Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) blasts and leukemia stem cells highly express the α chain of the IL-3 receptor (CD123), compared to normal hematopoietic stem cells. CD123 expression is associated with high-risk features, increased risk of induction failure and poor prognosis (Vergez F, et al. Haematologica 2011; 96: 1792-8). Flotetuzumab (FLZ), a CD123 × CD3 bispecific DART molecule, is being tested in a phase 1/2 study in patients with relapsed/refractory (R/R) AML. The recommended Phase 2 dose (RP2D) of FLZ is 500 ng/kg/day (d) administered as a 7-day/week continuous infusion. Patients receive a lead-in dose (30 ng/kg/d x 3d then 100 ng/kg/d x 4d) during week (W) 1, followed by 500 ng/kg/d during W2-4 of cycle 1, and a 4d on/3 d off schedule for cycle 2 and beyond. Disease status was assessed by modified IWG criteria; samples were collected to investigate candidate biomarkers, including CD123 receptor density/cell (RD), and gene expression profiling using the NanoString® PanCancer IO 360™ assay. This platform was used to assess the expression of 770 genes, including 14 immune cell types and 32 immuno-oncology biological signatures in bone marrow (BM) samples from patients treated with FLZ. Thirty patients with R/R AML, median age 64.5 years, received FLZ at the RP2D. Most patients enrolled had primary refractory disease (60% [18/30; 14 to cytotoxic chemotherapy (refractory to ≥ 2 induction attempts, or first CR with initial CR <6 months), and 4 to hypomethylating agents (HMA; failure of ≥ 4 cycles of HMA)]). 25/30 (83.3%) of patients had high-risk disease (ELN adverse (18)/intermediate risk cytogenetics [CTG] (7)). At baseline, the median percentage of CD123+ BM blasts was 85% (range 1.4100%), and the median CD123 receptor density on BM blasts was 4,084 (range 357-28,818 RD). Infusion-related reaction/cytokine release syndrome (IRR/CRS), the most common AE, occurred in all patients, including grade ≥3 in 4/30 (13.3%) of patients. IRR/CRS was managed with conventional supportive care and a management paradigm based on early intervention with tocilizumab (anti-IL-6R) to ameliorate the progression of CRS. Most IRR/CRS events were of short duration and reversible with protocol-specified supportive care. Antileukemic activity was reported in 18/27 (67%) response-evaluable patients, with an overall response rate (ORR) of 22% (6/27) and a CR/CRi rate of 19% (5/27). Interestingly, responsiveness to FLZ appeared quite distinct in patients with relapsed disease versus those who were refractory to standard induction chemotherapy. Estimates from the literature indicate that up to 45% of AML patients are refractory to standard front-line therapy. In patients treated with FLZ, the CR/CRi rate was 31% (4/13) among patients with primary chemotherapy refractory AML, while no responses (0/11) were observed in relapsed patients. A prior report suggests that AML patients with an immune-enriched tumor microenvironment (TME) as evidenced by increased expression of genes associated with CD8 T cells, Th1 cells, B cells, cytotoxicity, CXCL9 and CXCL10, are less likely to respond to anthracycline-based cytotoxic chemotherapy and experience significantly shorter relapse-free survival (Vadakekolathu J, et al. Blood 2017; 130: 3942A). We hypothesized that the presence of an immune-enriched gene signature in the BM TME of patients with AML could help to identify patients more likely to respond to FLZ immunotherapy. Initial exploratory studies suggest that the expression of inflammatory genes may be increased in patients with refractory AML, including patients that respond to FLZ. In conclusion, among this initial cohort of patients treated at the RP2D (500 ng/kg/day), FLZ demonstrates antileukemic activity with an acceptable safety profile, in particular, among refractory patients, a difficult-to-treat patient population that represents a significant area of unmet medical need. Enrollment to the current study has now been expanded to further define the antileukemic activity of FLZ in patients with refractory AML, and investigate candidate biomarkers to enable identification of patients more likely to respond to FLZ. In addition, studies are now being initiated to investigate opportunities to expand the antileukemic