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PURPOSE CARTITUDE-1, a phase Ib/II study evaluating the safety and efficacy of ciltacabtagene autoleucel (cilta-cel) in heavily pretreated patients with relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma, yielded early, deep, and durable responses at 12 months. Here, we present updated results 2 years after last patient in (median follow-up [MFU] approximately 28 months), including analyses of high-risk patient subgroups. METHODS Eligible patients had relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma, had received ≥ 3 prior lines of therapy or were double refractory to a proteasome inhibitor and immunomodulatory drug and had received prior proteasome inhibitor, immunomodulatory drug, and anti-CD38 therapy. Patients received a single cilta-cel infusion 5-7 days after lymphodepletion. Responses were assessed by an independent review committee. RESULTS At a MFU of 27.7 months (N = 97), the overall response rate was 97.9% (95% CI, 92.7 to 99.7); 82.5% (95% CI, 73.4 to 89.4) of patients achieved a stringent complete response. Median duration of response was not estimable. Median progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were not reached; 27-month PFS and OS rates were 54.9% (95% CI, 44.0 to 64.6) and 70.4% (95% CI, 60.1 to 78.6), respectively. Overall response rates were high across all subgroups (95.1%-100%). Duration of response, PFS, and/or OS were shorter in patients with high-risk cytogenetics, International Staging System stage III, high tumor burden, or plasmacytomas. The safety profile was manageable with no new cilta-cel–related cytokine release syndrome and one new case of parkinsonism (day 914 after cilta-cel) since the last report. CONCLUSION At approximately 28 months MFU, patients treated with cilta-cel maintained deep and durable responses, observed in both standard and high-risk subgroups. The risk/benefit profile of cilta-cel remained favorable with longer follow-up.

Inherited IL-12Rβ1 and TYK2 deficiencies impair both IL-12- and IL-23-dependent IFN-γ immunity and are rare monogenic causes of tuberculosis, each found in about 1/100,000 individuals. We show that homozygosity for the common TYK2 P1104A allele, which is found in about 1/600 Europeans and 1/2,500 other individuals, is much more frequent in patients with tuberculosis than in ethnicity-adjusted controls (p = 8.37×10−8, odds ratio = 89.31 [95%CI: 14.7–1,725]). We also show that the frequency of P1104A in Europeans has decreased significantly, from about 9% to 4.2%, over the last 4,000 years, consistent with purging of this variant by endemic tuberculosis. Moreover, we show that catalytically inactive P1104A impairs cellular responses to IL-23, but not to IFN-α, IL-10, or even IL-12, which, like IL-23, induces IFN-γ via activation of TYK2 and JAK2. Finally, we show that catalytically competent TYK2 is critical for IL-23 but not IL-12 responses, whereas catalytically competent JAK2 is redundant for both. Homozygosity for the P1104A missense variant of TYK2 selectively disrupts the induction of IFN-γ by IL-23 and is a common monogenic etiology of tuberculosis.

Background: Ciltacabtagene autoleucel (cilta-cel; JNJ-68284528; LCAR-B38M CAR-T cells) is a chimeric antigen receptor T (CAR-T) cell therapy with 2 B-cell maturation antigen-targeting single-domain antibodies designed to confer avidity. In the phase 1 LEGEND-2 study in China, LCAR-B38M yielded deep, durable responses with a manageable safety profile in patients (pts) with relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma (R/R MM). The phase 1b/2 CARTITUDE-1 study (NCT03548207) is further evaluating cilta-cel in this pt population in the US. We present updated data from the phase 1b portion along with initial phase 2 data. Methods: Eligible pts (aged ≥18 y) were diagnosed with MM per International Myeloma Working Group (IMWG) criteria and had measurable disease, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status ≤1, received ≥3 prior regimens or were double-refractory to a proteasome inhibitor and immunomodulatory drug, and received an anti-CD38 antibody. After apheresis, bridging therapy was permitted. Cyclophosphamide 300 mg/m2 and fludarabine 30 mg/m2 daily for 3 d were used for lymphodepletion. A single infusion of cilta-cel at a target dose of 0.75×106 (range 0.5-1.0×106) CAR+ viable T cells/kg was administered 5-7 d after