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The role of salvage high-dose chemotherapy and autologous stem cell transplantation (sHDCT/ASCT) for relapsed and/or refractory multiple myeloma (RRMM) in the era of continuous novel agent treatment has not been defined. This randomized, open-label, phase III, multicenter trial randomized patients with 1st–3rd relapse of multiple myeloma (MM) to a transplant arm (n= 139) consisting of 3 Rd (lenalidomide 25 mg, day 1–21; dexamethasone 40 mg, day 1, 8, 15, and 22; 4-week cycles) reinduction cycles, sHDCT (melphalan 200 mg/m2), ASCT, and lenalidomide maintenance (10 mg/day) or to a control arm (n= 138) of continuous Rd. Median PFS was 20.7 months in the transplant and 18.8 months in the control arm (HR 0.87; 95% CI 0.65–1.16; p= 0.34). Median OS was not reached in the transplant and 62.7 months in the control arm (HR 0.81; 95% CI 0.52–1.28; p= 0.37). Forty-one patients (29%) did not receive the assigned sHDCT/ASCT mainly due to early disease progression, adverse events, and withdrawal of consent. Multivariate landmark analyses from the time of sHDCT showed superior PFS and OS (p= 0.0087/0.0057) in patients who received sHDCT/ASCT. Incorporation of sHDCT/ASCT into relapse treatment with Rd was feasible in 71% of patients and did not significantly prolong PFS and OS on ITT analysis while patients who received sHDCT/ASCT may have benefitted.

Intensive upfront therapy in newly-diagnosed multiple myeloma (MM) including induction therapy (IT), high-dose melphalan (MEL200), and autologous blood stem cell transplantation (ASCT) followed by consolidation and/or maintenance is mostly restricted to patients up to 65 years of age. Prospective phase III trial data in the era of novel agents for patients up to 70 years of age are not available. The GMMG-MM5 trial included 601 patients between 18 and 70 years of age, divided in three groups for the present analysis: ≤60 years (S1, n= 353), 61–65 years (S2, n= 107) and 66–70 years (S3, n= 141). Treatment consisted of a bortezomib-containing IT, MEL200/ASCT, consolidation, and maintenance with lenalidomide. Adherence to treatment was similar among patients of the three age groups. Overall toxicity during all treatment phases was increased in S2 and S3 compared to S1 (any adverse event/any serious adverse event: S1:81.7/41.8% vs. S2:90.7/56.5% vs. S3:87.2/68.1%, p= 0.05/<0.001). With respect to progression-free survival (log-rank p= 0.73), overall survival (log-rank p= 0.54) as well as time-to-progression (Gray’s p= 0.83) and non-relapse mortality (Gray’s p= 0.25), no differences were found between the three age groups. Our results imply that an intensive upfront therapy with a bortezomib-containing IT, MEL200/ASCT, lenalidomide consolidation, and maintenance should be applied to transplant-eligible MM patients up to 70 years of age.

The MM5 trial aimed at demonstrating a progression-free survival (PFS) difference in continued vs. response-adapted (in case of complete response, CR) lenalidomide (LEN) maintenance therapy (MT) in newly diagnosed, transplant-eligible multiple myeloma (MM). Patients were equally randomized to receive induction therapy with PAd (bortezomib/doxorubicin/dexamethasone) or VCD (bortezomib/cyclophosphamide/dexamethasone), high-dose melphalan and autologous blood stem cell transplantation, and LEN consolidation, followed by either LEN MT for a fixed duration of 2 years (LEN-2Y) or until achievement of CR (LEN-CR, intention-to-treat population n= 502): arms A1:PAd + LEN-2Y (n= 125), B1:PAd + LEN-CR (n= 126), A2:VCD + LEN-2Y (n= 126), B2:VCD + LEN-CR (n= 125). In the LEN-CR group (B1 + B2), n= 88/17.5% patients did not start or discontinued LEN MT due to CR. There was no PFS (p= 0.60, primary endpoint) nor overall survival (OS) (p= 0.15) difference between the four study arms. On pooled LEN MT strategies, OS (hazard ratio, hazard ratio [HR] = 1.42, p= 0.03) but not PFS (HR = 1.15, p= 0.20) was shorter in LEN-CR (B1 + B2) vs. LEN-2Y (A1 + A2) groups. PFS was shortened on landmark analyses from the start of LEN MT in patients being in CR in the LEN-CR group (LEN-CR vs. LEN-2Y, HR = 1.84, p= 0.02). OS from first progression was shortened in the LEN-CR vs. LEN-2Y group (HR = 1.60, p= 0.01). LEN MT should be applied beyond CR for at least 2 years.

