Clinical Activity of CC-99282, a Novel, Oral Small Molecule Cereblon E3 Ligase Modulator (CELMoD) Agent, in Patients (Pts) with Relapsed or Refractory Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma (R/R NHL) - First Results from a Phase 1, Open-Label Study
Jean‐Marie Michot, Julio C. Chávez, Cecilia Carpio, Silvia Ferrari, Tatyana Feldman, Daniel Morillo, John Kuruvilla, Antonio Pinto, Vincent Ribrag, Emmanuel Bachy, Tonia J. Buchholz, Soraya Carrancio, Carla Guarinós, Fan Wu, Shaoyi Li, Poliana Patah, Michael Pourdehnad, Loretta J. Nastoupil
Abstract
Abstract CC-99282 is a novel, small molecule CELMoD ® agent that co-opts cereblon to induce targeted degradation of Ikaros/Aiolos, transcription factors critical for development of B-cell malignancies. Lopez-Girona et al. reported that in preclinical models, compared with lenalidomide and other immunomodulatory agents, CC-99282 showed similar immunostimulatory effects and stronger antitumor activity along with robust distribution across multiple tissues. In addition, CC-99282 was shown to exhibit 10- to 100-fold enhanced antiproliferative and apoptotic activity in a range of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) cell lines, independent of subtype or chemotherapy-resistant status (Lopez-Girona, et al. Hematol Oncol. 2021). Here, we present results from CC-99282-NHL-001, a phase 1, open-label, dose-finding, first-in-human study evaluating CC-99282 in pts with R/R NHL (NCT03930953). This multicenter study consists of 2 parts, dose escalation of CC-99282 monotherapy (part A) and expansion with or without combination partners (part B). Part A includes pts with R/R DLBCL or follicular lymphoma (FL) who have progressed after ≥ 2 lines of therapy, including prior CELMoD agent and chimeric antigen receptor T cell therapy (CAR T), or pts with R/R DLBCL who received ≥ 1 lines of standard therapy and are unfit for transplant. Pts receive oral CC-99282 (0.2 mg, 0.4 mg, 0.6 mg, or 0.8 mg) once daily following 3 different intermittent dosing schedules of 28-day cycles, with ≥ 3 pts in each dosing cohort. Primary objectives are to determine the safety, tolerability, maximum tolerated dose (MTD), and/or the recommended phase 2 dose (RP2D); secondary objectives include pharmacokinetics (PK) and preliminary efficacy of CC-99282 monotherapy in pts with R/R NHL. The pharmacodynamics (PD) of CC-99282 in R/R NHL is an exploratory endpoint. As of April 9, 2021, 35 eligible pts were treated in part A (30 DLBCL and 5 FL). Median age was 66 (range 35-81) years and 57% were male. Median number of prior anticancer therapies was 3 (range 1-8); 7 (20%) pts had received CAR T, 7 (20%) had received prior stem cell transplants, and 20 (57%) were refractory to last treatment. Median treatment duration was 8 (range 4-72) weeks, and at time of analysis 8 (23%) pts were still on treatment and 22 (63%) had discontinued treatment because of progressive disease. Twenty-one (60%) pts had a treatment-emergent adverse event (TEAE) of grade 3/4 related to CC-99282, the most common being neutropenia (19 pts [54%]), thrombocytopenia (3 pts [9%]), and febrile neutropenia (2 pts [6%]). Dose-limiting toxicities observed have been hematologic TEAEs and the MTD has not been reached. Management of neutropenia included dose reductions and/or interruptions, and prophylaxis or treatment with colony-stimulating factors. At the tolerated schedules of dose levels ≥ 0.4 mg, CC-99282 monotherapy demonstrated an overall response rate of 40% (10/25 pts with objective responses including 3 FL, 1 FL grade IIIB, and 6 DLBCL), including complete responses in 3 pts and partial responses in 7 pts. Responses appeared durable with an observed range of 9-407 days, as of the cutoff date. Objective responses were observed in patients treated with prior CAR T or lenalidomide. Selection of the RP2D is pending and updated data for optimal dose regimen will be presented at ASH 2021. Interim PK analysis showed that CC-99282 was absorbed rapidly with a prolonged terminal half-life (median of ~ 50 hours at doses ≥ 0.4 mg) and excellent distribution into the peripheral compartment. Increase in plasma CC-99282 and degradation of Ikaros/Aiolos in peripheral T cells occurred in a dose-dependent manner where maximum degradation (> 90%) occurred by day 4 of treatment at doses ≥ 0.4 mg. Immunophenotyping of peripheral blood mononuclear cells showed immunostimulatory activity with increases in both T cell and natural killer cell compartments. The circulating tumor DNA analysis showed a reduction in the single nucleotide variants of tumor DNA as early as cycle 1 day 15 that correlated with response to CC-99282 treatment and suggested fast tumor