polio virotherapy.

NEIM-03. FEASIBILITY OF AUTOMATED ASSESSMENT OF PROGRESSIVE ENHANCEMENT ON MRI IN PATIENTS WITH NEWLY DIAGNOSED HIGH-GRADE GLIOMA USING A FEATURE-BASED ALGORITHM

BACKGROUND

Approximately 50% of patients with newly diagnosed high-grade glioma (HGG) develop progressive enhancement between their post-operative MRI scan and 12 weeks after radiation and temozolomide. Inter-reader variability on the assessment of progressive enhancement in this patient group is a significant barrier in designing multi-center biomarker trials to distinguish true progression from pseudoprogression. Although enhancement segmentation algorithms have become more widely available, more automated and reproducible techniques to identify patients who develop progressive enhancement are needed to facilitate acquisition of non-standard of care biomarkers when this occurs. We explored the feasibility of using a feature-based algorithm in tandem with freely available / open source automated segmentation algorithms to identify this subset of patients.

METHODS

An automated algorithm using subtraction of registered segmentations to detect new areas of localized thickness of enhancement was developed. Criteria for feasibility (50% within 95% CI of percent patients identified, and sensitivity of &gt;85% of patients assessed as progressed [P+] identified) were determined prospectively. The algorithm was implemented across five different automated enhancement segmentation techniques, then evaluated using a retrospective dataset of 73 patients with newly diagnosed HGG (age 50.8±13.2 years, 37 men, 36 women, 50 GBM, 23 Grade III). Standardized post-baseline brain tumor imaging protocol MR acquisitions were obtained on 1.5T and 3T scanners (GE and Siemens). On chart review, 53% of patients were assessed by neuroradiologists and/or neuro-oncologists as P+ (progression vs. pseudoprogression).

RESULTS

50% was within the 95% CI of percent of patients identified for all five segmentation algorithms. Sensitivity was over 85% for three segmentation algorithms, with the MIC-DKFZ algorithm having highest sensitivity of 92%. For this algorithm, specificity was 77%, PPV was 81% and NPV was 90%.

CONCLUSION

A feature-based algorithm in tandem with open source segmentation algorithms showed preliminary feasibility for automated identification of patients with progressive enhancement.

POS0508 EVALUATION OF RESPONSE TO PNEUMOCOCCAL VACCINATION IN PATIENTS WITH RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS RECEIVING UPADACITINIB: RESULTS FROM A PHASE 2 OPEN-LABEL EXTENSION STUDY

Background:

Pneumococcal vaccination is recommended in patients with RA who are receiving conventional synthetic/biologic DMARDs.1 Upadacitinib (UPA) is an oral Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitor engineered to have a greater selectivity for JAK1 versus JAK2, JAK3, and tyrosine kinase 2, and is approved for the treatment of RA.

Objectives:

The aim of this analysis was to assess the impact of long-term treatment with UPA + background MTX on immunologic responses to Prevnar 13® (Pneumococcal 13-valent Conjugate Vaccine [Diphtheria CRM197 Protein]; PCV13) in patients with RA enrolled in the ongoing Phase 2 open-label extension study BALANCE-EXTEND.

Methods:

Patients from BALANCE-EXTEND receiving PCV13 vaccination were required to be on UPA 15 mg once daily (QD) or 30 mg QD and background MTX for ≥4 weeks prior to, and after, PCV13 vaccination; MTX was not interrupted prior to vaccination. Vaccination antibody titers were collected pre-vaccination (Week 0) and post-vaccination (Weeks 4 and 12). The primary variable was the proportion of patients with satisfactory humoral response to PCV13 (≥2-fold increase in antibody concentration from pre-vaccination [Week 0] in ≥6/12 pneumococcal antigens [1, 3, 4, 5, 6B, 7F, 9V, 14, 18C, 19A, 19F, and 23F]) at 4 weeks post-vaccination.

Results:

Of 111 patients (UPA 15 mg, n=87; UPA 30 mg, n=24), 86% were female, most (98%) were white, and mean (standard deviation) age was 58.4 (12.0) years. Prior to vaccination, patients had a median (range) duration of RA of 9.3 (3.4–35.0) years and had been receiving UPA for a median (range) of 3.9 (3.0–4.9) years. All but 3 patients were taking concomitant MTX, and 44.1% were taking a CS (median daily dose, 5.0 mg). All 111 patients received PCV13, none discontinued UPA during the first 4 weeks, and blood samples were available from 83/23 and 79/22 patients in the UPA 15/30 mg groups at Weeks 4 and 12, respectively. At 4 weeks, satisfactory humoral response to PCV13 occurred in 67.5% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 57.4–77.5) and 56.5% (95% CI: 36.3–76.8) of patients receiving UPA 15 and 30 mg, respectively. At 12 weeks, satisfactory humoral response to PCV13 occurred in 64.6% (95% CI: 54.0–75.1) and 54.5% (95% CI: 33.7–75.4) of patients receiving UPA 15 and 30 mg, respectively (Figure 1). There was no clear difference in response between patients receiving and not receiving concomitant CS. Within 30 days post-vaccination, 2 adverse events (AEs) were considered as possibly related to UPA (1 case of diverticulitis, UPA 15 mg; 1 case of anemia, UPA 30 mg) and no serious AEs were reported (Table 1). Two patients experienced pyrexia and 1 subject each experienced vaccination-site pain and headache within 1 day post-vaccination (all in UPA 15 mg group).

Table 1.

Safety through 30 days post-PVC13 vaccination in UPA-treated patients

Event, n (%)UPA 15 mg QD (n=87)UPA 30 mg QD (n=24)Any AE15 (17.2)3 (12.5)Serious AE00AE leading to discontinuation of study drug00AE with reasonable possibility of being related to UPAa1 (1.1)b1 (4.2)cDeath00

aAs assessed by the investigator. bDiverticulitis. cAnemia.

AE, adverse event; PVC13, Pneumococcal 13-valent Conjugate Vaccine [Diphtheria CRM197 Protein]; QD, once daily; UPA, upadacitinib.

Conclusion:

Satisfactory humoral response to PCV13 at 4 weeks occurred in ~two-thirds of patients with RA receiving long-term treatment with UPA 15 mg QD + background MTX. This is broadly consistent with pneumococcal vaccine humoral responses observed in patients with RA treated with other JAK inhibitors, biologics, or placebo.2–4

References:

[1]Singh JA, et al. Arthritis Care Res 2016;68:1–25.

[2]Winthrop KL, et al. Arthritis Res Ther 2019;21:102.

[3]Bingham CO, et al. Ann Rheum Dis 2015;74:818–22.

[4]Winthrop KL, et al. Ann Rheum Dis 2016;75:687–95.

Acknowledgements:

AbbVie funded this study and participated in the study design, research, analysis, data collection, interpretation of data, reviewing, and approval of the publication. All authors had access to relevant data and participated in the drafting, review, and approval of this publication. No honoraria or payments were made for authorship. Medical writing assistance was provided by Frances Smith, PhD, of 2 the Nth, which was funded by AbbVie.

