An array of oncogenic histone point mutations have been identified across a number of different cancer studies. It has been suggested that some of these mutant histones can exert their effects by ...inhibiting epigenetic writers. Here, we report that the H3.3 G34R (glycine to arginine) substitution mutation, found in paediatric gliomas, causes widespread changes in H3K9me3 and H3K36me3 by interfering with the KDM4 family of K9/K36 demethylases. Expression of a targeted single-copy of H3.3 G34R at endogenous levels induced chromatin alterations that were comparable to a KDM4 A/B/C triple-knockout. We find that H3.3 G34R preferentially binds KDM4 while simultaneously inhibiting its enzymatic activity, demonstrating that histone mutations can act through inhibition of epigenetic erasers. These results suggest that histone point mutations can exert their effects through interactions with a range of epigenetic readers, writers and erasers.
This article thoroughly examines the crucial role of predictive analytics and fault tolerance mechanisms in enhancing the reliability of microelectronic devices throughout their design and ...manufacturing processes. Emphasizing the importance of implementing these measures across the entire lifecycle, including design, manufacturing, and application phases, the study adopts a comprehensive approach. The methodology integrates predictive analytics tools and fault tolerance mechanisms, proactively identifying and mitigating potential issues early on. Results demonstrate a significant reduction in device failures, showcasing the transformative impact of these technologies. Overall, the research advocates for the strategic integration of predictive analytics and fault tolerance mechanisms to advance the reliability of microelectronic devices across diverse applications.
Immune evasion, due to abnormal expression of programmed-death ligands 1 and 2 (PD-L1/PD-L2), predicts poor outcomes with chemoimmunotherapy in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). Immune ...checkpoint inhibition (ICI) has limited efficacy at relapse but may sensitise relapsed lymphoma to subsequent chemotherapy. ICI delivery to immunologically intact patients may thus be the optimal use of this therapy. In the phase II AvR-CHOP study, 28 patients with treatment-naive stage II-IV DLBCL received sequential avelumab and rituximab priming ("AvRp;" avelumab 10 mg/kg and rituximab 375 mg/m2 2-weekly for 2 cycles), R-CHOP (rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, prednisolone for 6 cycles) and avelumab consolidation (10 mg/kg 2-weekly for 6 cycles). Grade 3/4 immune-related adverse events occurred in 11%, meeting the primary endpoint of a grade ≥3 irAE rate of <30%. R-CHOP delivery was not compromised but one patient ceased avelumab. Overall response rates (ORR) after AvRp and R-CHOP were 57% (18% CR) and 89% (all CR). High ORR to AvRp was observed in primary mediastinal B-cell lymphoma (67%; 4/6) and molecularly-defined EBV-positive DLBCL (100%; 3/3). Progression during AvRp was associated with chemorefractory disease. Two-year failure-free and overall survival were 82% and 89%. An immune priming strategy with AvRp, R-CHOP and avelumab consolidation shows acceptable toxicity with encouraging efficacy.
Background:
Whilst up to 60% of DLBCL patients (pts) are cured with frontline R-CHOP (rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, prednisone), outcomes remain poor for those with relapsed ...or refractory disease. 1 New strategies to improve frontline cure rates are needed.
Tumour cells exploit immune checkpoint pathways, including the PD1/PDL1 axis, to evade the host immune system. PD1/PDL1 over-expression and cytogenetic 9p24 alterations in some DLBCL subtypes provide additional rationale for immune checkpoint inhibition (ICI) in this disease. Although single agent PD1 inhibition yields an overall response rate (ORR) of only 10%-30% in heavily pre-treated unselected DLBCL, many responses are durable.2 Immunosuppressive effects of prior therapy may contribute to the modest response to ICI in relapsed disease.
A number of considerations influence the incorporation of ICI into upfront DLBCL treatment. Although concurrent PD1/PDL1 inhibition and R-CHOP is safe,3 corticosteroid-related immunosuppression may negate PDL1-inhibitor efficacy. Evidence supporting host immune priming with ICI prior to chemotherapy is promising,4 and maintenance ICI post chemotherapy may assist with immune reconstitution and enhance the anti-tumour immune response. Additionally, avelumab (Av, an anti-PDL1 monoclonal antibody with antibody dependent cellular cytotoxicity activity) acts synergistically with rituximab (R) in vitro (unpublished data, Pfizer 2016).
Thus, we present our phase II study assessing the safety of sequential Av+R induction, R-CHOP and Av maintenance as upfront therapy for DLBCL.
Methods:
AvR-CHOP (NCT03244176) is a phase II multicentre single-arm trial of Av induction + maintenance with R-CHOP in newly-diagnosed adult pts with DLBCL. Pts aged >18 years, ECOG 0-2, stage II-IV and with no active autoimmune disease are eligible. Exclusion criteria include the necessity for urgent cytoreduction, grade 3B or transformed follicular lymphoma, CNS involvement, chronic steroid use, prior transplantation or pneumonitis.