IntroductionThe randomized, controlled, multicenter, phase III GMMG ReLApsE trial compared lenalidomide/dexamethasone (Rd) re-induction, salvage high dose chemotherapy, autologous stem cell transplantation (HDCT/ASCT) and lenalidomide (R) maintenance with standard continuous Rd. We have previously reported the absence of a significant survival benefit in the primary analysis. However, landmark analyses from salvage HDCT performed due to the fact that ~30% of patients in the HDCT arm did not receive salvage HDCT/ASCT suggested a survival benefit in patients undergoing salvage HDCT/ASCT. Here we report long term follow up results from the GMMG ReLApsE trial.

Krause: Siemens: Research Funding; Takeda: Honoraria; Pfizer: Honoraria; art-tempi: Honoraria; Kosmas: Honoraria; Gilead: Other: travel support; Abbvie: Other: travel support. Schliemann: Philogen S.p.A.: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Abbvie: Consultancy, Other: travel grants; Astellas: Consultancy; AstraZeneca: Consultancy; Boehringer-Ingelheim: Research Funding; BMS: Consultancy, Other: travel grants; Jazz Pharmaceuticals: Consultancy, Research Funding; Novartis: Consultancy; Roche: Consultancy; Pfizer: Consultancy. Haenel: Jazz: Consultancy, Honoraria; GSK: Consultancy; Bayer Vital: Honoraria; Takeda: Consultancy, Honoraria; Roche: Consultancy, Honoraria; Novartis: Consultancy, Honoraria; Amgen: Consultancy; Celgene: Consultancy, Honoraria. Brummendorf: Takepart Media: Honoraria; Repeat Diagnostics: Research Funding; Pfizer: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Novartis: Honoraria, Patents & Royalties, Research Funding; Janssen: Honoraria; Bristol Myers: Research Funding. Fransecky: Abbvie: Honoraria, Research Funding; Medac: Honoraria; Novartis: Honoraria; Amgen: Honoraria; Takeda: Honoraria. Einsele: Janssen, Celgene/BMS, Amgen, GSK, Sanofi: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding. Held: MSD: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Amgen: Research Funding; Roche: Research Funding; Acortech Biopharma: Research Funding; BMS: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Roche: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Platzbecker: Janssen: Honoraria; Celgene/BMS: Honoraria; AbbVie: Honoraria; Geron: Honoraria; Takeda: Honoraria; Novartis: Honoraria. Baldus: Amgen: Honoraria; Celgene/BMS: Honoraria; Novartis: Honoraria; Jazz: Honoraria. Mueller-Tidow: Janssen Cilag: Consultancy, Research Funding; Pfizer: Consultancy, Research Funding; Bioline: Consultancy, Research Funding.

Phenotypic maturation, cytokine secretion, and migration are distinct functional characteristics of dendritic cells (DCs). These functions are independently regulated by a number of extracellular variables, such as type, strength, and persistence of an array of soluble and membrane-bound mediators. Since the exact composition of these variables in response to infection may differ between individuals, the intracellular signaling pathways activated by these extracellular networks may more closely correlate with DC function and predict the course of adaptive immunity. We found that activation of p38 kinase (p38K), extracellular signal–related kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2), and phosphatidylcholine-specific phospholipase C (PC-PLC) enhanced cytokine secretion, whereas p38K, cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP), and PC-PLC enhanced migration. In contrast, phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt-1 and cAMP inhibited cytokine secretion while ERK1/2 inhibited migration. Migration and cytokine secretion further differed in their sensitivity to inhibition over time. However, although DCs could be manipulated to express migration, cytokine secretion, or both, the level of activation or persistence of intracellular pathway signaling was not predictive. Our results suggest a modular organization of function. We hypothesize that the expression of specific DC functions integrates a large variety of activating and inhibitory variables, and is represented by the formation of a functional unit of molecular networks—the signal response module (SRM). The combined activities of these modules define the functional outcome of DC activation.

