Background: Few randomized trials have been conducted in children with relapsed/refractory neuroblastoma and data about outcomes including progression-free survival (PFS) in these patients are scarce. Procedure:A meta-analysis of three phase II studies of children with relapsed/refractory neuroblastoma conducted in Europe (temozolomide, topotecan-vincristine-doxorubicin and topotecantemozolomide) was performed. Individual patient data with extended follow-up were collected from the trial databases after publication to describe trial outcomes (response rate, clinical benefit ratio, duration of treatment, PFS, and overall survival [OS]). Characteristics of subjects with relapsed/refractory neuroblastoma were compared.Results: Data from 71 children and adolescents with relapsed/refractory neuroblastoma were collected. Response definitions were not homogeneous in the three trials. Patients were on study for a median of 3.5 months (interquartile range [IQR] 1.9-6.2). Of those, 35.2% achieved a complete or partial response, 26.3% experienced a response after more than two cycles, and 23.9% received more than six cycles. Median PFS from study entry for all, refractory, and relapsed patients was 6.4 ± 1.0, 12.5 ± 6.8, and 5.7 ± 1.0 months, respectively (P = 0.006). Median OS from study entry for all, refractory, and relapsed patients was 16.1 ± 4.3, 27.9 ± 20.2, and 11.0 ± 1.6 months, respectively (P = 0.03). Conclusions:Baseline data for response rate, clinical benefit ratio, duration of treatment, PFS, and OS were provided. Two subpopulations (relapsed/refractory) were clearly distinct and should be included in the interpretation of all trials. These results should help informing the design of forthcoming studies in relapsed/refractory neuroblastoma.

Background Naxitamab is a humanized anti‐disialoganglioside (GD2) monoclonal antibody approved for treatment of bone/bone marrow refractory high‐risk neuroblastoma (HR‐NB). Compassionate use (CU) expanded access program at Hospital Sant Joan de Deu permitted treatment of patients in complete remission (CR). We here report the survival, toxicity, and relapse pattern of patients in first or second CR treated with naxitamab and sargramostim (GM‐CSF). Procedure Seventy‐three consecutive patients with HR‐NB (stage M at age >18 months or MYCN‐amplified stages L1/L2 at any age) were treated in first or second CR. Treatment comprised five cycles of subcutaneous (SC) GM‐CSF for 5 days at 250 μg/m2/day (days −4 to 0), followed by naxitamab + SC GM‐CSF for 5 days at 500 μg/m2/day (days 1–5). Naxitamab was infused over 30 minutes at 3 mg/kg/day, days 1, 3, and 5, outpatient. Results Fifty‐five patients were in first CR and 18 in second CR. Seventeen patients had MYCN‐amplified NB and 11 detectable minimal residual disease in the bone marrow. Fifty‐eight (79.5%) patients completed therapy. Four (5%) experienced grade 4 toxicities and 10 (14%) early relapse. Three‐year event‐free survival (EFS) 58.4%, 95% CI = (43.5%, 78.4%) and overall survival (OS) 82.4%, 95% CI = (66.8%, 100%). First CR patients 3‐year EFS 74.3%, 95% CI = (62.7%, 88.1%), and OS 91.6%, 95% CI = (82.4%, 100%). EFS is significantly different between first and second CR (p = .0029). The pattern of relapse is predominantly (75%) of an isolated organ, mainly bone (54%). Univariate Cox models show prior history of relapse as the only statistically significant predictor of EFS but not OS. Conclusions Consolidation with naxitamab and GM‐CSF resulted in excellent survival rates for HR‐NB patients in CR.