start of lymphodepletion. The primary objective of the phase 1b portion was to characterize cilta-cel safety and establish the recommended phase 2 dose; the primary objective of the phase 2 portion was to evaluate cilta-cel efficacy. Response was assessed per IMWG criteria and minimal residual disease (MRD) by next-generation sequencing. Adverse events (AEs) were graded using CTCAE v5.0. In the phase 1b portion, cytokine release syndrome (CRS) was graded by Lee et al (Blood 2014) and neurotoxicity by CTCAE v5.0; in the phase 2 portion, CRS and neurotoxicity were graded by American Society for Transplantation and Cellular Therapy (ASTCT) criteria. In this combined analysis, Lee et al and CTCAE v5.0 were mapped to ASTCT criteria for CRS and immune effector cell-associated neurotoxicity syndrome (ICANS), respectively. Results: As of the May 20, 2020 clinical cutoff, 97 pts (58.8% male; median age 61.0 y [range 43-78]) with R/R MM received cilta-cel (29 in phase 1b; 68 in phase 2). Median follow-up duration was 8.8 mo (range 1.5-20.4). Pts had received a median of 6 prior lines of therapy (range 3-18); 83.5% were penta-exposed, 87.6% were triple-refractory, 41.2% were penta-refractory, and 97.9% were refractory to last line of therapy. Overall response rate per independent review committee (primary endpoint) was 94.8% (95% CI 88.4-98.3), with a stringent complete response rate of 55.7% (95% CI 45.2-65.8), very good partial response rate of 32.0% (95% CI 22.9-42.2), and partial response rate of 7.2% (95% CI 3.0-14.3). All pts achieved a reduction in M-protein. Median time to first response was 1.0 mo (range 0.9-5.8; 80.4% ≤1.0 mo), and median time to complete response or better was 1.8 mo (range 0.9-12.5; 74.1% ≤3.0 mo); responses deepened over time (Figure). Median duration of response was not reached (NR). Of 52 MRD-evaluable pts, 94.2% were MRD-negative at 10-5. The 6-mo progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) rates (95% CI) were 87.4% (78.9-92.7) and 93.8% (86.7-97.2), respectively; median PFS and OS were NR. Ten deaths occurred during the study; 8 were due to AEs (both related and unrelated; CRS/hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis, neurotoxicity, respiratory failure, sepsis, septic shock, pneumonia, lung abscess, and acute myelogenous leukemia [n=1 each]), and 2 due to progressive disease. AEs reported in >70% of pts were CRS (94.8%; grade [gr] 3/4 4.1%), neutropenia (90.7%; gr 3/4 90.7%), anemia (81.4%; gr 3/4 68.0%), and thrombocytopenia (79.4%; gr 3/4 59.8%). Median time to CRS onset was 7.0 d (range 1-12) and median duration 4.0 d (range 1-27, excluding n=1 with 97 d). CAR-T cell-related neurotoxicity was reported in 20.6% of pts (gr 3/4 10.3%). Cilta-cel CAR+ T cells showed maximum peripheral expansion at 14 d (range 9-43). Among pts with 6 mo' individual follow-up, 67% had cilta-cel CAR+ T cells below the level of quantification (2 cells/µL) in peripheral blood. Conclusions: Preliminary phase 1b/2 data from CARTITUDE-1 indicate a single low-dose infusion of cilta-cel leads to early, deep, and durable responses in heavily pretreated pts with MM with a safety profile consistent with LEGEND-2. Further investigation of cilta-cel in other MM populations is underway. Disclosures Madduri: Celgene: Consultancy, Honoraria; AbbVie: Consultancy, Honoraria; Foundation Medicine: Consultancy, Honoraria; Takeda: Consultancy, Honoraria; Janssen: Consultancy, Honoraria; Legend: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Other: Speaking Engagement, Speakers Bureau; Kinevant: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Other: Speaking Engagement, Speakers Bureau; GSK: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Other: Speaking Engagement, Speakers Bureau. Berdeja:Teva: Research Funding; Bluebird: Research Funding; Bioclinica: Consultancy; Celgene: Consultancy, Research Funding; EMD Sorono: Research Funding; Kite Pharma: Consultancy; Prothena: Consultancy; Cellularity: Research Funding; Karyopharm: Consultancy; Servier: Consultancy; Legend: Consultancy; Poseida: Research Funding; Lilly: Research Funding; Acetylon: Research Funding; CURIS: Research Funding; Janssen: Consultancy, Research Funding; Genentech, Inc.: Research Funding; Glenmark: Research Funding; Takeda: Consultancy, Research Funding; BMS: Consultancy, Research Funding; Constellation: Research Funding; CRISPR Therapeutics: Consultancy, Research