Phenotypic maturation, cytokine secretion, and migration are distinct functional characteristics of dendritic cells (DCs). These functions are independently regulated by a number of extracellular variables, such as type, strength, and persistence of an array of soluble and membrane-bound mediators. Since the exact composition of these variables in response to infection may differ between individuals, the intracellular signaling pathways activated by these extracellular networks may more closely correlate with DC function and predict the course of adaptive immunity. We found that activation of p38 kinase (p38K), extracellular signal–related kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2), and phosphatidylcholine-specific phospholipase C (PC-PLC) enhanced cytokine secretion, whereas p38K, cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP), and PC-PLC enhanced migration. In contrast, phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt-1 and cAMP inhibited cytokine secretion while ERK1/2 inhibited migration. Migration and cytokine secretion further differed in their sensitivity to inhibition over time. However, although DCs could be manipulated to express migration, cytokine secretion, or both, the level of activation or persistence of intracellular pathway signaling was not predictive. Our results suggest a modular organization of function. We hypothesize that the expression of specific DC functions integrates a large variety of activating and inhibitory variables, and is represented by the formation of a functional unit of molecular networks—the signal response module (SRM). The combined activities of these modules define the functional outcome of DC activation.

The use of monoclonal antibodies against interleukin-2 receptor (IL-2R)-α chains could be an effective treatment of acute graft-versus-host disease (GvHD). Experimental model and clinical studies have reported various results.

The balance of arginine metabolism via nitric oxide synthase (NOS) or arginase is an important determinant of the inflammatory response of murine macrophages and dendritic cells. Here we analyzed the expression of the isoform arginase I in human myeloid cells. Using healthy donors and patients with arginase I deficiency, we found that in human leukocytes arginase I is constitutively expressed only in granulocytes and is not modulated by a variety of proinflammatory and anti-inflammatory stimuli in vitro. We demonstrate that arginase I is localized in azurophil granules of neutrophils and constitutes a novel antimicrobial effector pathway, likely through arginine depletion in the phagolysosome. Our findings demonstrate important differences between murine and human leukocytes with respect to regulation and function of arginine metabolism via arginase.

The balance of arginine metabolism via nitric oxide synthase (NOS) or arginase is an important determinant of the inflammatory response of murine macrophages and dendritic cells. Here we analyzed the expression of the isoform arginase I in human myeloid cells. Using healthy donors and patients with arginase I deficiency, we found that in human leukocytes arginase I is constitutively expressed only in granulocytes and is not modulated by a variety of proinflammatory and anti-inflammatory stimuli in vitro. We demonstrate that arginase I is localized in azurophil granules of neutrophils and constitutes a novel antimicrobial effector pathway, likely through arginine depletion in the phagolysosome. Our findings demonstrate important differences between murine and human leukocytes with respect to regulation and function of arginine metabolism via arginase.

The optimal stem cell source for stem cell gene therapy has not been defined. Most gene transfer studies have used peripheral blood or marrow repopulating cells collected after administration of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor and stem cell factor (G-CSF/SCF). For clinical applications, however, growth factor administration may not be feasible. Thus, in the current study we used a competitive repopulation assay in the dog to directly compare transduction efficiency of steady-state marrow, G-CSF/SCF-primed marrow, and G-CSF/SCF-mobilized peripheral blood. Cells from all three sources were transduced, cryopreserved, and thawed together before infusion into myeloablated dogs. Gene marking in hematopoietic repopulating cells was assessed by polymerase chain reaction. While primed marrow resulted in the highest long-term marking levels, steady-state marrow was transduced at least as efficiently as mobilized peripheral blood in all three dogs. These results suggest that steady-state marrow may be an appropriate source for genetic modification of hematopoietic stem cells.