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10028 Background: Chemoresistant disease is an obstacle for cure of high-risk neuroblastoma (HR-NB). Anti-GD2 monoclonal antibodies (MoAb) dinutuximab and naxitamab in combination with cytokines are FDA-approved to consolidate remission and for chemorefractory osteomedullary HR-NB, but responses in progressive disease (PD) are rare. We investigated the combination of Humanized anti-GD2 MoAb naxitamab (Hu3F8), Irinotecan, Temozolomide and Sargramostim (GMCSF) in a phase II "HITS" protocol against resistant HR-NB (NCT03189706). Noteworthy differences between HITS and COG protocol ANBL 1221 included higher MoAb and temozolomide dosage and overlap of naxitamab with GMCSF. Methods: Patients were treated at Memorial Sloan Kettering (MSK) on protocol and at Hospital Sant Joan de Déu (HJSD) per protocol on compassionate basis. Salient eligibility criteria included evaluable or measurable chemoresistant disease. Prior anti-GD2 MoAb or irinotecan/temozolomide (IT) therapy was permitted. Each cycle, administered 3-5 weeks apart, comprised irinotecan 50 mg/m2/day intravenously (IV) plus temozolomide 150 mg/m2/day IV or orally (days 1-5); naxitamab 2.25 mg/kg/day IV, days 2,4,8 and 10, and GMCSF 250 mg/m2/day subcutaneously, days 6-10. Toxicity was measured by CTCAE v4.0 and responses by International Neuroblastoma Response Criteria. Objective responses (OR) were also noted. The primary endpoint of the phase II trial was complete (CR) and partial response (PR) after 4 cycles with a desirable rate of 40%; type I and II errors of 10% (undesirable=20%). Results: Of 90 heavily prior-treated patients (38 at MSK evaluated on trial, 52 at HJSD), 8 had HR-NB refractory to induction chemotherapy while 82 had up to 6 prior relapses (median=1). 503 cycles (median 5/patient) were administered. Toxicities included myelosuppression and diarrhea expected with IT, pain and hypertension expected with naxitamab, plus febrile neutropenia in 4%. No other >grade 2 unexpected toxicities occurred; treatment was outpatient. Primary endpoint was reached in the phase II trial: INRC response = 30.6%, lower boundary = 20.4%. In the entire cohort, best responses were CR (26%), PR (11%), mixed response (9%), stable disease (27%) and PD (27%). OR were noted in 64%, with soft tissue (48%) and skeletal MIBG uptake (66%). CR in BM was seen in 57%. OR occurred in patients with MYCN-amplified (25%), refractory (100%) and relapsed (61%) HR-NB; and patients who had previously received I/T (64%) or naxitamab (68%). In patients who had previously received dinutuximab/IT, OR rate to HITS was 42% (5/12). Human anti-human antibody did not develop in any patient (n=50). Conclusions: Naxitamab-based chemoimmunotherapy was safe without immunogenicity. It was effective against chemoresistant HR-NB in all disease compartments even in patients with multiple prior relapses, and in patients who previously received anti-GD2 MoAbs and/or IT.

IntroductionAnti-disialoganglioside 2 (anti-GD2) monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) are associated with Grade ≥3 (≥G3) adverse events (AEs) such as severe pain, hypotension, and bronchospasm. We developed a novel method of administering the GD2-binding mAb naxitamab, termed “Step-Up” infusion (STU), to reduce the risk of AEs of severe pain, hypotension, and bronchospasm.MethodsForty-two patients with GD2-positive tumors received naxitamab under “compassionate use” protocols and administered via either the standard infusion regimen (SIR) or the STU regimen. The SIR comprises a 60-min infusion of 3 mg/kg/day on Day 1 of cycle 1 and a 30- to 60-min infusion on Day 3 and Day 5, as tolerated. The STU regimen uses a 2-h infusion on Day 1, initiated at a rate of 0.06 mg/kg/h during 15 min (0.015 mg/kg) and which increases gradually to a cumulative dose of 3 mg/kg; on Days 3 and 5, the 3-mg/kg dose is initiated at 0.24 mg/kg/h (0.06 mg/kg) and delivered in 90 min according to the same gradual-increase strategy. AEs were graded according to Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events version 4.0.ResultsThe frequency of infusions with an associated G3 AE was reduced from 8.1% (23/284 infusions) with SIR to 2.5% (5/202 infusions) with STU. The odds of an infusion being associated with a G3 AE reduced by 70.3% with STU vs. SIR (odds ratio: 0.297; p = 0.037). Mean serum naxitamab levels pre- and post-STU (11.46 µg/ml pre-infusion; 100.95 µg/ml post-infusion) were within the range reported for SIR.DiscussionThe comparable pharmacokinetics of naxitamab during SIR and STU may indicate that switching to STU reduces G3 AEs without impact on efficacy.