Treatment (Fig 1) comprises R (375mg/m2 IV) + Av (10mg/kg IV) x 2 cycles q2-weekly, followed by R-CHOP21 x 6 cycles. Maintenance Av x 6 cycles q2-weekly is given to patients achieving a complete metabolic response by PET/CT at the end of R-CHOP. PET/CT is performed after R+Av 2 cycles, cycle 2 R-CHOP, end of R-CHOP and end of Av maintenance.
The primary endpoint is immune-related toxicity within 30 days post-treatment. Secondary endpoints include ORR, failure free survival (FFS), overall survival (OS) and toxicity of treatment. Complete metabolic response rates by PET-CT after R-Av induction and after C2 R-CHOP are exploratory endpoints.
Biomarker sample collection is synchronised with PET response assessment. A comprehensive translational substudy will apply high throughput technologies to tissue and sequential blood samples to characterise the tumour-immune system interaction and correlate novel host, tumour and tumour microenvironment factors with treatment responses and toxicity.
Planned enrolment is 28 pts across 3 sites in Australia. The study follows a Simon 1 stage design, with an 80% power and a 1-sided alpha of 0.05 to rule out an Av-related toxicity rate of 30% (p0=70%), assuming an expected immune related toxicity rate of 10% p1=90%. 23 pts are enrolled to date.
Acknowledgements:
Merck KgA (avelumab and funding)
References:
1. Cunningham D et al. Rituximab plus cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisolone in patients with newly diagnosed diffuse large B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma: a phase 3 comparison of dose intensification with 14-day versus 21-day cycles. Lancet (London, England). 2013;381(9880):1817-26.
2. Ansell SM et al. Nivolumab for Relapsed/Refractory Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma in Patients Ineligible for or Having Failed Autologous Transplantation: A Single-Arm, Phase II Study. J Clin Oncol. 2019;37(6):481-9.
3. Nowakowski GS et al. Safety and efficacy of PD-L1 inhibitor durvalumab with R-CHOP or R2-CHOP in subjects with previously untreated, high-risk DLBCL. Journal of Clinical Oncology. 2019;37(15_suppl):7520-.
4. Park SE et al. Increased Response Rates to Salvage Chemotherapy Administered after PD-1/PD-L1 Inhibitors in Patients with Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer. Journal of thoracic oncology : official publication of the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer. 2018;13(1):106-11.
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Hawkes:Roche/Genentech: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Other: Travel expenses, Speakers Bureau; Bristol-Myers Squibb: Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Astra Zeneca: Research Funding; Celgene: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Merck KgA: Research Funding; Janssen-Cilag: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Mundi pharma: Research Funding; Gilead: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Roche: Research Funding; Takeda: Speakers Bureau; Merck Sharp & Dohme: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Manos:NovoNordisk Pharmaceuticals: Other: Travel; Janssen: Honoraria. Renwick:Celgene: Consultancy; Roche: Honoraria. Grigg:MSD: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Abbvie: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Janssen: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Roche: Other: Travel. Scott:Medimmune: Consultancy; Abbvie: Consultancy, Patents & Royalties; IBA: Consultancy; Avipep: Consultancy; Life Science Pharmaceuticals: Equity Ownership; Paracrine Therapeutics: Equity Ownership, Patents & Royalties; NHMRC: Research Funding; Cancer Australia: Research Funding; Cancer Council Victoria: Research Funding; Cure Brain Cancer: Research Funding; Humanigen: Patents & Royalties. Lee:Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Fong:Astellas: Consultancy; Amgen: Consultancy, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Pfizer: Consultancy, Speakers Bureau; Novartis: Speakers Bureau. Rooney:GenesisCare: Employment. Wight:Janssen: Honoraria; Takeda: Honoraria; Abbvie: Honoraria; BMS: Other: Travel; Amgen: Other: Travel. Chong:BMS: Research Funding; Merck Serono: Research Funding; Bayer: Research Funding; Novartis: Research Funding; Hutchison Medipharma: Research Funding; Pharmacyclics: Research Funding.
Avelumab is an anti-PDL1 monoclonal antibody.
Background:
Although ~60% of patients with DLBCL are cured with frontline therapy, outcomes for those with relapsed/refractory disease remain poor.
Tumour cells exploit immune checkpoint pathways, ...including the PD1/PDL1 axis, to evade and inhibit host anti-tumour immune responses. PD1/PDL1 expression and cytogenetic 9p24 alterations in some DLBCL subtypes provide additional rationale for PDL1 inhibition (PD-L1i) in DLBCL. Though single agent PD1i yields a disappointing ORR of 10-30% in heavily pre-treated DLBCL, some responses are durable.1
Radiotherapy (RT) is an established mechanism of stimulating anti-tumour immunity via increased circulating tumour antigen, immunogenic cell death and T-cell recruitment and activation in the tumour microenvironment.
Synergy between concomitant immune checkpoint inhibition (ICI) and RT has been demonstrated in preclinical studies2 and solid tumours; a recent study in non-small cell lung cancer demonstrated an ORR of 36% with pembrolizumab + RT compared with 18% with pembrolizumab alone.3 RT hypofractionation appears critical to the abscopal effect when used with ICI,4 and concurrent RT and PD-L1i is more successful than sequential treatment.5 RT to multiple sites may broaden the spectrum of tumour antigen released and overcome clonal variation between disease sites; a dose-response relationship between RT and antigen release has yet to be established.