Previous studies have shown that the choice of envelope protein (pseudotype) can have a significant effect on the efficiency of retroviral gene transfer into hematopoietic stem cells. This study used a competitive repopulation assay in the dog model to evaluate oncoretroviral vectors carrying the envelope protein of the endogenous feline virus, RD114. CD34-enriched marrow cells were divided into equal aliquots and transduced with vectors produced by the RD114-pseudotype packaging cells FLYRD (LgGLSN and LNX) or by the gibbon ape leukemia virus (GALV)–pseudotype packaging cells PG13 (LNY). A total of 5 dogs were studied. One dog died because of infection before sustained engraftment could be achieved, and monitoring was discontinued after 9 months in another animal that had very low overall gene-marking levels. The 3 remaining animals are alive with follow-ups at 11, 22, and 23 months. Analyses of gene marking frequencies in peripheral blood and marrow by polymerase chain reaction revealed no significant differences between the RD114 and GALV-pseudotype vectors. The LgGLSN vector also contained the enhanced green fluorescent protein (GFP), enabling us to monitor proviral expression by flow cytometry. Up to 10% of peripheral blood cells expressed GFP shortly after transplantation and approximately 6% after the longest follow-up of 23 months. Flow cytometric analysis of hematopoietic subpopulations showed that most of the GFP-expressing cells were granulocytes, although GFP-positive lymphocytes and monocytes were also detected. In summary, these results show that RD114-pseudotype oncoretroviral vectors are able to transduce hematopoietic long-term repopulating cells and, thus, may be useful for human stem cell gene therapy.

Human CD34+ cells have been shown to retain long-term hematopoietic engrafting potential in preclinical and clinical studies. However, recent studies of human and murine CD34- stem cells suggest that these are functionally important early progenitors. Using autologous transplantation, we investigated whether canine CD34 and CD34- marrow cells could be transduced and give rise to long-term hematopoiesis. CD34+Lin- and CD34-Lin- cell populations purified by fluorescence-activated cell sorting were separately cocultivated with retroviral vectors LN (CD34+Lin-) and LNY (CD34-Lin-), which carry the neomycin (neo) gene. After myeloablative total body irradiation (920 cGy), 3 dogs received transplants of both CD34+Lin- cells and CD34-Lin- cells and 2 dogs received only CD34-Lin- cells. Untransduced autologous marrow cells were given to ensure hematopoietic recovery. Using CFU-C assays, transduction efficiencies of CD34+Lin- cells ranged from 6% to 18% with no CFU-C formation from CD34-Lin- cells. PCR-based detection of the neo gene from WBCs was used to detect transduced cells weekly after transplantation. Additional PCR studies in 3 dogs given both CD34+Lin- and CD34-Lin- cells were performed on monocytes, granulocytes, and T cells (2 dogs, one at 7.5 months and the other at 9 months) and granulocytes (1 dog at 12 months). LN was detected up to 12 months posttransplantation in WBCs and mono-myeloid and lymphoid populations from 3 dogs receiving transplants of transduced CD34+Lin- cells. LNY was not detected at any time after transplantation in 5 dogs that received transduced CD34-Lin- cells. Whereas canine CD34+Lin- marrow cells contributed to long-term multilineage hematopoiesis, progeny of CD34-Lin- progenitor cells were not detected after transplantation in these experiments.