activity of FLZ via combined administration with either concurrent or sequenced anti-PD-1 checkpoint blockade. Disclosures Uy: GlycoMimetics: Consultancy; Curis: Consultancy. Rettig:Novimmune: Research Funding; Amphivena Therapeutics: Research Funding. Foster:Celgene: Research Funding; Macrogenics: Research Funding; Pfizer: Research Funding; Shire: Honoraria. Rizzieri:Arog: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Pfizer: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Amgen: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Incyte: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Speakers Bureau; Novartis: Consultancy; Teva: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Speakers Bureau; Gilead: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Speakers Bureau; Jazz: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Arellano:Cephalon: Research Funding. Topp:Amgen: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Other: Travel, Research Funding; Boehringer Ingelheim: Research Funding; Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc.: Honoraria, Research Funding; F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding. Sweet:Phizer: Consultancy; BMS: Honoraria; BMS: Honoraria; Agios: Consultancy; Jazz: Speakers Bureau; Novartis: Consultancy, Honoraria, Speakers Bureau; Astellas: Consultancy; Astellas: Consultancy; Jazz: Speakers Bureau; Celgene: Honoraria, Speakers Bureau; Agios: Consultancy; Celgene: Honoraria, Speakers Bureau; Phizer: Consultancy; Novartis: Consultancy, Honoraria, Speakers Bureau. Ravandi:Abbvie: Research Funding; Xencor: Research Funding; Astellas Pharmaceuticals: Consultancy, Honoraria; Seattle Genetics: Research Funding; Bristol-Myers Squibb: Research Funding; Jazz: Honoraria; Jazz: Honoraria; Macrogenix: Honoraria, Research Funding; Sunesis: Honoraria; Bristol-Myers Squibb: Research Funding; Seattle Genetics: Research Funding; Amgen: Honoraria, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Orsenix: Honoraria; Macrogenix: Honoraria, Research Funding; Amgen: Honoraria, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Xencor: Research Funding; Orsenix: Honoraria; Astellas Pharmaceuticals: Consultancy, Honoraria; Sunesis: Honoraria; Abbvie: Research Funding. Church:NanoString Technologies: Employment. Rutella:NanoString Technologies: Research Funding. Sun:MacroGenics: Employment. Yang:MacroGenics: Employment. Baughman:MacroGenics: Employment. Curtis:MacroGenics: Employment. Timmeny:MacroGenics: Employment. Cali:MacroGenics: Employment. Tran:MacroGenics: Employment. Muth:MacroGenics: Employment. La Motte-Mohs:MacroGenics: Employment, Equity Ownership. Poirot:Servier: Employment. Pallis:Servier: Employment. Cesano:NanoString Technologies: Employment. Bonvini:MacroGenics: Employment, Equity Ownership. Wigginton:MacroGenics: Employment. Lowenberg:Astex: Consultancy; Agios Pharmaceuticals: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Clear Creek Bio Ltd: Consultancy, Honoraria; Celgene: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Supervisory Board, National Comprehensive Cancer Center (IKNL), Netherlands: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Royal Academy of Sciences and Arts, The Netherlands: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; international Scientific Advisory Board, Institute Gustave Roussy, Paris: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Editorial Board "International Journal of Hematology": Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Elected member, Royal Academy of Sciences and Arts, The Netherlands: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Chairman, Leukemia Cooperative Trial Group HOVON (Netherlands): Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Chairman Scientific Committee and Member Executive Committee, European School of Hematology (ESH, Paris, France): Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Editorial Board "The Netherlands Journal of Medicine": Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; "Up-to-Date", section editor leukemia: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Editorial Board "European Oncology & Haematology": Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Davidson-Moncada:MacroGenics: Employment.

