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Several trials have demonstrated the feasibility of discontinuation of tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI) treatment in chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) patients (pts) with deep molecular response. Aims: to report the results of two Brazilian imatinib (IM) discontinuation trials and to evaluate factors impacting in treatment-free remission (TFR) and treatment-free survival (TFS) after IM discontinuation. Methods:Between September 2016 and January 2019, 60 CML pts were included in two ongoing phase II, single arm, prospective Brazilian discontinuation trials: Pilot Study of Discontinuation in Patients With Chronic Myeloid Leukemia With Deep Molecular Response - Evaluation of Pioglitazone in Treatment-free Remission (TFR) (EDI-PIO UNICAMP)(NCT02852486)and Imatinib Discontinuation in Patients With Chronic Myeloid Leukemia Chronic Phase With Sustained MR4log(USP) (NCT03239886). Inclusion criteria: age >18 years, chronic phase, minimum of 3 years of IM therapy, deep molecular response for ≥ 2 years (confirmed by 4 tests in the last 2 years, defined as MR4.0 in USP trial and MR4.5 in EDI-PIO). Patients participating in EDI-PIO trial used pioglitazone 30 mg/day plus IM for 3 months before IM discontinuation (n=30). After discontinuation, pts were monitored by quantitative RQ-PCR monthly in the first year, every 2 months in the second year and every 3 months in the third year. Criteria for IM re-initiation: loss of MMR (in one test), loss of cytogenetic response, loss of hematologic response, disease progression or confirmed loss of MR4.0 (this criteria used only in EDI-PIO trial). TFR was calculated from the date of discontinuation until first event (loss of MMR; IM reintroduction; death any cause or last follow-up); TFS was calculated from the date of IM discontinuation until reintroduction or last follow-up (censoring deaths not related to CML). Adverse events after IM discontinuation were reported according to CTCAE. Results:Data cut-off for analysis was February 2019. In the 1stanalysis 48 pts who discontinued IM in MR4.5 were analyzed. Patient's characteristics from EDIPIO (n=30) and USP (n=18) trials were: 57% vs. 67% male, median age of 55 (29-77) and 56 (33-95) years (29-95) at discontinuation; 16% and 33% had used previously Interferon; median duration of IM treatment of 10 (3-16) vs. 10 (5-15) years; median duration of MMR 95 (30-149) vs. 93 (57-130) months; MR4.0 was 90 (26-135) vs. 89 (30-123) months; and MR4.5 was 76 (23-135) vs. 75 (30-102) months; none variable had statistical difference.One patient died in MMR due to cardiac failure. TFR was 61% (95% CI 47-75) at 20 months. Sixteen (33%) out 48 re-initiated IM (2 with confirmed loss of MR4.0 and 14 with loss of MMR) in a median time of 20 (1-26) months. All relapsed pts recovered MMR after IM reintroduction, in a median time of 2 months (0-4). There was no transformation to advanced phases. No serious adverse events were reported during pioglitazone treatment. In the Cox regression the duration of MMR was associated with a longer TFR HR: 0.96 (beta-) (CI 95%:0.94-0.99, P= 0.006). Gender, age at diagnosis, age at discontinuation, treatment with pioglitazone, Sokal and EUTOS scores, BCR-ABL transcripts type, duration of IM therapy, duration of MR4.0 and MR4.5 and previous use of Interferon did not affect TFR.In the second analysis all 60 pts were included. TFS was 56% and was higher in pts who discontinued IM in sustained MR4.5 vs. MR4.0 (63% vs. 33%, P=0.04)(Figure). The independent factors for TFR in the multivariate analysis by Cox-regression were the duration of MMR [HR: 0.97 (beta-), 95%CI: 0.95-0.98, P=0.001] and intermediate/high risk Sokal [HR 3.14 95%CI: 1.08-9.11, P= 0.035]. Twenty-four out of 60 pts (40%) re-initiated IM (2 with confirmed loss of MR4.0 and 22 with loss of MMR).Adverse events occurred in 38 (63%) pts, 30% attributed to withdrawal syndrome. Some pts presented more than one event. Grade 1-2: arthralgia or muscular pain (17), hyperglycemia (4), hypertriglyceridemia (2), polycythemia (2), hypertension (3), and others (11). Four pts had grade 3-4 event: arthralgia (1), death for cardiac failure (1), abortion and hypertriglyceridemia (1). Conclusions:both trials demonstrated the feasibility and safety of IM discontinuation in pts in sustained deep molecular response. The duration of MMR was associated with a higher TFR and TFS rate. Imatinib discontinuation was more successful in pts in stable MR4.5. Figure Disclosures Pagnano: Pint Pharma: Consultancy; Abbvie: Consultancy; Sandoz: Consultancy. Delamain:Novartis: Honoraria.