Previous studies have shown that the choice of envelope protein (pseudotype) can have a significant effect on the efficiency of retroviral gene transfer into hematopoietic stem cells. This study used a competitive repopulation assay in the dog model to evaluate oncoretroviral vectors carrying the envelope protein of the endogenous feline virus, RD114. CD34-enriched marrow cells were divided into equal aliquots and transduced with vectors produced by the RD114-pseudotype packaging cells FLYRD (LgGLSN and LNX) or by the gibbon ape leukemia virus (GALV)–pseudotype packaging cells PG13 (LNY). A total of 5 dogs were studied. One dog died because of infection before sustained engraftment could be achieved, and monitoring was discontinued after 9 months in another animal that had very low overall gene-marking levels. The 3 remaining animals are alive with follow-ups at 11, 22, and 23 months. Analyses of gene marking frequencies in peripheral blood and marrow by polymerase chain reaction revealed no significant differences between the RD114 and GALV-pseudotype vectors. The LgGLSN vector also contained the enhanced green fluorescent protein (GFP), enabling us to monitor proviral expression by flow cytometry. Up to 10% of peripheral blood cells expressed GFP shortly after transplantation and approximately 6% after the longest follow-up of 23 months. Flow cytometric analysis of hematopoietic subpopulations showed that most of the GFP-expressing cells were granulocytes, although GFP-positive lymphocytes and monocytes were also detected. In summary, these results show that RD114-pseudotype oncoretroviral vectors are able to transduce hematopoietic long-term repopulating cells and, thus, may be useful for human stem cell gene therapy.

Cord blood (CB) stem cell transplantations have been associated with delayed hematopoietic engraftment. This has most likely been due to the limited numbers of hematopoietic short-term repopulating cells in CB. Ex vivo expansion of CB has been attempted, and expansion of CD34-enriched CB has been successful; however, CD34 enrichment procedures are in general associated with substantial cell loss. Thus, we have studied culture conditions for expansion of nonenriched CB. Nonenriched CB cells were cultured for 21 days in the presence of conditioned medium from the HS-5 stromal cell line and FLT3-L or alternatively in the presence of FLT3-L, stem cell factor (SCF), megakaryocite growth and development factor (MGDF), and granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) (FSMG), either on fibronectin fragment CH-296-coated dishes or on uncoated dishes. With all four culture conditions, the number of mononuclear cells initially decreased until day 7 and then increased until the end of the expansion cultures. Overall expansion using HS-5 and FLT3-L resulted in superior expansion of MNC and CFU-C (44-/34-fold) for both cultures with and without CH-296 compared to FSMG (18-/17-fold). Expansion on CH-296 was less efficient than expansion on tissue culture-treated wells without CH-296 for both conditions. We then studied the best time for transduction on nonenriched CB. In contrast to enriched CD34 cells, we found for both conditions, HS-5/FLT3-L and growth factor cocktail, higher transduction efficiencies when cells were transduced on day 7 as compared to day 2. Gene transfer rates up to 45% were achieved with both conditions, which corresponded with the increased number of cells in S phase on day 7 compared to day 2. We conclude that HS-5 and FLT-3L allow efficient expansion and transduction of nonenriched CB.

A competitive repopulation assay in the dog was used to develop improved gene transfer protocols for hematopoietic stem cell gene therapy. Using this assay, we previously showed improved gene transfer into canine hematopoietic repopulating cells when CD34-enriched marrow cells were cocultivated on gibbon ape leukemia virus (GALV)–based retrovirus vector-producing cells. In the present study, we have investigated the use of fibronectin fragment CH-296 and 2 growth factor combinations to further improve gene transfer efficiency. CD34-enriched marrow cells from each dog were prestimulated for 24 hours and then divided into 3 equal fractions. Two fractions were placed into flasks coated with either CH-296 or bovine serum albumin (BSA) and virus-containing medium supplemented with growth factors, and protamine sulfate was replaced 4 times over a 48-hour period. One fraction was cocultivated on irradiated PG13 (GALV-pseudotype) packaging cells for 48 hours. In 2 animals, cells of the different fractions were transduced in the presence of human FLT-3 ligand (FLT3L), canine stem cell factor (cSCF), and human megakaryocyte growth and development factor (MGDF), and in 2 other dogs, transduction was performed in the presence of FLT3L, cSCF, and canine granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (cG-CSF). The vectors used contained small sequence differences, allowing differentiation of cells genetically marked by the different vectors. After transduction, nonadherent and adherent cells from all 3 fractions were pooled and infused into lethally irradiated dogs. Polymerase chain reaction and Southern blot analysis were used to determine the persistence of the transferred vectors in the peripheral blood and marrow cells after transplantation. The highest levels of gene transfer were obtained when cells were transduced in the presence of FLT3L, cSCF, and cG-CSF (gene transfer levels of more than 10% for more than 8 months so far). Compared with the 2 animals that received cells transduced with FLT3L, cSCF, and MGDF, gene transfer levels were significantly higher when dogs received cells that were transduced in the presence of cG-CSF. Transduction on CH-296 resulted in gene transfer levels that were at least as high as transduction by cocultivation. In summary, the overall levels of gene transfer obtained with these conditions should be sufficiently high to allow stem cell gene therapy studies aimed at correcting genetic diseases in dogs as a model for human gene therapy.