Disclosure of Interests:

Kevin Winthrop Consultant of: AbbVie, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Eli Lilly, Galapagos, Gilead, Pfizer, Roche, and UCB., Grant/research support from: AbbVie, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Eli Lilly, Galapagos, Gilead, Pfizer, Roche, and UCB., Juan Ignacio Vargas Consultant of: AbbVie, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Eli Lilly, Galapagos, Gilead, Pfizer, Roche, and UCB, Grant/research support from: AbbVie, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Eli Lilly, Galapagos, Gilead, Pfizer, Roche, and UCB, Edit Drescher: None declared, CONRADO GARCIA GARCIA: None declared, Alan Friedman Shareholder of: AbbVie, Employee of: AbbVie, Jeffrey Enejosa Shareholder of: AbbVie, Employee of: AbbVie, Nasser Khan Shareholder of: AbbVie, Employee of: AbbVie, Yihan Li Shareholder of: AbbVie, Employee of: AbbVie, Justin Klaff Shareholder of: AbbVie, Employee of: AbbVie, Alan Kivitz Shareholder of: Amgen, Novartis, Gilead, GlaxoSmithKline, Pfizer Inc., and Sanofi, Speakers bureau: AbbVie, Celgene, Eli Lilly, Flexion, Genzyme, Horizon, Merck, Novartis, UCB, Pfizer Inc., Regeneron, Sanofi, and UCB, Consultant of: AbbVie, Boehringer Ingelheim, Genzyme, Gilead, Janssen, Pfizer Inc., Regeneron, Sanofi, SUN Pharma Advanced Research, and UCB

POS0655 LONG-TERM SAFETY AND EFFICACY OF UPADACITINIB IN PATIENTS WITH RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS: 3-YEAR RESULTS FROM THE SELECT-EARLY STUDY

Background:

Upadacitinib (UPA), an oral Janus kinase inhibitor, demonstrated significant improvements in signs, symptoms, and structural inhibition as monotherapy (mono) vs methotrexate (MTX) in MTX-naïve patients (pts) with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) through 48 weeks (wks).1

Objectives:

To report the efficacy and safety of UPA vs MTX mono up to 156 wks in pts with RA from the ongoing long-term extension (LTE) of the SELECT-EARLY trial.

Methods:

During the 48-wk double-blind study period, pts were randomized to UPA 15 or 30 mg once daily (QD) or MTX (titrated to 20 mg/wk by Wk 8). At Wk 26, pts who did not achieve Clinical Disease Activity Index (CDAI) remission (≤2.8) and had <20% improvement from baseline in tender or swollen joint count received blinded rescue therapy (addition of MTX for UPA groups and UPA 15 or 30 mg for MTX group). In the LTE, pts received open-label treatment once the last pt reached Wk 48. Efficacy assessments up to Wk 156 were summarized by randomized group and included American College of Rheumatology (ACR) responses, remission and low disease activity (LDA) measures, and change in modified Total Sharp Score (mTSS; up to 96 wks). Treatment-emergent adverse events (AEs) per 100 pt-years (PY) for pts on continuous mono were summarized through 156 wks. Non-responder imputation was used for binary endpoints for missing data and when pts received rescue therapy or prematurely discontinued the study drug.

Results:

Of 945 pts randomized and treated, 775 entered the LTE on study drug (including 57 rescued pts; MTX, 33; UPA 15 mg, 17; UPA 30 mg, 7). Overall, 161 (21%) pts discontinued during the LTE. At Wk 156, higher proportions of pts randomized to UPA achieved a 20/50/70% improvement in ACR response (ACR20/50/70), LDA, and remission vs MTX (Figure 1). Change from baseline in mTSS at Wk 96 favored UPA vs MTX (data not shown). Most AEs were numerically more frequent with UPA 30 mg. The overall rate of serious infection was numerically higher with UPA vs MTX (Table 1). Herpes zoster (HZ), neutropenia, non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC), and creatine phosphokinase (CPK) elevation were more frequent with UPA vs MTX. Two active tuberculosis (TB) events were reported in each UPA arm; 3 adjudicated gastrointestinal (GI) perforation events were observed in the UPA 30 mg arm. Adjudicated major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs) or venous thromboembolic events (VTEs) were comparable across treatment arms.

Conclusion:

UPA monotherapy showed sustained clinically meaningful responses including remission vs MTX through Wk 156 but higher rates of several AEs, including HZ, neutropenia, and CPK elevations; no new safety risks were observed compared with previous results.1,2

References:

[1]van Vollenhoven R, et al. Ann Rheum Dis 2019;78:376–7; 2. Cohen SB, et al. Ann Rheum Dis 2020;annrheumdis-2020-218510.

Table 1.

Safety overview

E/100 PY (95% CI)MTX mono(n=314; PY=601.9)UPA 15 mg QD mono(n=317; PY=703.4)UPA 30 mg QD mono(n=314; PY=687.6)Any AE240.2(228.0, 252.9)268.0(256.0, 280.4)292.5(279.8, 305.5)Any serious AE10.8 (8.3, 13.8)12.2 (9.8, 15.1)16.3 (13.4, 19.6)Any AE leading to discontinuation of study drug6.5 (4.6, 8.9)7.3 (5.4, 9.5)7.7 (5.8, 10.1)Any deatha0.7 (0.2, 1.7)0.9 (0.3, 1.9)1.0 (0.4, 2.1)Serious infection2.5 (1.4, 4.1)3.3 (2.1, 4.9)4.4 (2.9, 6.2)Opportunistic infection excluding TB and HZ0.2 (0.0, 0.9)0.1 (0.0, 0.8)0.3 (0.0, 1.1)HZ0.8 (0.3, 1.9)4.5 (3.1, 6.4)4.7 (3.2, 6.6)Active TB00.3 (0.0, 1.0)0.3 (0.0, 1.1)NMSC00.4 (0.1, 1.2)1.0 (0.4, 2.1)Malignancy other than NMSC1.0 (0.4, 2.2)0.6 (0.2, 1.5)1.2 (0.5, 2.3)Hepatic disorder14.1 (11.3, 17.5)12.5 (10.0, 15.4)15.0 (12.2, 18.2)GI perforationb000.4 (0.1, 1.3)Neutropenia2.2 (1.2, 3.7)4.5 (3.1, 6.4)5.7 (4.0, 7.8)CPK elevation1.8 (0.9, 3.3)7.7 (5.8, 10.0)15.4 (12.6, 18.6)MACEb0.3 (0.0, 1.2)0.4 (0.1, 1.2)0.6 (0.2, 1.5)VTEb0.3 (0.0, 1.2)0.4 (0.1, 1.2)0.6 (0.2, 1.5)

Data were censored at the time of MTX or UPA addition for rescued pts

aIncludes treatment-emergent (≤30 days after the last dose of study drug) and non-treatment-emergent deaths. bAdjudicated

Acknowledgements:

AbbVie funded this study; contributed to its design; participated in data collection, analysis, and interpretation of the data; and in the writing, review, and approval of the abstract. No honoraria or payments were made for authorship. Medical writing support was provided by Russell Craddock, PhD, of 2 the Nth (Cheshire, UK), and was funded by AbbVie.