Background. The therapeutic approach in patients (pts) with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) has not changed substantially in >30 years. The introduction of new treatment strategies, including immunotherapy, remains a priority. Flotetuzumab, a CD123 × CD3 bispecific DART immunotherapy, is being tested in a phase 1/2 study of relapsed/refractory (R/R) AML. We previously showed that AML pts with an immune-enriched and IFN-γ-dominant tumor microenvironment (TME) experience significantly shorter relapse-free survival, suggesting refractoriness to standard induction chemotherapy (Vadakekolathu J, et al. Blood 2017; 130: 3942A). Herein, we report that an IFN-γ-dominant TME, while predicting resistance to standard therapy, is favoring response of AML to flotetuzumab. Methods. Gene expression was analyzed in 78 bone marrow (BM) samples (36 at baseline, 27 post-cycle 1 and 15 post-cycle 2) from 40 pts with relapsed or refractory AML enrolled in a phase 1/2 clinical trial of flotetuzumab (NCT#02152956). Thirty-six baseline BM samples were included in the analysis, of which 34 from pts who were treated at the target dose of ≥500 ng/kg/day. The NanoString PanCancer IO360™ assay was used to assess the expression of 770 genes, including the levels of 14 immune cell types and of 32 immuno-oncology signatures, and their correlation with response to flotetuzumab. Data are presented as score means per group±SEM and analyzed by unpaired t-test. Results. Gene expression analysis of BM samples at baseline stratifies flotetuzumab-treated pts into 3 clusters within an immunological continuum: immune-depleted, immune-exhausted and immune-enriched (Fig. 1A). Pts with primary-refractory disease (refractory to ≥2 induction attempts, first CR of <6 months, or failure after ≥4 cycles of hypomethylating agents, HMA) showed prevalently an immune-infiltrated TME phenotype, which included higher inflammatory chemokine scores compared with relapse pts (3.27±0.22 vs 2.46±0.07, p=0.026). Within this group, chemotherapy-refractory and HMA-refractory pts further stratify into immune-enriched and immune-exhausted phenotypes, respectively. Specifically, HMA-refractory pts displayed features of immune exhaustion and adaptive immune resistance, including upregulation of TIGIT (5.55±0.34 vs 3.85±0.24, p=0.006), PD-L1 (3.55±0.18 vs 2.4±0.29, p=0.009) and Treg cells (4.87±0.23 vs 3.69±0.19, p=0.0009) together with a trend toward increasingly exhausted CD8+ T cells (CD244, EOMES, LAG3 and PTGER4) compared to chemotherapy-refractory pts (Fig. 1B). Responders to flotetuzumab showed a significantly higher IFN-γ signaling scores at baseline compared to non-responders (3.31±0.32 vs 2.27±0.11, p=0.0005), consistent with the greater frequency of responders in primary refractory pts compared to relapse pts. Accordingly, baseline IFN-γ signaling scores may be predictive of response to flotetuzumab therapy (AUC=0.841; Fig. 1C). Furthermore, comparison of post-cycle 1 BM samples to baseline samples showed treatment with flotetuzumab lead to increased immune cell infiltrate and immune activation scores, as reflected by a higher Tumor Inflammation Signature (Ayers M, et al. J Clin Invest 2017; 127: 2930-40) (6.49±0.20 vs 5.93±0.12, p=0.015) together with enhanced immunoproteasome (5.72±0.07 vs 5.23±0.10, p=0.0002) and IFN-γ signaling (3.38±0.23 vs 2.53±0.14, p=0.0015) scores. Flotetuzumab-induced TME gene activation was therefore reminiscent of an immune-enrichment rather than immune-exhaustion signature. Conclusions. We provide evidence for a range of immune gene expression profiles in AML, with primary refractory pts displaying an enhanced immune infiltration signature compared with relapse pts. Furthermore, an IFN-γ-related gene signature at baseline, a feature of primary refractory pts, was associated with clinical response to flotetuzumab. HMA-refractory pts showed an immune-rich but exhausted phenotype with PD-L1 expression, suggesting these pts may further benefit from flotetuzumab combination therapy with checkpoint inhibition (Rettig M, et al. Blood 2017; 130: 1365). Lastly, treatment with flotetuzumab further shifted the immune signature toward a more immune rich phenotype. The AML TME immune gene expression can influence susceptibility to therapy, with primary refractory AML showing an IFN-γ-dominant signature associated with response to flotetuzumab. Figure Figure. Disclosures Rutella: NanoString Technologies: Research Funding. Church:NanoString Technologies: Employment. Viboch:NanoString Technologies: Employment. Sullivan:NanoString Technologies: Employment. Hood:NanoString Technologies: Employment. Warren:NanoString Technologies: Employment. Cesano:NanoString Technologies: Employment. La Motte-Mohs:MacroGenics: Employment, Equity Ownership. Muth:MacroGenics: Employment. Lelièvre:Servier: Employment. Lowenberg:Royal Academy of Sciences and Arts, The Netherlands: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Agios Pharmaceuticals: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; international Scientific Advisory Board, Institute Gustave Roussy, Paris: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Clear Creek Bio Ltd: Consultancy, Honoraria; Chairman Scientific Committee and Member Executive Committee, European School of Hematology (ESH, Paris, France): Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Editorial Board "European Oncology & Haematology": Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Editorial Board "The Netherlands Journal of Medicine": Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Elected member, Royal Academy of Sciences and Arts, The Netherlands: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Supervisory Board, National Comprehensive Cancer Center (IKNL), Netherlands: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Chairman, Leukemia Cooperative Trial Group HOVON (Netherlands): Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Editorial Board "International Journal of Hematology": Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; "Up-to-Date", section editor leukemia: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Astex: Consultancy; Celgene: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Davidson-Moncada:MacroGenics: Employment.