High-dose chemotherapy with autologous stem cell rescue can result in autotransplantation of tumor cells. A possible approach to reduce tumor cell contamination is the positive selection of CD34+ PBPC, but this might be associated with a prolonged recovery time as well as an increased risk of infectious complications because of the loss of committed progenitor cells. To investigate this aspect, we compared two sequentially treated cohorts of high-risk breast cancer patients. Both groups received the same high-dose chemotherapy regimen followed by autologous peripheral stem cell transplantation. Group I received CD34+ - selected blood progenitor cells, and group II received nonselected blood progenitor cells. We compared these two identically treated groups with regard to recovery time, need for blood products, infectious complications, need for antibiotic treatment, and length of the transplantation-related hospital stay. We found a prolonged recovery time for neutrophils up to 0.5 X 109/L (14 days in the selected group/10 days in the nonselected group) and platelets up to 30 X 109/L (29/12 days), associated with an increased requirement for RBC transfusions (5/3 U) and platelet transfusions (10/2 U). The rate of severe infectious complications (2/0), the need for nonprophylactic antibiotic treatment (15/10), and the length of the hospital stay (25/21 days) in group I were also increased. We conclude that positive selection of PBPC should not be used routinely until randomized studies show a clear long-term benefit of using CD34+ - selected stem cell products in breast cancer patients.

Rummel: Sandoz: Honoraria; Janssen: Honoraria; Celgene: Honoraria; Roche Pharma AG: Honoraria, Research Funding. Hensel:Roche: Honoraria, Other: travel expenses. Buske:Hexal: Honoraria, Speakers Bureau; Roche: Honoraria, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Bayer: Research Funding; Janssen: Honoraria, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Pfizer: Honoraria; Celltrion: Honoraria, Speakers Bureau; Amgen: Research Funding. Schmidt:Janssen-Cilag: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Amgen: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Abbvie: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Incyte: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Celgene: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Novartis: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Roche: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Hexal: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Biotest: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Bristol-Myers Squibb: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Daiichi-Sankyo: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Willenbacher:IQVIA: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; oncotyrol: Employment, Research Funding; European Commission: Research Funding; Gilead Science: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Sandoz: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Pfizer: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Takeda: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Janssen: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Tirol Program: Research Funding; Celgene: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Roche: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Bristol-Myers Squibb: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Amgen: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Novartis: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Merck: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Abbvie: Consultancy, Honoraria; Sanofi: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Fujimoto: Consultancy, Honoraria; Myelom- und Lymphomselbsthilfe Österreich: Consultancy, Honoraria. Dürig:Celgene: Consultancy, Other: Travel or accommodations, Speakers Bureau; Roche: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Other: Travel support. Barth:Takeda: Honoraria; Lilly Pharma: Honoraria; Roche: Honoraria; Medac: Honoraria; Hexal: Honoraria. Hinke:Roche: Honoraria. Greil:Genentech: Honoraria, Research Funding; Eisai: Honoraria; Celgene: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: Travel/accomodation expenses, Research Funding; AbbVie: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Janssen-Cilag: Honoraria; Amgen: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: Travel/accomodation expenses, Research Funding; Ratiopharm: Research Funding; Boehringer Ingelheim: Honoraria; AstraZeneca: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: Travel/accomodation expenses, Research Funding; Novartis: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: Travel/accomodation expenses, Research Funding; MSD: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: Travel/accomodation expenses, Research Funding; Gilead: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: Travel/accomodation expenses, Research Funding; Pfizer: Honoraria, Research Funding; Takeda: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Mundipharma: Honoraria, Research Funding; Merck: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Sandoz: Honoraria; Roche: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: Travel/accomodation expenses, Research Funding; Sanofi Aventis: Honoraria; GSK: Research Funding; Daiichi Sankyo: Consultancy, Honoraria.