Disclosure of Interests:

Ronald van Vollenhoven Speakers bureau: AbbVie, AstraZeneca, Biotest, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Galapagos, Gilead, GSK, Janssen, Pfizer, Sanofi, Servier, UCB, and Viela Bio, Consultant of: AbbVie, AstraZeneca, Biogen, Biotest, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Galapagos, Gilead, GSK, Janssen, Pfizer, Sanofi, Servier, UCB, and Viela Bio, Grant/research support from: Bristol-Myers Squibb, GSK, Eli Lilly, Pfizer, Roche, and UCB, Tsutomu Takeuchi Speakers bureau: AbbVie, AYUMI, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Chugai, Daiichi Sankyo, Dainippon Sumitomo, Eisai, Gilead, Mitsubishi Tanabe, Novartis, Pfizer, and Sanofi, Consultant of: Astellas, Chugai, and Eli Lilly, Grant/research support from: AbbVie, Asahi Kasei, Astellas, Chugai, Daiichi Sankyo, Eisai, Mitsubishi Tanabe, Nippon Kayaku, Shionogi, Takeda, and UCB, Jacob Aelion Grant/research support from: AbbVie, Amgen, AstraZeneca, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Celgene, Eli Lilly, Galapagos/Gilead, Genentech, GSK, Horizon, Janssen, Mallinckrodt, Nektar, Nichi-Iko, Novartis, Pfizer, Regeneron, Roche, Sanofi, Selecta, and UCB, Nilmo Chávez Speakers bureau: AbbVie, Janssen, and Pfizer, Consultant of: AbbVie, Janssen, and Pfizer, Grant/research support from: AbbVie, Galapagos, Gilead, Pfizer, and Sanofi, Pablo Mannucci Walter Consultant of: AbbVie, Grant/research support from: AbbVie, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Eli Lilly, Genentech/Roche, GSK, Janssen, and UCB, Atul Singhal Consultant of: AbbVie, Aclaris, Amgen, AstraZeneca, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Eli Lilly, Gilead, Idorsia, Novartis, Oscotec, Pfizer, Regeneron, Roche/Genentech, Sanofi, Selecta, Takeda, UCB, and Viela Bio, Grant/research support from: AbbVie, Aclaris, Amgen, AstraZeneca, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Eli Lilly, Gilead, Idorsia, Novartis, Oscotec, Pfizer, Regeneron, Roche/Genentech, Sanofi, Selecta, Takeda, UCB, and Viela Bio, Jerzy Swierkot Speakers bureau: AbbVie, Accord, BMS, Janssen, MSD, Pfizer, Roche, Sandoz, and UCB, Consultant of: AbbVie, Accord, BMS, Janssen, MSD, Pfizer, Roche, Sandoz, and UCB, Grant/research support from: AbbVie, Accord, BMS, Janssen, MSD, Pfizer, Roche, Sandoz, and UCB, Alan Friedman Shareholder of: May own stock or options in AbbVie, Employee of: AbbVie, Nasser Khan Shareholder of: May own stocks or options in AbbVie, Employee of: AbbVie, Yihan Li Shareholder of: May own stocks or options in AbbVie, Employee of: AbbVie, Xianwei Bu Shareholder of: May own stocks or options in AbbVie, Employee of: AbbVie, Justin Klaff Shareholder of: May own stock or options in AbbVie, Employee of: AbbVie, Vibeke Strand Consultant of: AbbVie, Amgen, Arena, AstraZeneca, Bayer, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Boehringer Ingelheim, Celltrion, Eli Lilly, Genentech/Roche, Gilead, GSK, Ichnos, Inmedix, Janssen, Kiniksa, MSD, Myriad Genetics, Novartis, Pfizer, Regeneron, Sandoz, Sanofi, Setpoint, and UCB

How to create an autism friendly hospital environment

Introduction

Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) struggle with communication, sensory sensitivities and social interaction. These difficulties can make hospital visits challenging. Every child with ASD is unique, and as such, some children can do well in clinical settings with minimal supports while others may require environmental modifications to achieve optimal care. ASD is prevalent worldwide and cultural differences can lead to varied care. Several hospitals, including Boston Medical Center in USA and Sidra Medicine and Research Center in Qatar, have attempted to address these challenges by developing strategies to create an ‘Autism Friendly’ environment.

Objectives

This workshop will 1. Describe the 4 domains of an “Autism Friendly” environment 2. Describe practical steps for successful implementation of interventions and modifications to consider based on setting and culture.

Methods

Didactic section 1 will describe the 4 domains for greating an ‘Autism Friendly environment’. Didactic section 2 will describe implementation in an inpatient and outpatient setting focusing on modifications based on environmental differences. These didactic presentations will be followed by a hands on, interactive section where participants will break out in small groups to learn specific implementation skills.

Results

Participants will learn how to improve care offered to children with ASD during hospital visits. Participants will develop the skills to implement similar interventions in their home institutions.

Conclusions

Hospitals can create an Autism Friendly environment by using 4 domains of intervention which could help improve provider skills and patient and family experience.

CTIM-23. A PHASE 1 TRIAL OF D2C7-IT IN COMBINATION WITH ATEZOLIZUMAB IN RECURRENT WHO GRADE IV MALIGNANT GLIOMA (MG)

BACKGROUND

D2C7 immunotoxin (D2C7-IT) is a dual-specific recombinant immunotoxin comprising an EGFR-wt and mutant-specific (EGFRvIII) monoclonal antibody fragment and a genetically engineered form of the pseudomonas exotoxin. When injected directly into the tumor mass by convection enhanced delivery (CED), in addition to direct tumor cell killing, immunotoxins induce secondary immune responses by the activation of CD4+ and CD8+ T-cells. We completed a phase 1 dose escalation study of D2C7-IT injected by CED into recurrent WHO grade III-IV MG and identified the phase 2 dose (6,920 ng/mL). Three patients remain in partial response more than 58, 38, and 32 months after a single D2C7-IT intratumoral infusion. As optimal induction of anti-tumor immune responses by immunotoxins is impeded by potent MG-mediated immunosuppression, we are assessing the toxicity of the combination of D2C7-IT with atezolizumab in patients with recurrent WHO grade IV MG.

METHODS

Eligibility includes adult patients with recurrence of a solitary supratentorial WHO grade IV MG; ≥4 weeks after chemotherapy, bevacizumab or study drug; adequate organ function; and KPS &gt;70%. Patient receives an intratumoral infusion of D2C7-IT and initiates two weeks later atezolizumab at 1200mg, followed by atezolizumab every 3 weeks for up to 2 years. Two cohorts of 3 patients are initially accrued to assess the toxicity of the combination. Assuming accrual continues after the initial two cohorts of 3 patients, an additional 12 patients will be accrued to the study.

RESULT

The first enrolled patient experienced a grade 3 DLT (grade III ALT elevation) after the first infusion of atezolizumab, but showed a more extensive immunotherapeutic effect by imaging than observed with patients on the D2C7-IT monotherapy trial. Enrollment is ongoing.

CONCLUSION

D2C7-IT monotherapy has shown prolonged survival and disease control in some patients. We are now evaluating the combination of D2C7-IT with checkpoint inhibition.