cell-intrinsic activity. CC-99282 monotherapy showed a predictable and manageable safety profile and demonstrated promising efficacy in heavily pretreated pts with R/R NHL with PK/PD data consistent with robust CC-99282-mediated antitumor activity. This study is ongoing and actively enrolling additional cohorts. Disclosures Michot: ASTEX: Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Astra Zeneca: Honoraria, Research Funding; Roche: Honoraria; Bristol Myers Squibb: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Abbvie: Research Funding; Aduro: Research Funding; Agios: Research Funding; Amgen: Research Funding; Argen-x: Research Funding; Bayer: Research Funding; Beigene: Research Funding; Blueprint: Research Funding; Celgene: Research Funding; Boeringer Ingelheim: Research Funding; Chugai: Research Funding; Clovis: Research Funding; Daiichi Sankyo,: Research Funding; Debiopharm: Research Funding; Eisai: Research Funding; Eos: Research Funding; Exelixis: Research Funding; Forma: Research Funding; Gamamabs: Research Funding; Genentech: Research Funding; GSK: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; H3 biomedecine: Research Funding; Incyte: Research Funding; Innate Pharma: Research Funding; Celgene: Honoraria; MSD: Consultancy, Honoraria; GSK: Honoraria. Chavez: MorphoSys: Speakers Bureau; ADC Therapeutics: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Bristol Myers Squibb: Speakers Bureau; Merck: Research Funding; Abbvie: Consultancy; Adaptive: Research Funding; AstraZeneca: Research Funding; BeiGene: Speakers Bureau; Epizyme: Speakers Bureau; Novartis: Consultancy; Karyopharm Therapeutics: Consultancy; Kite/Gilead: Consultancy. Carpio: Regeneron: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Novartis: Consultancy; Takeda: Consultancy; Celgene: Other: Travels and accommodations . Feldman: Alexion, AstraZeneca Rare Disease: Honoraria, Other: Study investigator. Morillo: Abbvie: Honoraria; Janssen: Honoraria; Takeda: Honoraria. Kuruvilla: Incyte: Honoraria; Gilead: Honoraria; Amgen: Honoraria; Roche: Honoraria, Research Funding; Janssen: Honoraria, Research Funding; Karyopharm: Honoraria, Other: Data and Safety Monitoring Board; Medison Ventures: Honoraria; AbbVie: Honoraria; Seattle Genetics: Honoraria; TG Therapeutics: Honoraria; BMS: Honoraria; AstraZeneca: Honoraria, Research Funding; Novartis: Honoraria; Merck: Honoraria; Antengene: Honoraria; Pfizer: Honoraria. Pinto: Roche: Honoraria, Speakers Bureau; Bristol Myers Squibb-CELGENE: Honoraria; MSD: Honoraria; Incyte: Honoraria; Takeda: Consultancy. Ribrag: Gilead: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Roche: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; GSK: Research Funding; Servier: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Infinity Pharmaceuticals: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Nanostring: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Epizyme: Honoraria, Research Funding; PharmaMar: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Incyte: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Astex Pharmaceuticals: Research Funding; MSD Pharmaceuticals: 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; Roche: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Argen-X: Research Funding; AstraZeneca: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Bachy: Kite, a Gilead Company: Honoraria; Roche: Consultancy; Takeda: Consultancy; Novartis: Honoraria; Daiishi: Research Funding; Incyte: Consultancy. Buchholz: Bristol Myers Squibb: Current Employment, Current equity holder in publicly-traded company. Carrancio: Bristol Myers Squibb: Current Employment, Current equity holder in publicly-traded company. Guarinos: Bristol Myers Squibb: Current Employment. Wu: Bristol Myers Squibb: Current Employment, Current equity holder in publicly-traded company. Li: Bristol Myers Squibb: Current Employment. Patah: Bristol Myers Squibb: Current Employment, Current equity holder in publicly-traded company. Pourdehnad: Bristol Myers Squibb: Current Employment, Current equity holder in publicly-traded company, Patents & Royalties: No royalty. Nastoupil: Gilead/Kite: Honoraria, Research Funding; Pfizer: Honoraria, Research Funding; TG Therapeutics: Honoraria, Research Funding; Denovo Pharma: Other: DSMC; Genentech: Honoraria, Research Funding; Epizyme: Honoraria, Research Funding; Takeda: Honoraria, Other: DSMC, Research Funding; Novartis: Honoraria, Research Funding; Bristol Myers Squibb/Celgene: Honoraria, Research Funding; IGM Biosciences: Research Funding; Janssen: Honoraria, Research Funding; Caribou Biosciences: Research Funding; MorphoSys: Honoraria; ADC Therapeutics: Honoraria; Bayer: Honoraria.