Preliminary reports demonstrated that pioglitazone, an antidiabetic drug that is agonist of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPAR-γ) was able to reduce expression of STAT5 and its downstream targets HIF2α and CITED2, which are key guardians of the quiescence and stemness of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) leukemia stem cells (LSCs). Leaving quiescence would turn the LSCs more sensitive to imatinib (IM) and cause an erosion of the LSCs. This was demonstrated in vitro and in vivo in CML patients that achieved complete molecular response after pioglitazone use. This was the rational for the design of EDI-PIO trial (Pilot Study of Imatinib Discontinuation in Patients with Chronic Myeloid Leukemia with Deep Molecular Response - Evaluation of Pioglitazone in Treatment-Free Remission) (NCT02852486). In this trial, pioglitazone was given in association with IM, with the aim to pull out the LSCs from the quiescence and sensitizing them to IM effect, increasing treatment-free remission (TFR) rates after treatment interruption. Aims: to evaluate PPAR-γ, STAT5, HIF2α and CITED2 gene expression before and after pioglitazone use in CML patients with criteria for IM discontinuation Patients and methods: EDI-PIO is a prospective, phase II trial. Inclusion criteria: CML in chronic phase, treated with IM for at least 3 years, with stable deep molecular response (MR4.5) for at least 2 years. Patients received pioglitazone 30 mg/day, orally, for 3 months before IM discontinuation. BCR-ABL levels were measured by real-time quantitative PCR monthly in the first year after discontinuation, every two months in the second year, and then every 3 months during the subsequent follow-up. Imatinib was reinitiated at molecular relapse (loss of major molecular response or confirmed loss of MR4.0). Total RNA was extracted from peripheral blood leukocytes, pre and post pioglitazone, and at 3 and 6 months after IM discontinuation. After cDNA synthesis, an aliquot was used for gene expression analysis by reverse transcriptase quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR), using specific primers for PPAR-γ, STAT5, HIF2α and CITED2. The relative gene expression was calculated using the equation, 2-ΔΔCT. GAPDH was used as control gene. Statistical analysis was performed using ANOVA. Treatment-free remission (TFR) was calculated from IM discontinuation until molecular relapse, reintroduction of IM by any cause, progression to advanced phases or death to any cause. Results: The study is closed for enrollment. Between June 2016 and January 2019, 32 chronic phase CML patients were recruited, of which 30 patients were included in gene expression analysis. Median age was 55 years at trial initiation; 56.7% were men, 50% low risk Sokal and the median time of IM treatment was 117 months (41-191). The median follow-up time was 20 months. TFR was 60% at 24 months. Eleven patients relapsed and IM was reintroduced, but none presented hematologic relapse or progression to advanced phases. There was no significant difference in STAT5, PPAR-γ, HIF2α and CITED2 expression pre and post pioglitazone, at 3 and 6 months after IM discontinuation. No difference was found in the comparison of the relapsed vs. non-relapsed group. Conclusions: pioglitazone did not affect STAT5, PPAR-γ, HIF2α and CITED2 gene expression in this group of pts with deep molecular response. The ACTIM trial demonstrated a reduction in STAT5 expression in bone marrow cells 6 months after pioglitazone exposure, but pioglitazone was given to pts with MMR, without MR4.0. There was no difference in gene expression in the groups with or without molecular relapse. TFR rates remains similar to those reported in other discontinuation trials. Disclosures Delamain: Novartis: Honoraria. Pagnano:Sandoz: Consultancy; Pint Pharma: Consultancy; Abbvie: Consultancy.