The potential role of microvascular pathology in the neurological manifestations of coronavirus infection

Human coronaviruses are highly pathogenic viruses that pose a serious threat to human health. Examples include the severe acute respiratory syndrome outbreak of 2003 (SARS-CoV-1), the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS-CoV) outbreak of 2012, and the current SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) pandemic. Herein, we review the neurological manifestations of coronaviruses and discuss the potential pathogenic role of blood-brain barrier dysfunction. We present the hypothesis that pre-existing vascular damage (due to aging, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, hypertension or other conditions) facilitates infiltration of the virus into the central nervous system (CNS), increasing neuro-inflammation and the likelihood of neurological symptoms. We also discuss the role of a neuroinflammatory cytokine profile in both blood-brain barrier dysfunction and macrovascular disease (e.g. ischemic stroke and thromboembolism). Future studies are needed to better understand the involvement of the microvasculature in coronavirus neuropathology, and to test the diagnostic potential of minimally-invasive screening tools (e.g. serum biomarkers, fluorescein retinal angiography and dynamic-contrast MRI).

Correction to: Modulation of the cAMP Response by G[Formula: see text] and G[Formula: see text]: A Computational Study of G Protein Signaling in Immune Cells

The original version of this article unfortunately contained mistakes.

THU0217 UPADACITINIB MONOTHERAPY IN METHOTREXATE-NAÏVE PATIENTS WITH RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS: RESULTS AT 72 WEEKS FROM SELECT-EARLY

Background:

Upadacitinib (UPA), an oral JAK inhibitor, demonstrated significant improvements in signs, symptoms, and structural inhibition as monotherapy vs methotrexate (MTX) in a randomized, controlled trial (RCT) of MTX-naive RA patients (pts) through 48 weeks (wks).1

Objectives:

To present the safety and effectiveness of UPA through 72 wks in an ongoing long-term extension (LTE) of the SELECT-EARLY RCT.

Methods:

SELECT-EARLY included 2 study periods: (1) a 48-wk double-blind, active comparator-controlled, with pts randomized to UPA monotherapy 15 or 30 mg once daily or MTX (titrated to 20 mg/wk by Wk8); (2) an LTE, up to 4 years. Pts received open-label treatment once the last pt reached Wk48. Rescue therapy was added (MTX, for UPA groups; UPA, for MTX group) to pts not achieving CDAI remission (≤2.8) at Wk26. Non-responder imputation (NRI) was used for missing data as well as for pts receiving rescue therapy. Treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs) are summarized per 100 pt yrs (PY) through the cut-off date of 21 Feb 2019, when all pts had reached Wk72. Data are censored at the time of MTX or UPA addition among rescued patients.

Results:

Of 945 pts randomized and treated, 781 (83%) completed Period 1. Of these, 775 entered the LTE, including 57 rescued pts (MTX, 33; UPA 15 mg, 17; UPA 30 mg, 7). A total of 52 (7%) pts discontinued during the LTE through the cut-off date (primary reasons: AEs [n=16, 2.1%]; consent withdrawal [n=12, 1.5%]; lost to follow-up [n=10, 1.3%]). Cumulative exposures to monotherapy with MTX, UPA 15 mg, and UPA 30 mg were 350.6, 389.5, and 383.9 PYs, respectively. Both UPA 15 mg and 30 mg as monotherapy was associated with continued statistically significant improvements in disease activity measures vs MTX monotherapy through 72 wks (Table). The safety profiles of the UPA 15 and 30 mg groups were comparable for total TEAEs and numerically higher than MTX. Serious TEAEs and TEAEs leading to discontinuation of study drug were comparable across all groups (Figure). Most AEs of special interest were comparable across MTX and UPA groups, with the exception of higher rates of herpes zoster, opportunistic infections, and elevated creatine phosphokinase among the UPA groups. Two pts receiving MTX monotherapy experienced a venous thromboembolic event, with one event reported on UPA 30 mg and none on UPA 15 mg. There were 12 deaths (including 3 non-treatment-emergent) due to varied causes.

Table.

Proportion of Patients at Week 72 (NRI)

Parameter (%)MTXMonotherapyUPA 15 mg QDMonotherapyUPA 30 mg QDMonotherapyACR20/50/7050/39/2671***/62***/47***72***/67***/54***DAS28(CRP) ≤3.2/<2.638/2863***/52***69***/61***CDAI ≤10/≤2.842/1960***/35***69***/44***Boolean Remission1329***33***

***,P<0.001 for differences between MTX and UPA 15 and UPA 30 mg groups.

MTX, methotrexate; UPA, upadacitinib; QD, once daily; ACR, American College of Rheumatology; DAS28(CRP), 28-joint disease activity index based on C-reactive protein; CDAI, clinical disease activity index.

Figure.

Treatment-emergent Adverse Events Through ≥72 Weeks (E/100 PYs, 95% CI).

Conclusion:

Long-term UPA monotherapy was associated with continued improvements in RA signs and symptoms vs MTX monotherapy through 72 wks, and only a small proportion of pts required MTX addition at Wk26. Through 72 wks of treatment, the safety profile of UPA monotherapy remained consistent with data reported through 48 wks.1

References:

[1]van Vollenhoven R,et al.Ann Rheum Dis2019;78(S):376.

Disclosure of Interests: :

Ronald van Vollenhoven Grant/research support from: AbbVie, Arthrogen, Bristol-Myers Squibb, GlaxoSmithKline, Lilly, Pfizer, and UCB, Consultant of: AbbVie, AstraZeneca, Biotest, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Celgene, GSK, Janssen, Lilly, Medac, Merck, Novartis, Pfizer, Roche, and UCB, Tsutomu Takeuchi Grant/research support from: Eisai Co., Ltd, Astellas Pharma Inc., AbbVie GK, Asahi Kasei Pharma Corporation, Nippon Kayaku Co., Ltd, Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Ltd, UCB Pharma, Shionogi & Co., Ltd., Mitsubishi-Tanabe Pharma Corp., Daiichi Sankyo Co., Ltd., Chugai Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., Consultant of: Chugai Pharmaceutical Co Ltd, Astellas Pharma Inc., Eli Lilly Japan KK, Speakers bureau: AbbVie GK, Eisai Co., Ltd, Mitsubishi-Tanabe Pharma Corporation, Chugai Pharmaceutical Co Ltd, Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, AYUMI Pharmaceutical Corp., Eisai Co., Ltd, Daiichi Sankyo Co., Ltd., Gilead Sciences, Inc., Novartis Pharma K.K., Pfizer Japan Inc., Sanofi K.K., Dainippon Sumitomo Co., Ltd., Maureen Rischmueller Consultant of: Abbvie, Bristol-Meyer-Squibb, Celgene, Glaxo Smith Kline, Hospira, Janssen Cilag, MSD, Novartis, Pfizer, Roche, Sanofi, UCB, Ricardo Blanco Grant/research support from: Abbvie, MSD and Roche, Consultant of: Abbvie, Pfizer, Roche, Bristol-Myers, Janssen and MSD, Speakers bureau: Abbvie, Pfizer, Roche, Bristol-Myers, Janssen, Lilly and MSD, Ricardo Xavier Consultant of: AbbVie, Pfizer, Novartis, Janssen, Eli Lilly, Roche, Mark Howard Shareholder of: AbbVie Inc., Employee of: AbbVie Inc., Alan Friedman Shareholder of: AbbVie Inc, Employee of: AbbVie Inc, Yanna Song Shareholder of: AbbVie Inc., Employee of: AbbVie Inc., Vibeke Strand Consultant of: AbbVie, Amgen, Biogen, Celltrion, Consortium of Rheumatology Researchers of North America, Crescendo Bioscience, Eli Lilly, Genentech/Roche, GlaxoSmithKline, Hospira, Janssen, Merck, Novartis, Pfizer, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Sanofi, UCB

THU0211 RADIOGRAPHIC OUTCOMES IN PATIENTS WITH RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS RECEIVING UPADACITINIB AS MONOTHERAPY OR IN COMBINATION WITH METHOTREXATE: RESULTS AT 2 YEARS FROM THE SELECT-COMPARE AND SELECT-EARLY STUDIES

Background:

For patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), long-term prevention of structural joint damage is a key treatment goal.1In the SELECT-EARLY and SELECT-COMPARE trials, upadacitinib (UPA), an oral JAK inhibitor, inhibited the progression of structural joint damage at 6 months and 1 year when used either as monotherapy or in combination with methotrexate (MTX) in patients (pts) with active RA.2

Objectives:

To describe the radiographic progression up to 2 years (96 wks) among pts with RA receiving UPA either as monotherapy or in combination with MTX.