The interactions between TLRs and their ligands have profound immune modulation properties. Attention has focused mostly on the impact of TLR ligands on peripheral innate and adaptive immunity during viral infections, whereas little impact of TLR activation has been shown on thymic development. Here we show that treatment of murine fetal thymic organ cultures (FTOCs) with TLR3 or TLR7 ligands induced rapid expression of IFN-α and -β mRNA, hallmarks of acute and chronic viral infections. This resulted in an early developmental blockade, increased frequencies of apoptotic cells, and decreased proliferation of thymocytes, which led to an immediate decrease in cellularity. FTOCs infected with vesicular stomatitis virus, known to act through TLR7, were similarly affected. Down-regulation of IL-7R α-chain expression, together with an increased expression of suppressor of cytokine signaling-1 and a concomitant decreased expression of the transcriptional regulator growth factor independence 1 were observed in TLR ligands or IFN-treated FTOCs. This indicates a role for these pathways in the observed changes in thymocyte development. Taken together, our data demonstrate that TLR activation and ensuing type I IFN production exert a deleterious effect on T cell development. Because TLR ligands are widely used as vaccine adjuvants, their immunomodulatory actions mediated mainly by IFN-α suggested by our results should be taken in consideration.

Background: Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) blast and leukemic stem cells highly express CD123, which is associated with high-risk disease and disease progression. CD123 expression on normal hematopoietic stem cells is minimal, enabling a strategy of preferential ablation of AML with a CD123-targeted approach. Flotetuzumab (MGD006/S80880) is a novel T-cell redirecting (CD123 x CD3) bispecific DART® protein being tested in a phase 1 study in patients with relapsed/refractory (R/R) acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS). Methods: This phase 1 dose-escalation study is designed to define the safety profile, maximum tolerated dose and schedule (MTDS), and preliminary anti-leukemic activity of flotetuzumab. Relapsed/refractory (R/R) AML or intermediate-2/high-risk MDS patients (pts) are treated on 28-day cycles at doses from 3-1000ng/kg/day on one of 2 dosing schedules (4-day on/3-day off or a continuous 7-day on schedule). To mitigate cytokine-release syndrome (CRS), a one-step lead-in dose (LID) (100ng/kg/day for 4 days) or two-step LID (30 ng/kg/day for 3 days followed by 100ng/kg/day for 4 days) was instituted during Cycle 1/Week 1 (C1W1), followed by the cohort target dose (300-1000ng/kg/day) on either of the dosing schedules on W2-4. Cycle 2 and beyond, all pts were treated on a 4-day on/3-day off schedule at the cohort target dose for a maximum of 12 cycles, with 2 cycles after a complete response or complete remission with incomplete blood count recovery. Steroid-sparing, anti-cytokine therapy was used, if clinically indicated, to manage CRS symptoms. Disease status was assessed by International Working Group (IWG) criteria. Samples were collected for pharmacokinetics, anti-drug antibodies (ADA) and cytokine analysis, including IL-2, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, TNF-alpha, IFN-gamma and GM-CSF. Results: 45 pts with R/R AML/MDS (89% AML and 11% MDS) have been treated with flotetuzumab, median age of 64 (29-84), and 44% female. The MTDS has been reached at 500ng/kg/day. Overall flotetuzumab has demonstrated manageable toxicity; drug-related adverse events ≥G3 were observed in 20/45 (44%) pts; infusion-related reaction/CRS (IRR/CRS), the most common toxicity, was observed in 34/45 (76%) pts (G3 in 6/45, 13%). The most frequent CRS symptoms were pyrexia (15), chills (10), tachycardia (10), and hypotension (4). Cytokine levels were