This phase I study aims to determine the safety profile of escalating dose and number of sites of RT in combination with Durvalumab (MEDI4736), an anti-PD-L1 monoclonal antibody, in relapsed/refractory DLBCL, including primary refractory DLBCL and transformed follicular lymphoma.
Study Design and Methods:
RaDD (NCT03610061) includes eligible pts who have received ≥1 prior line of therapy and are ineligible for or relapsed after autologous stem cell transplantation (SCT). Pts with active autoimmune disease, CNS involvement, prior allogeneic SCT or chronic steroid use are excluded.
Treatment comprises external beam RT to target site(s) daily for 5 days (Fig 1). Durvalumab 1500mg IV commences on day 2 of RT and continues 4-weekly until disease progression. Pts can continue until a second radiological progression if clinical benefit is ongoing.
The primary endpoint is the toxicity, drug pharmacokinetics, maximum tolerated dose (MTD) and recommended phase two dose (RP2D) of simultaneous RT plus durvalumab.
Secondary endpoints are response rates; progression free survival; and overall survival.
An exploratory PET substudy will employ novel tracers to characterise the local and systemic immune response via assessment of the biodistribution of durvalumab (with 89Zr-Durvalumab) and CD8+ T cells (with 89Zr -Df-IAB22M2C).
Biomarker sample collection is synchronised with PET response assessment. A comprehensive translational substudy will apply high throughput technologies to tissue and sequential blood samples to characterise the tumour-immune system interaction and correlate novel host, tumour and tumour microenvironment factors with treatment responses and toxicity. Findings may inform the RP2D.
RT dose and site escalation will proceed according to a 3+3 design with 5 dose levels (cohorts 1-5, Fig 2). The dose limiting toxicity assessment window is the first 28 days. Projected enrolment for determination of MTD and RP2D is 6-30 pts pending toxicity. Recruitment will continue to a total of 36 pts to allow for secondary endpoint analysis. 5 pts have been enrolled to date.
Acknowledgements:
Victorian Cancer Agency (funding), Astra Zeneca (durvalumab and funding), Celgene (funding), Imaginab (89Zr -Df-IAB22M2C)
References:
1. Ansell SM et al. Nivolumab for Relapsed/Refractory Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma in Patients Ineligible for or Having Failed Autologous Transplantation. J Clin Oncol.
2. Deng L et al. Irradiation and anti-PD-L1 treatment synergistically promote antitumor immunity in mice. J Clin Invest.
3. Theelen W et al. Effect of Pembrolizumab After Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy vs Pembrolizumab Alone on Tumor Response in Patients With Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer. JAMA oncology.
4. Golden EB et al. An abscopal response to radiation and ipilimumab in a patient with metastatic non-small cell lung cancer. Cancer Immunol Res.
5. Sharabi AB et al. Radiation and checkpoint blockade immunotherapy: radiosensitisation and potential mechanisms of synergy. Lancet Oncology.
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Hawkes:Janssen-Cilag: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Celgene: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Merck Sharp & Dohme: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Bristol-Myers Squibb: Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Roche: Research Funding; Takeda: Speakers Bureau; Astra Zeneca: Research Funding; Merck KgA: Research Funding; Mundi pharma: Research Funding; Gilead: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Roche/Genentech: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Other: Travel expenses, Speakers Bureau. Manos:Janssen: Honoraria; Novo Nordisk Pharmaceuticals: Other: Travel. Chong:Merck Serono: Research Funding; Hutchison Medipharma: Research Funding; Pharmacyclics: Research Funding; Novartis: Research Funding; Bayer: Research Funding; BMS: Research Funding. MacManus:National Health and Medical Research Council Australia: Research Funding. Keane:MSD: Consultancy; Celgene: Consultancy; Gilead: Consultancy; BMS: Research Funding; Roche: Consultancy, Other: Travel Grant. Scott:Cancer Council Victoria: Research Funding; Cancer Australia: Research Funding; Avipep: Consultancy; IBA: Consultancy; Paracrine Therapeutics: Equity Ownership, Patents & Royalties; Life Science Pharmaceuticals: Equity Ownership; NHMRC: Research Funding; Abbvie: Consultancy, Patents & Royalties; Cure Brain Cancer: Research Funding; Medimmune: Consultancy; Humanigen: Patents & Royalties. Shortt:Celgene: Consultancy, Speakers Bureau; BMS: Consultancy, Speakers Bureau; Novartis: Consultancy, Speakers Bureau; Astex: Research Funding; Amgen: Research Funding; Gilead: Speakers Bureau; Takeda: Speakers Bureau. Ritchie:Amgen: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Pfizer: Consultancy; BMS: Research Funding; Takeda: Research Funding; Beigene: Research Funding; Imago: Research Funding; Novartis: Honoraria; Sanofi: Honoraria. Lee:Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Koldej:NanoString Technologies: Other: Travel grant.
Durvalumab is an anti-PD-L1 monoclonal antibody.
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