Methods:

Both the SELECT-EARLY and SELECT-COMPARE phase 3, randomized controlled trials enrolled pts at high risk for progressive structural damage with baseline (BL) erosive joint damage and/or seropositivity.3,4In SELECT-EARLY, MTX-naïve pts (N=945) were randomized to UPA 15 mg or 30 mg once daily (QD) or MTX monotherapy. In SELECT-COMPARE, pts with an inadequate response to MTX (N=1629) were randomized to UPA 15 mg, placebo (PBO), or adalimumab (ADA) 40 mg every other wk, with all pts continuing background MTX; at wk 26, all pts receiving PBO were switched to UPA 15 mg, regardless of response. In both trials, mean changes from BL in modified Total Sharp Score (mTSS), joint space narrowing, and joint erosion as well as the proportion of pts with no radiographic progression (change in mTSS ≤0) were evaluated based on X-rays taken at wks 24/26, 48, and 96 for those patients in whom wk 96 X-rays were available. Data are reported as observed (AO).

Results:

BL demographics have been reported previously.3,4In the SELECT-EARLY study, at wk 96 UPA monotherapy (15 mg and 30 mg doses) significantly inhibited radiographic progression compared with MTX as measured by mean change in mTSS and by the proportion of patients with no radiographic progression (Figures 1 and 2). When patients who were rescued (MTX added to UPA or UPA added to MTX) were removed from the analysis, changes in mTSS from baseline remained similar. By the same measures, in SELECT-COMPARE, the degree of inhibition of structural progression observed was comparable between UPA and ADA. Following the switch of all PBO patients to UPA, the rate of progression slowed and was comparable to that observed in pts receiving UPA from BL. Among pts from both studies that had no radiographic progression at wk 24/26, >90% remained without radiographic progression at wk 48 and 96.

Conclusion:

UPA was effective in inhibiting the progression of structural joint damage through 2 years both in MTX-naïve patients receiving UPA monotherapy and MTX-inadequate responder patients receiving UPA in combination with MTX.

References:

[1]Smolen, et al.Ann Rheum Dis2017;76(6):960-77.

[2]Peterfy, et al.Ann Rheum Dis2019;78(suppl 2):369-370.

[3]Fleischmann, et al.Arthritis Rheumatol2019;71(11):1788-1800.

[4]Van Vollenhoven, et al.Arthritis Rheumatol2018;70(suppl 10).

Disclosure of Interests: :

Charles Peterfy Consultant of: AbbVie, Acerta, Amgen, AstraZeneca, Bristol Myers Squibb, Centrexion, Daiichi Sankyo, Five Prime Therapeutics, Genentech, Gilead, Hoffman-La Roche, Janssen, Lilly USA, MedImmune, Merck, Myriad, Novartis, Plexxikon, Pfizer, Sanofi, Salix Santarus, Samsung, Samumed, Setpoint, Sorrento, UCB, Vorso, Employee of: founder and CEO of Spire Sciences, which provides imaging services to multiple pharmaceutical companies, Speakers bureau: Amgen, Vibeke Strand Consultant of: AbbVie, Amgen, Biogen, Celltrion, Consortium of Rheumatology Researchers of North America, Crescendo Bioscience, Eli Lilly, Genentech/Roche, GlaxoSmithKline, Hospira, Janssen, Merck, Novartis, Pfizer, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Sanofi, UCB, Mark C. Genovese Grant/research support from: Abbvie, Eli Lilly and Company, EMD Merck Serono, Galapagos, Genentech/Roche, Gilead Sciences, Inc., GSK, Novartis, Pfizer Inc., RPharm, Sanofi Genzyme, Consultant of: Abbvie, Eli Lilly and Company, EMD Merck Serono, Genentech/Roche, Gilead Sciences, Inc., GSK, Novartis, RPharm, Sanofi Genzyme, Alan Friedman Shareholder of: AbbVie Inc, Employee of: AbbVie Inc, Jose Jeffrey Enejosa Shareholder of: AbbVie, Employee of: AbbVie, Stephen Hall Grant/research support from: Abbvie, UCB, Janssen, Merck, Eduardo Mysler Grant/research support from: AbbVie, Amgen, Bristol Myers Squibb, Roche, Eli Lilly, Novartis, Janssen, Sanofi, and Pfizer., Speakers bureau: AbbVie, Amgen, Bristol Myers Squibb, Roche, Eli Lilly, Novartis, Janssen, Sanofi, and Pfizer, Patrick Durez Speakers bureau: AbbVie, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Celltrion, Eli Lilly, Pfizer, Sanofi, Xenofon Baraliakos Grant/research support from: Grant/research support from: AbbVie, BMS, Celgene, Chugai, Merck, Novartis, Pfizer, UCB and Werfen, Consultant of: AbbVie, BMS, Celgene, Chugai, Merck, Novartis, Pfizer, UCB and Werfen, Speakers bureau: AbbVie, BMS, Celgene, Chugai, Merck, Novartis, Pfizer, UCB and Werfen, Tim Shaw Shareholder of: AbbVie, Employee of: AbbVie, Yanna Song Shareholder of: AbbVie Inc., Employee of: AbbVie Inc., Yihan Li Shareholder of: AbbVie, Employee of: AbbVie, In-Ho Song Shareholder of: AbbVie Inc., Employee of: AbbVie Inc.

AB0104 CORRELATION OF PLASMA 14-3-3Η LEVELS WITH DISEASE ACTIVITY MEASURES IN METHOTREXATE-NAÏVE RA PATIENTS TREATED WITH UPADACITINIB MONOTHERAPY IN THE SELECT-EARLY PHASE 3 STUDY

Background:

Early diagnosis and treat-to-target strategies in RA improve clinical and radiographic outcomes. 14-3-3η is a soluble diagnostic biomarker that is involved in the pathogenesis of RA (1) including the potent activation of key signalling cascades such as the JAK-STAT pathway and whose initial expression coincides with a transition to synovitis. In undifferentiated arthralgia, 14-3-3η independently predicts the development of RA. In confirmed RA, 14-3-3η levels decrease with treatment response (2) and those changes are associated with clinical and radiographic outcomes, including the prediction of joint damage progression in patients who have achieved clinical remission. Upadacitinib (UPA), an oral JAK1-selective inhibitor, demonstrated significant and clinically meaningful improvements in RA vs. methotrexate (MTX) in the SELECT-EARLY phase 3 study (3).