higher in pts with CRS than in pts without (median IL-6, 116.2 vs. 67.9 pg/mL; IL-8, 191.1 vs. 144.6 pg/mL; IL-10, 867.6 vs. 348.7 pg/mL) and were generally higher with increasing CRS grade. A two-step LID during week 1 appeared to decrease the severity of CRS grade (mean grade reduction 0.54) compared to pts that received a one-step LID during cycle 1. In addition, lower median peak cytokine levels are observed with two-step LID during W1 and after achieving W2 target dose. Fourteen pts treated at the threshold 500 ng/kg/day dose cohort and beyond (700ng/kg/day dose cohort) have completed at least one cycle of treatment and had a post-treatment bone marrow (BM) biopsy. Anti-leukemic activity was documented in 57% (8/14) pts, 6/14 reached IWG criteria (3 CR, 1 CRi, 1 MLF, 1 PR) for an overall response rate (ORR) of 43%, and 2 pts had stable disease and bone marrow (BM) blast reduction of 20 and 25% from baseline, respectively. Blast reduction occurred rapidly, often within one cycle of therapy, and extended beyond flotetuzumab discontinuation. Multispectral immunohistochemistry analysis of BM samples showed flotetuzumab in situ with a significant increase (in CD-8 T cells (1.58-fold increase, p=0.0013). Consistent with T-cell activation, CD-25, CD-69 and PD-1 upregulation on both CD-4 and CD-8 T-cells was also observed in peripheral blood samples. Conclusions: Flotetuzumab in R/R AML and MDS demonstrated evidence of anti-leukemic activity (ORR 43%) with a manageable safety profile. This program advances an immune-activating agent in treating AML and continues to enroll patients in cohort expansion (24 AML and 24 MDS patients at the MTDS) in the US and Europe. clinicaltrials.gov NCT02152956. Disclosures Uy: Boehringer Ingelheim: Consultancy; GlycoMimetics: Consultancy; Novartis: Consultancy, Other: Travel Suppport. Foster: Macrogenics: Research Funding; Shire: Honoraria; Pfizer: Research Funding; Amgen: Honoraria; Incyte: Honoraria; Celgene: Research Funding; Celator: Research Funding. Arellano: Cephalon Oncology: Research Funding. Rizzieri: Shire: Research Funding; Erytech: Research Funding. Topp: Roche: Consultancy, Research Funding; Amgen: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: Travel, Research Funding; Macrogenics: Consultancy, Research Funding; Celgene: Other: Travel; Regeneron: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding. Martinelli: Incyte, Pfizer, MSD, Abbvie, J&J, Seattle Genetics, Jazz Pharmaceuticals, Astellas: Consultancy, Other: Advisory Board, Speakers Bureau. Ciceri: GSK: Other: B-thalassemia gene therapy was developed by Fondazione Telethon and Ospedale San Raffaele and has been inlicenced by GSK that provides funding for the clinical trial, Research Funding. Lelièvre: Institut de recherches international Servier: Employment. La Motte-Mohs: Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre: Patents & Royalties; MacroGenics: Employment, Equity Ownership, Patents & Royalties. Sun: Macrogenics Inc: Employment, Equity Ownership. Baughman: MacroGenics, Inc.: Employment. Shannon: MacroGenics, Inc.: Employment. Fox: Bristol Myers-Squibb: Consultancy, Research Funding; AstraZeneca/MedImmune: Consultancy, Research Funding; PerkinElmer: Consultancy, Research Funding; Janssen/Johnson and Johnson: Consultancy, Research Funding; Argos: Consultancy; Bayer: Consultancy; Definiens: Consultancy; OncoSec: Consultancy, Research Funding; PrimeVax: Consultancy, Equity Ownership; Peregrine: Consultancy; UbiVac: Equity Ownership, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Other: Co-Founder and managing Member of LLC; Ventana/Roche: Consultancy; Viralytics: Consultancy, Research Funding. Bonvini: MacroGenics, Inc.: Employment, Equity Ownership, Research Funding. Wigginton: MacroGenics: Employment, Equity Ownership. Davidson-Moncada: MacroGenics: Employment, Equity Ownership.

No abstract