Background:

Goldschmidt: Amgen: Consultancy, Research Funding; Novartis: Honoraria, Research Funding; ArtTempi: Honoraria; Janssen: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Sanofi: Consultancy, Research Funding; Mundipharma: Research Funding; Takeda: Consultancy, Research Funding; Celgene: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Bristol Myers Squibb: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Adaptive Biotechnology: Consultancy; Chugai: Honoraria, Research Funding. Baertsch:Takeda: Consultancy; Novartis: Consultancy, Research Funding. Raab:Celgene: Consultancy, Honoraria; Novartis: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; BMS: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Amgen: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding. Hillengass:Novartis: Honoraria, Other: Advisory Board; Sanofi: Research Funding; Takeda: Honoraria, Other: Advisory Board; Janssen: Honoraria, Other: Advisory Board; amgen: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: Advisory Board; BMS: Honoraria, Other: Advisory Board; Celgene: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: Advisory Board, Research Funding. Graeven:AbbVie: Honoraria; Roche: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Fenk:Takeda: Honoraria; Bristol-Meyers Squibb: Honoraria, Other: travel grant; Celgene: Honoraria, Other: Travel grant, Research Funding; Janssen: Honoraria; Amgen: Honoraria. Haenel:Novartis: Honoraria; Roche: Honoraria; Amgen: Honoraria; Takeda: Honoraria. Scheid:Novartis: Honoraria, Research Funding; Takeda: Honoraria, Research Funding; Janssen: Honoraria; Celgene: Honoraria; BMS: Honoraria; Amgen: Honoraria. Salwender:Celgene: Honoraria, Other: travel suppport, Research Funding; Janssen: Honoraria, Other: travel support, Research Funding; Novartis: Honoraria, Other: travel suppport, Research Funding; Takeda: Honoraria; Amgen: Honoraria, Other: travel suppport, Research Funding; Bristol-Myers Squibb: Honoraria, Other: travel suppport, Research Funding. Weisel:Amgen, Celgene, Janssen, and Sanofi: Research Funding; Amgen, BMS, Celgene, Janssen, and Takeda: Honoraria; Amgen, BMS, Celgene, Janssen, Juno, Sanofi, and Takeda: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees.

IntroductionSalvage high dose chemotherapy (HDCT) followed by autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) is used in fit patients with relapsed multiple myeloma (RMM) in clinical practice. However, the role of this approach in the era of continuous novel agent based treatment has not been defined in randomized trials. The ReLApsE trial compared lenalidomide/dexamethasone (Rd) re-induction, salvage HDCT/ASCT and lenalidomide (R) maintenance with standard continuous Rd in a randomized controlled multicenter trial.

IntroductionThe ReLApsE trial compared lenalidomide (LEN)/dexamethasone (DEX; Rd) re-induction, salvage high dose chemotherapy (HDCT), autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) and LEN maintenance with continuous Rd in relapsed multiple myeloma. Landmark (LM) analyses from salvage HDCT were performed due to the fact that ~30% of patients in the HDCT arm did not receive salvage HDCT/ASCT. These analyses showed a survival benefit in patients actually undergoing salvage HDCT/ASCT. Median PFS and OS from LM were 23.3 vs. 20.1 months (HR 0.74; p=0.09) and not reached vs. 57 months (HR 0.56; p=0.046) favoring the salvage HDCT/ASCT arm. Multivariate LM analyses showed significant associations of the salvage HDCT/ASCT arm with superior PFS (HR 0.6; p=0.01) and OS (HR 0.39; p=0.006). The present analysis aims to dissect treatment efficacy in relevant subgroups and provide clues for treatment stratification.