Objectives:

To determine the impact of treatment with UPA monotherapy 15 mg QD on the levels of plasma 14-3-3η and to explore its relationship with clinical measures in early MTX-naïve RA patients.

Methods:

Patients from the SELECT-EARLY study were randomly selected (UPA n = 100; MTX n = 100) from the pool of patients with available plasma samples. 14-3-3η tests were performed at Augurex according to standard operating procedures. Concentrations (ng/mL) were log-transformed for analysis. Non-parametric correlations between biomarker data and clinical end points were derived using the Spearman method. Changes in 14-3-3η over time were compared using a Repeated Measure Mixed Linear Model. All statistical analyses were conducted in JMP 14.1 (SAS Institute).

Results:

At baseline, 79% of patients were 14-3-3η positive (≥ 0.19 ng/mL) with similar levels in both arms. Baseline levels of 14-3-3η correlated significantly with baseline disease activity measures (CDAI ρ = 0.164, p = 0.042; DASCRP ρ = 0.222, p = 0.004; and SDAI ρ = 0.177, p = 0.028) but not with baseline mTSS (ρ =-0.021, p = 0.787); of note baseline mTSS were relatively low in this subset of early RA patients (median = 2, IQR [0 – 9.5]). Over time, 14-3-3η levels tended to be lower in both the UPA and MTX groups. However, only treatment with UPA for 24 weeks resulted in a significant decrease in circulating 14-3-3η (p = 0.0002) (Figure 1). In addition, at week 24 in the UPA arm, changes in 14-3-3η levels correlated significantly with changes in concurrent disease activity measures (Δ CDAI ρ = 0.264, p = 0.030; Δ DASCRP ρ = 0.267, p = 0.021; and Δ SDAI ρ = 0.267, p = 0.028) but not with change in mTSS (ρ =-0.186, p = 0.111). In contrast to UPA, the relatively small changes in 14-3-3η induced by MTX did not correlate with any clinical measures.

Figure1

Conclusion:

This study demonstrates that treatment with UPA 15 mg QD monotherapy for 24 weeks significantly reduces the levels of circulating 14-3-3η in MTX-naïve RA patients and that these changes correlate with clinical measures of disease activity. Although we were not able to detect a clear relationship between changes in 14-3-3η and rate of structural damage progression, we would like to hypothesize that the superior clinical activity of UPA over MTX on joint damage may be related to the significant reduction in 14-3-3η induced by UPA; this hypothesis should be tested in a larger RA cohort with a larger proportion of joint damage progressors.

References:

[1]Maksymowych WP et al. Arthritis Res Ther. 2014;16(2):R99.

[2]Hirata S et al. Arthritis Res Ther. 2015;17(1):280.

[3]van Vollenhoven R et al. Arthritis Rheumatol.;2018 (Suppl 10; vol.70).

Disclosure of Interests:

Thierry Sornasse Shareholder of: AbbVie Inc, Employee of: AbbVie Inc, Simran Chahal Shareholder of: Augurex Life Science Corp, Employee of: Augurex Life Science Corp, Yuan Gui Shareholder of: Augurex Life Science Corp, Employee of: Augurex Life Science Corp, Neeraja Nagarajan Employee of: Augurex Life Science Corp, Alan Friedman Shareholder of: AbbVie Inc, Employee of: AbbVie Inc, Norma Biln Shareholder of: Augurex Life Science Corp, AbbVie Inc, Employee of: Augurex Life Science Corp

SAT0145 EFFICACY AND SAFETY OF UPADACITINIB MONOTHERAPY IN MTX-NAÏVE PATIENTS WITH EARLY ACTIVE RA RECEIVING TREATMENT WITHIN 3 MONTHS OF DIAGNOSIS: A POST-HOC ANALYSIS OF THE SELECT-EARLY

Background:

Early treatment of RA within the therapeutic window(0-3 months from symptom onset), has been associated with improved clinical outcomes and physical function. However, ≤42% of RA patients(pts) visit a rheumatologist within 90 days of symptom onset1,2.

Objectives:

To assess safety and efficacy of Upadacitinib(UPA), an oral, reversible, potent JAK-1 selective inhibitor3, in pts with moderate to severely active RA who were MTX-naïve or had an inadequate response to csDMARDs/bDMARDs4-6.

Methods:

In SELECT–EARLY, MTX-naïve pts with active RA and poor prognosis were randomized 1:1:1 to once-daily UPA monotherapy at 15 or 30 mg or weekly MTX (titrated up to 20 mg/week through Week 8). Efficacy (including ACR, DAS28(CRP), CDAI responses and change in mTSS) and safety outcomes from a post-hoc analysis of patients who received treatment within 90 days from diagnosis are reported here. The statistical significance defined asp<0.05was exploratory in nature.

Results:

A total of 270 pts commenced treatment within 90 days from RA diagnosis (median: 44 days [11, 89]). Pts in each arm were mostly female (70%), had moderately to severely active RA with mean DAS28(CRP) =5.9±1.02, had structural joint damage (mean mTSS =7.7±21.5) and were seropositive for both ACPA and RF at baseline (72%)4. At Week 24, compared to MTX, significantly greater proportions of pts receiving UPA 15 or 30 mg monotherapy achieved efficacy outcomes including ACR20, 50 and 70 responses, DAS28CRP<2.6, CDAI≤2.8 or Boolean remission. Improvements in physical function (HAQ-DI) and decrease in pain were also significantly greater in pts receiving UPA 15 and 30 mg vs MTX at Week 24. Treatment with UPA was also associated with a greater inhibition of structural joint damage compared with MTX (Figure 1). Safety outcomes were consistent with the full study and the integrated safety analysis (all phase 3 studies of UPA). Compared to MTX, higher frequencies of serious infections and herpes zoster were reported in both UPA groups. There were 2 deaths in total (UPA 30 mg: 1 due to cardiovascular death and 1 due to pneumonia and sepsis) (Figure 2).

Conclusion:

In RA pts, early initiation of treatment with UPA 15 mg and 30 mg monotherapy within 3 months from diagnosis was associated with clinically meaningful improvements in efficacy, including remission and inhibition of progression of structural joint damage compared to MTX. The safety profile was consistent with the overall study and the integrated phase 3 safety analysis7. UPA seems to be a promising treatment option for more patients to reach their treatment targets of remission or low disease activity when treated within 3 months of diagnosis.

References:

[1]Raza K et al. Ann Rheum Dis. 2011;70(10):1822-5.

[2]Stack RJ et al. BMJ Open. 2019;9:e024361.

[3]Parmentier et al. BMC Rheumatol. 2018;2:23.

[4]van Vollenhoven R et al, Arth Rheumatol. 2018; 70 (s10) [Abs ACR2018].

[5]Burmester GR et al. Lancet 2018;391:2503-12.

[6]Genovese MC et al, Lancet 2018;391:2513-24.

[7]Cohen S et al, Ann Rheum Dis [Abs EULAR2019].