The prognostic significance of BCR-ABL1 transcripts in chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) is controversial. A recent report demonstrated that patients with e13a2 transcripts have inferior outcomes with imatinib 400 mg and those patients with e14a2 or that express both transcripts have more chance of an optimal response and longer event-free and transformation-free survival, while others do not confirm this data.The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of BCR-ABL transcript type in CML patients outcome.Patients and methods: all consecutive CML patients in chronic phase treated with imatinib 400 mg/day from February 2004 to January 2016 were enrolled. Patients' responses were monitored with cytogenetic analysis at 3, 6 and 12 months, then every six months until a complete cytogenetic response (CCR). Real-time polymerase chain reaction was assessed at baseline, then every 3 months for the first year until reaching a stable major molecular response, then every 3-6 months. Demographic and baseline disease characteristics were collected at diagnosis. The type of BCR-ABL1 transcript was evaluated by multiplex RT-PCR from cDNA synthesized from total leukocytes RNA at diagnosis. We included patients with BCR-ABL transcripts e13a2, e14a2, and with coexpression of e13a2 and e14a2. Statistical analysis: Event-free survival (EFS) was measured from the start of treatment until loss of complete hematologic response, loss of major cytogenetic response, progression to accelerated (AP) or blast phase (BC) or death from any cause at any time while on initial therapy. Overall survival (OS) was measured from the start of imatinib until to the date of death from any cause at any time or last follow-up. Transformation-free survival (TFS) was measured from the start of imatinib to transformation to AP or BC or deaths while on therapy. The differences between variables were analyzed by the χ2 and the Kruskal-Wallis tests for categorical and continuous variables. Survival probabilities were calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method and compared by the log-rank test. The Cox regression estimated the hazard ratio values. All analysis considering p-value < 0.05 and using SPSS 21.0 software. Results: A total of 190 patients were treated with imatinib 400 mg/day. Median age was 48 years (18-87) and Sokal risk was high in 47/151 patients (31%), intermediate in 55/151 (36%) and low in 49/151 (33%). Twenty patients were excluded from the analysis: 14 patients due to Interferon treatment before Imatinib; two patients that started imatinib after six months from diagnosis; two patients with e1a2 transcripts and two patients with no RT-PCR test available at diagnosis. The remaining 170 patients presented typical BCR-ABL1 transcripts: e13a2 (n=56; 33%), e14a2 (n=94; 55%) and both transcripts (n=20; 12%). A total of 44 (26%) patients discontinued imatinib and 24 (14%) switched to second-line tyrosine kinase inhibitor. No differences were observed in sex, age, leukocytes, hemoglobin and platelets count at diagnosis, Sokal or EUTOS score according to transcript type. The proportion of patients with e13a2, e14a2 and both achieving complete cytogenetic response at 6 months was 19/44 (43%); 42/60 (70%) and 9/14 (64%) (P=0.02); and at 12 months was 28/45 (62%); 47/60 (78%) and 11/14 (78%) (P=0.16). However, the proportion of patients with major or lower molecular responses at 18 months was 13/24 (54%), 25/36 (69%) and 6/9 (66%), which was not significantly different. There were no statistical difference in EFS, PFS, and OS among the e13a2, e14a2 and e14a2+e13a2 groups. However, there was a superior 10-year overall survival in patients with transcripts e13a2 compared to e14a2 (alone or coexpressed with e13a2) (93% vs. 73%, P=0.03), although the 5-year overall survival was 96% vs. 88%, respectively (P=NS). In the multivariate analysis, high/intermediate Sokal score and e14a3/e14a3+e14a2 were independent factors for poor OS (P=0.023 and 0.041, respectively).Conclusion: The type of BCR-ABL transcripts did not affect molecular responses. Although patients with e14a2 transcripts presented higher rates of CCR at 6 months, compared to e13a2 or both transcripts, at long term, there was a superior overall survival among patients with transcripts e13a2 compared to e14a2 (alone or coexpressed with e13a2). The biological mechanism responsible for that difference is not known and should be investigated in larger trials. Disclosures Pagnano: Novartis: Consultancy, Honoraria; Bristol-Meyers Squibb: Consultancy, Honoraria.