No abstract

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Anemia is a frequent manifestation of myelofibrosis (MF) and there is an unmet need for effective treatments in anemic MF patients. The REALISE phase 2 study (NCT02966353) evaluated the efficacy and safety of a novel ruxolitinib dosing strategy with a reduced starting dose with delayed up-titration in anemic MF patients. Fifty-one patients with primary MF (66.7%), post-essential thrombocythemia MF (21.6%), or post-polycythemia vera MF (11.8%) with palpable splenomegaly and hemoglobin <10 g/dl were included. Median age was 67 (45–88) years, 41.2% were female, and 18% were transfusion-dependent. Patients received 10 mg ruxolitinib b.i.d. for the first 12 weeks, then up-titrations of up to 25 mg b.i.d. were permitted, based on efficacy and platelet counts. Overall, 70% of patients achieved a ≥50% reduction in palpable spleen length at any time during the study. The most frequent adverse events leading to dose interruption/adjustment were thrombocytopenia (17.6%) and anemia (11.8%). Patients who had a dose increase had greater spleen size and higher white blood cell counts at baseline. Median hemoglobin levels remained stable and transfusion requirements did not increase compared with baseline. These results reinforce the notion that it is unnecessary to delay or withhold ruxolitinib because of co-existent or treatment-emergent anemia.

Introduction. Interferons are produced in response to the presence of pathogens in cells and are responsible for the proper formation of immune reaction. Preliminary data obtained in studies of properties of recombinant interferon gamma (IFN-γ) that involved patients with community-acquired pneumonia (including bacterial), acute respiratory viral infection (ARVI), influenza and new coronavirus infection have shown promising results.The purpose of the study was to assess the effect of subcutaneous administration of IFN-γ in patients with viral pneumonia on the changes of vital signs and the duration of hospital stay.Material and methods. An open-label, randomized, low-interventional study included patients with moderate new coronavirus infection COVID-19 over 18 years of age of both sexes. IFN-γ 500,000 IU was administered s/c, daily, once a day, during 5 days.Results. IFN-y in addition to complex therapy of the disease resulted in more favorable changes in the stabilization of vital signs, as well as in reduced length of fever and hospital stay by 2 days what allows suggesting a positive effect of this substance on the recovery processes in patients with moderate COVID-19. Special emphasis should be made to the fact that patients who received recombinant IFN- γ experienced no progression of respiratory failure and required no transfer to intensive care unit.Discussion. This study confirms earlier obtained data on the positive effect of IFN-y on the rate of clinical stabilization and recovery of patients with community-acquired pneumonia and viral infections. Presented results are limited to a small number of patients; further study of drug properties in post-marketing studies is required.Conclusion. Progress in the treatment of patients with moderate COVID-19 by adding recombinant IFN-γ to the complex therapy may reasonably expand the range of existing treatment options for this infection.

3822 Background: Patients with myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) or acute myeloid leukemia (AML) commonly experience severe thrombocytopenia with a high risk for bleeding. Eltrombopag is an oral thrombopoietin receptor agonist indicated for treatment of chronic immune thrombocytopenia. Eltrombopag may reduce platelet transfusions and bleeding, and preclinical data suggest that it may have an anti-leukemic effect (Erickson-Miller 2008; Kalota 2010; Will 2009; Mavroudi 2010; Roth 2012). We present results of the 8-week, open-label part of an ongoing multicenter trial to evaluate the safety and efficacy of eltrombopag in patients with intermediate (int)-2 or high-risk MDS or AML (WHO criteria) with platelets <25,000/μL. Methods: Eltrombopag was administered daily at 3 escalating dose levels, with increases every 2 weeks in patients without a platelet response: Dose Level (DL)1, 100 mg (50 mg for East Asian [EA] patients); DL2, 200 mg (100 mg for EA patients), and DL3, 300 mg (150 mg for EA patients). Platelet response was defined as on-treatment platelets ≥2x baseline and >20,000/μL for patients with baseline platelets <20,000/μL or ≥2x baseline and ≥50,000/μL for patients with baseline platelets ≥20,000/μL. Treatment with hydroxyurea was permitted. Results: Seventeen patients with a median age of 72 years (range, 49–91) with int-2 or high-risk MDS (n=12) or AML (n=5) were enrolled. Baseline median platelet count was 12,500/μL (range, 6,000–35,000/μL). Sixteen of 17 patients had received ≥1 prior treatment for their disease. Five, 3, and 9 patients received DL1, DL2, and DL3 as their maximum daily dose. Nine of 17 patients completed 8 weeks of treatment, 6 of whom continued to receive eltrombopag in the extension part of the study. Of the 9 patients who completed all 8 weeks of therapy, 2, 2, and 5 were receiving DL1, DL2, and DL3 at the time they completed their treatment. Ten of 17 (59%) patients had reductions in platelet transfusions during treatment with eltrombopag compared with the 4-week pre-treatment period (Table). Platelet responses were observed in 4/17 (24%) patients. Post-baseline bone marrow examinations 1–3 months after starting eltrombopag (n=11) showed no clinically meaningful changes in blast counts. The most common adverse events (AEs) were pyrexia (n=4), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) increase, diarrhea, epistaxis, headache, and pneumonia (n=3 each). Two of 3 patients with increased ALT met protocol-defined liver-stopping criteria. Both elevations occurred while patients were receiving 300 mg eltrombopag and resolved following discontinuation of eltrombopag. Three deaths were reported (2 patients with fatal AEs of sepsis, considered not related to eltrombopag treatment; 1 patient died of disease progression). Conclusion: Preliminary data suggest that eltrombopag may reduce platelet transfusion requirements in thrombocytopenic patients with advanced MDS and AML. AEs were as expected for this patient population and for treatment with eltrombopag. Randomized studies assessing the potential benefits and risks of eltrombopag in this setting are ongoing. Disclosures: Off Label Use: Eltrombopag is an oral TPO agonist indicated for chronic ITP being studied in MDS/AML. Garcia Delgado:Celgene: Consultancy, Speakers Bureau. Mannino:GlaxoSmithKline: Employment. Mostafa Kamel:GlaxoSmithKline: Employment, Equity Ownership. Messam:GlaxoSmithKline: Employment. Stone:GlaxoSmithKline: Employment. Chan:GlaxoSmithKline: Employment.