Disclosure of Interests:

Meliha C Kapetanovic: None declared, Maria Andersson Shareholder of: AbbVie, Employee of: AbbVie, Alan Friedman Shareholder of: AbbVie Inc, Employee of: AbbVie Inc, Tim Shaw Shareholder of: AbbVie, Employee of: AbbVie, Yanna Song Shareholder of: AbbVie Inc., Employee of: AbbVie Inc., Daniel Aletaha Grant/research support from: AbbVie, Novartis, Roche, Consultant of: AbbVie, Amgen, Celgene, Lilly, Medac, Merck, Novartis, Pfizer, Roche, Sandoz, Sanofi Genzyme, Speakers bureau: AbbVie, Celgene, Lilly, Merck, Novartis, Pfizer, Sanofi Genzyme, UCB, Maya H Buch Grant/research support from: Pfizer, Roche, and UCB, Consultant of: Pfizer; AbbVie; Eli Lilly; Gilead Sciences, Inc.; Merck-Serono; Sandoz; and Sanofi, Ulf Müller-Ladner Speakers bureau: Biogen, Janet Pope Grant/research support from: AbbVie, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Eli Lilly & Company, Merck, Roche, Seattle Genetics, UCB, Consultant of: AbbVie, Actelion, Amgen, Bayer, Boehringer Ingelheim, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Eicos Sciences, Eli Lilly & Company, Emerald, Gilead Sciences, Inc., Janssen, Merck, Novartis, Pfizer, Roche, Sandoz, Sanofi, UCB, Speakers bureau: UCB

ATIM-24. DOSE FINDING AND DOSE EXPANSION TRIAL OF D2C7 IMMUNOTOXIN (D2C7-IT) ADMINISTERED INTRATUMORALLY VIA CONVECTION-ENHANCED DELIVERY (CED) FOR RECURRENT MALIGNANT GLIOMA (MG)

BACKGROUND

D2C7-IT is a recombinant immunotoxin comprised of a dual-specific antibody fragment targeting EGFRwt and EGFRvIII and a genetically engineered form of the Pseudomonas exotoxin, PE38-KDEL. We report results of a phase 1 trial, with dose expansion at the selected phase 2 dose, evaluating D2C7-IT delivered intratumorally by CED.

METHODS

Eligible patients are adults with recurrent supratentorial WHO grade III or IV MG; solitary tumor; ≥4 weeks after chemotherapy, bevacizumab or study drug; adequate organ function; and KPS >70%. Two patients per dose level (DL) were to be enrolled in the dose escalation portion (dose range: 40ng/mL to 23,354ng/mL), followed by dose expansion at the selected phase 2 dose (DL13).

RESULTS

As of 6/07/2019, 51 patients have been treated; 10 patients on the phase 2 dose. Observed dose limiting toxicities include: grade 4 seizure (n=1) on DL3, grade 3 confusion and pyramidal tract syndrome (n=1) on DL13, and grade 4 cerebral edema (n=1) and grade 3 dysphasia (n=1) on DL17. Grade 3 or higher adverse events possibly related to D2C7-IT include: seizure (grade 4, n=2, grade 3, n=3), cerebral edema (grade 4, n=1), hydrocephalus (grade 3, n=5), headache (grade 3, n=4), hemiparesis (grade 3, n=4), dysphasia (grade 3, n=4), lymphopenia (grade 3, n=3), thromboembolic event (grade 3, n=3); and one each of grade 3 elevated ALT, urinary tract infection, fall, wound complication, generalized muscle weakness, confusion, encephalopathy, and somnolence. Fourteen patients are alive. Three patients have partial radiographic response and remain alive without additional therapy more than 46, 27 and 21 months after D2C7-IT infusion.

CONCLUSION

Dose level 13 was selected as the optimal phase 2 dose and patient accrual is ongoing on the dose expansion arm. Encouraging efficacy results have been observed. A trial of D2C7-IT with checkpoint inhibitor is planned to start in the near future.

ATIM-31. SAFETY OF TUMOR-SPECIFIC PEPTIDE VACCINE TARGETING ISOCITRATE DEHYDROGENASE 1 MUTATION IN RECURRENT RESECTABLE LOW GRADE GLIOMA PATIENTS

BACKGROUND

Low grade gliomas (LGGs) represent 10–15% of glial tumors in adults and while LGG patients have a better prognosis over high-grade gliomas, these cancers ultimately recur and transform to more aggressive tumors. Isocitrate dehydrogenase 1 (IDH1) is commonly mutated in LGG, and when mutated, it is the oncogenic driver by leading to the production of oncometabolite 2-hydroxyglutarate (2-HG). We developed a phase 1 study for recurrent resectable IDH1 mutant LGG utilizing a tumor-specific peptide vaccine targeting IDH1 mutant protein that spans the mutated region of IDHR132H (PEPIDH1M vaccine).

METHODS

We performed a phase 1, single-center, clinical trial in recurrent resectable IDH1 mutant WHO grade II glioma patients. Subjects received three PEPIDH1M vaccine q2wks and then proceeded to surgical resection. If subject’s tumor retained grade II status, then the subject proceeded with 12 cycles of daily TMZ (50 mg/m2 X 28 days) and PEPIDH1M vaccine (12 injections q4wks). If subject’s tumor transformed to grade III, then subject proceeded to radiation therapy (RT) with concurrent TMZ followed by 12 cycles of daily TMZ (50 mg/m2 X 28 days) and PEPIDH1M vaccine (12 injections q4wks). Primary endpoint was safety of PEPIDH1M vaccine in combination with adjuvant TMZ and/or XRT/TMZ and evaluable subjects needed to receive ≥6 PEPIDH1M vaccines. We assessed safety using CTCAE 4.03.

RESULTS

We enrolled 24 recurrent LGG subjects with mean age of 43.8 yrs (sd=11.4 yrs). Twenty subjects completed ≥6 PEPIDH1M vaccines. Most common related toxicity was grade 1 injection site reaction (N=20) and skin induration (n=17) with no grade 3–4 related toxicities.

CONCLUSIONS

PEPIDH1M vaccine in combination with surgical resection, daily TMZ and/or RT + TMZ with daily TMZ was safe and well tolerated in recurrent IDH1 mutant LGG. We are currently exploring secondary/correlative endpoints including immunogenicity of PEPIDH1M vaccine and magnetic resonance spectroscopy for 2-HG.

Novel Application of Steroid Eluting Stent in Petrous Apex Cholesterol Granuloma

Objective  This study describes the safety and efficacy of mometasone furoate eluting stents in the management of petrous apex cholesterol granuloma approached through an endonasal endoscopic route and assesses the restenosis rate. Methods  Consecutive patients undergoing endoscopic endonasal marsupialization of a petrous apex cholesterol granuloma at a tertiary referral center who had a mometasone furoate eluting stent placed intraoperatively were reviewed in a retrospective fashion. Postoperative endoscopy was used to determine success of surgery and stenting. Results  Five patients were included in the study, three were primary cases and two patients had revision surgeries performed. The steroid eluting stent was placed successfully and safely in all patients with no dural or vascular injuries. The average follow-up duration was 10.6 months. There was no restenosis in three patients and one patient had an immediate restenosis that was debrided in clinic (revision case). This was patent at the 16 months follow-up. One patient also developed stenosis, 4 months after surgery due to sphenoid sinusitis. Conclusion  Mometasone furoate eluting stents are safe and effective in the primary management of petrous apex cholesterol granuloma. Further studies are needed to assess their efficacy in revision cases and for long term results.