Funding; Vivolux: Research Funding; Abbvie: Research Funding; Amgen: Consultancy, Research Funding; Kesios: Research Funding; Novartis: Research Funding. Usmani:Celgene: Other; BMS, Celgene: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: Speaking Fees, Research Funding; GSK: Consultancy, Research Funding; Pharmacyclics: Research Funding; Merck: Consultancy, Research Funding; Abbvie: Consultancy; Sanofi: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Takeda: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: Speaking Fees, Research Funding; Janssen: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: Speaking Fees, Research Funding; SkylineDX: Consultancy, Research Funding; Seattle Genetics: Consultancy, Research Funding; Incyte: Research Funding; Array Biopharma: Research Funding; Amgen: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: Speaking Fees, Research Funding. Jakubowiak:Adaptive, Juno: Consultancy, Honoraria; AbbVie, Amgen, BMS/Celgene, GSK, Janssen, Karyopharm: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Cohen:Celgene: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Takeda,: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Janssen: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; GlaxoSmithKline: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Kite Pharma: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Oncopeptides: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Seattle Genetics: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; AstraZeneca: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Genentech/Roche: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Bristol-Myers Squibb: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Novartis: Other: Patents/Intellectual property licensed, Research Funding. Stewart:Janssen, BMS, Sanofi-Aventis, GSK: Honoraria; Tempus, Inc., Genomics England LLC: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Hari:Amgen: Consultancy; BMS: Consultancy; GSK: Consultancy; Janssen: Consultancy; Takeda: Consultancy; Incyte Corporation: Consultancy. Htut:City of Hope Medical Center: Current Employment. Munshi:OncoPep: Consultancy, Current equity holder in private company, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Patents & Royalties; BMS: Consultancy; Janssen: Consultancy; Adaptive: Consultancy; Legend: Consultancy; Amgen: Consultancy; Karyopharm: Consultancy; Takeda: Consultancy; AbbVie: Consultancy; C4: Current equity holder in private company. Deol:Novartis: Consultancy; Kite, a Gilead Company: Consultancy. Lesokhin:BMS: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Genentech: Research Funding; Janssen: Research Funding; Juno: Consultancy, Honoraria; Takeda: Consultancy, Honoraria; Serametrix Inc.: Patents & Royalties; GenMab: Consultancy, Honoraria. Singh:Janssen: Current Employment. Zudaire:Janssen: Current Employment. Yeh:Janssen: Current Employment. Allred:Janssen: Current Employment. Olyslager:Janssen: Current Employment. Banerjee:Janssen: Current Employment. Goldberg:Johnson & Johnson: Current Employment, Current equity holder in publicly-traded company. Schecter:Janssen: Current Employment. Jackson:Janssen: Current Employment; Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center: Consultancy. Deraedt:Janssen: Current Employment, Current equity holder in publicly-traded company. Zhuang:Janssen: Current Employment. Infante:Janssen: Current Employment. Geng:Legend Biotech USA Inc.: Current Employment. Wu:Legend Biotech USA Inc.: Current Employment. Carrasco:Legend Biotech USA Inc.: Current Employment. Akram:Legend Biotech USA Inc.: Current Employment. Hossain:Legend Biotech USA Inc.: Current Employment. Rizvi:Legend Biotech USA Inc.: Current Employment. Fan:Legend Biotech USA Inc.: Current Employment. Jagannath:BMS, Janssen, Karyopharm, Legend Biotech, Sanofi, Takeda: Consultancy. Lin:Kite, a Gilead Company: Consultancy, Research Funding; Janssen: Consultancy, Research Funding; Merck: Research Funding; Legend BioTech: Consultancy; Juno: Consultancy; Bluebird Bio: Consultancy, Research Funding; Celgene: Consultancy, Research Funding; Novartis: Consultancy; Vineti: Consultancy; Takeda: Research Funding; Gamida Cells: Consultancy; Sorrento: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Martin:AMGEN: Research Funding; Seattle Genetics: Research Funding; Janssen: Research Funding; GSK: Consultancy; Sanofi: Research Funding.