Design and testing of a system for measuring high-frequency AC losses in superconducting wires and coils carrying DC and AC currents

Development of high-power superconducting applications requires the accurate estimation of AC losses in the superconductor. In applications such as superconducting magnetic energy storage, the charge/discharge/persistent switching frequency of the coil, resulting from pulse width modulation control algorithms, is usually in the kilohertz regime. Therefore, a thorough investigation of the losses in the kilohertz regime of AC currents superimposed on large DC currents is essential in order to ensure the device stable operation at a predefined temperature. We describe here a unique experimental setup designed and built for characterizing AC losses in superconducting wires and coils under such special conditions. To minimize the eddy currents induced in the apparatus, a cryostat vacuum vessel was made of Delrin, an insulating synthetic polymer. The measurement setup allows driving DC currents up to 150 A and superimposed AC currents with amplitudes up to 10 A_rms and frequencies up to 18 kHz. The system utilizes conduction cooling to reach a wide range of temperatures between 6 and 100 K and allows measurements of 10 cm long superconducting wires and coils with a diameter of 40 cm. The loss is measured by the electrical method, i.e., by direct voltage and current waveform measurement, achieving a resolution better than 100 nW. The system described here will assist in developing superconducting wires and coils for high-power applications.

Design and implementation of a Thomson parabola for fluence dependent energy-loss measurements at the Neutralized Drift Compression eXperiment

The interaction of ion beams with matter includes the investigation of the basic principles of ion stopping in heated materials. An unsolved question is the effect of different, especially higher, ion beam fluences on ion stopping in solid targets. This is relevant in applications such as in fusion sciences. To address this question, a Thomson parabola was built for the Neutralized Drift Compression eXperiment (NDCX-II) for ion energy-loss measurements at different ion beam fluences. The linear induction accelerator NDCX-II delivers 2 ns short, intense ion pulses, up to several tens of nC/pulse, or 10¹⁰-10¹¹ ions, with a peak kinetic energy of ∼1.1 MeV and a minimal spot size of 2 mm FWHM. For this particular accelerator, the energy determination with conventional beam diagnostics, for example, time of flight measurements, is imprecise due to the non-trivial longitudinal phase space of the beam. In contrast, a Thomson parabola is well suited to reliably determine the beam energy distribution. The Thomson parabola differentiates charged particles by energy and charge-to-mass ratio, through deflection of charged particles by electric and magnetic fields. During first proof-of-principle experiments, we achieved to reproduce the average initial helium beam energy as predicted by computer simulations with a deviation of only 1.4%. Successful energy-loss measurements with 1 μm thick silicon nitride foils show the suitability of the accelerator for such experiments. The initial ion energy was determined during a primary measurement without a target, while a second measurement, incorporating the target, was used to determine the transmitted energy. The energy-loss was then determined as the difference between the two energies.

Human immunology studies using organ donors: Impact of clinical variations on immune parameters in tissues and circulation

Organ donors are sources of physiologically healthy organs and tissues for life-saving transplantation, and have been recently used for human immunology studies which are typically confined to the sampling of peripheral blood. Donors comprise a diverse population with different causes of death and clinical outcomes during hospitalization, and the effects of such variations on immune parameters in blood and tissues are not known. We present here a coordinate analysis of innate and adaptive immune components in blood, lymphoid (bone marrow, spleen, lymph nodes), and mucosal (lungs, intestines) sites from a population of brain-dead organ donors (2 months-93 years; n = 291) across eight clinical parameters. Overall, the blood of donors exhibited similar monocyte and lymphocyte content and low serum levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines as healthy controls; however, donor blood had increased neutrophils and serum levels of IL-8, IL-6, and MCP-1 which varied with cause of death. In tissues, the frequency and composition of monocytes, neutrophils, B lymphocytes and T cell subsets in lymphoid or mucosal sites did not vary with clinical state, and was similar in donors independent of the extent of clinical complications. Our results reveal that organ donors maintain tissue homeostasis, and are a valuable resource for fundamental studies in human immunology.

The Effect of Propofol vs. Isoflurane Anesthesia on Postoperative Changes in Cerebrospinal Fluid Cytokine Levels: Results from a Randomized Trial

Introduction

Aside from direct effects on neurotransmission, inhaled and intravenous anesthetics have immunomodulatory properties. In vitro and mouse model studies suggest that propofol inhibits, while isoflurane increases, neuroinflammation. If these findings translate to humans, they could be clinically important since neuroinflammation has detrimental effects on neurocognitive function in numerous disease states.

Materials and methods

To examine whether propofol and isoflurane differentially modulate neuroinflammation in humans, cytokines were measured in a secondary analysis of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples from patients prospectively randomized to receive anesthetic maintenance with propofol vs. isoflurane (registered with http://www.clinicaltrials.gov, identifier NCT01640275). We measured CSF levels of EGF, eotaxin, G-CSF, GM-CSF, IFN-α2, IL-1RA, IL-6, IL-7, IL-8, IL-10, IP-10, MCP-1, MIP-1α, MIP-1β, and TNF-α before and 24 h after intracranial surgery in these study patients.

Results

After Bonferroni correction for multiple comparisons, we found significant increases from before to 24 h after surgery in G-CSF, IL-10, IL-1RA, IL-6, IL-8, IP-10, MCP-1, MIP-1α, MIP-1β, and TNF-α. However, we found no difference in cytokine levels at baseline or 24 h after surgery between propofol- (n = 19) and isoflurane-treated (n = 21) patients (p > 0.05 for all comparisons). Increases in CSF IL-6, IL-8, IP-10, and MCP-1 levels directly correlated with each other and with postoperative CSF elevations in tau, a neural injury biomarker. We observed CSF cytokine increases up to 10-fold higher after intracranial surgery than previously reported after other types of surgery.

Discussion

These data clarify the magnitude of neuroinflammation after intracranial surgery, and raise the possibility that a coordinated neuroinflammatory response may play a role in neural injury after surgery.

The Role of Cutaneous Microbiota Harmony in Maintaining a Functional Skin Barrier

Abstract Not Available

Linking fishes to multiple metrics of coral reef structural complexity using three-dimensional technology

Structural complexity strongly influences biodiversity and ecosystem productivity. On coral reefs, structural complexity is typically measured using a single and small-scale metric (‘rugosity’) that represents multiple spatial attributes differentially exploited by species, thus limiting a complete understanding of how fish associate with reef structure. We used a novel approach to compare relationships between fishes and previously unavailable components of reef complexity, and contrasted the results against the traditional rugosity index. This study focused on damselfish to explore relationships between fishes and reef structure. Three territorial species, with contrasting trophic habits and expected use of the reef structure, were examined to infer the potential species-specific mechanisms associated with how complexity influences habitat selection. Three-dimensional reef reconstructions from photogrammetry quantified the following metrics of habitat quality: 1) visual exposure to predators and competitors, 2) density of predation refuges and 3) substrate-related food availability. These metrics explained the species distribution better than the traditional measure of rugosity, and each species responded to different complexity components. Given that a critical effect of reef degradation is loss of structure, adopting three-dimensional technologies potentially offers a new tool to both understand species-habitat association and help forecast how fishes will be affected by the flattening of reefs.