Baertsch: Takeda: Consultancy; Novartis: Consultancy, Research Funding. Raab:Celgene: Consultancy, Honoraria; BMS: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Novartis: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Amgen: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding. Hillengass:Celgene: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: Advisory Board, Research Funding; amgen: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: Advisory Board; Novartis: Honoraria, Other: Advisory Board; Janssen: Honoraria, Other: Advisory Board; Takeda: Honoraria, Other: Advisory Board; BMS: Honoraria, Other: Advisory Board; Sanofi: Research Funding. Graeven:Roche: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; AbbVie: Honoraria. Fenk:Bristol-Meyers Squibb: Honoraria, Other: travel grant; Takeda: Honoraria; Amgen: Honoraria; Janssen: Honoraria; Celgene: Honoraria, Other: Travel grant, Research Funding. Haenel:Takeda: Honoraria; Novartis: Honoraria; Amgen: Honoraria; Roche: Honoraria. Scheid:Amgen: Honoraria; BMS: Honoraria; Celgene: Honoraria; Janssen: Honoraria; Novartis: Honoraria, Research Funding; Takeda: Honoraria, Research Funding. Salwender:Janssen: Honoraria, Other: travel support, Research Funding; Celgene: Honoraria, Other: travel suppport, Research Funding; Novartis: Honoraria, Other: travel suppport, Research Funding; Bristol-Myers Squibb: Honoraria, Other: travel suppport, Research Funding; Amgen: Honoraria, Other: travel suppport, Research Funding; Takeda: Honoraria. Weisel:Amgen, Celgene, Janssen, and Sanofi: Research Funding; Amgen, BMS, Celgene, Janssen, Juno, Sanofi, and Takeda: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Amgen, BMS, Celgene, Janssen, and Takeda: Honoraria. Goldschmidt:Celgene: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Takeda: Consultancy, Research Funding; Novartis: Honoraria, Research Funding; Mundipharma: Research Funding; Janssen: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Adaptive Biotechnology: Consultancy; ArtTempi: Honoraria; Bristol Myers Squibb: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Chugai: Honoraria, Research Funding; Sanofi: Consultancy, Research Funding; Amgen: Consultancy, Research Funding.

Rollig: Bayer: Research Funding; Janssen: Research Funding. Hüttmann: Gilead, Amgen: Other: Travel cost; Bristol-Myers Squibb, Takeda, Celgene, Roche: Honoraria. Giagounidis: Acceleron: Consultancy; Celgene: Consultancy. Mackensen: AMGEN: Research Funding. Hänel: Roche: Honoraria; Novartis: Honoraria. Thiede: Roche: Consultancy; Novartis: Consultancy, Speakers Bureau; Bayer: Consultancy, Speakers Bureau; Agendix: Employment. Schetelig: Sanofi Aventis: Consultancy, Research Funding; Roche: Honoraria; Abbvie: Honoraria; Janssen: Consultancy, Honoraria.

Introduction

Background:Response criteria in myeloma have been developed to predict treatment outcome and to compare results from clinical trials. The current IMWG response criteria (Kumar, Lancet Oncology 2016) are based on paraprotein assessment by immunofixation and electrophoresis of serum and urine. The hevylite (HLC) assay directly quantifies the kappa and lambda fractions of IgG, IgA and IgM as well as the corresponding kappa/lambda ratios. To compare the response assessment by IMWG criteria and by HLC we applied the test to serum samples from the prospective GMMG MM5 trial in newly diagnosed myeloma patients.

Guenther: Takeda: Consultancy, Honoraria; Celgene: Honoraria; Novartis: Consultancy, Honoraria. Mügge:Celgene: Honoraria, Research Funding; Janssen: Honoraria; Cilag: Honoraria; Novartis: Honoraria; Amgen: Honoraria; Bristol Myers-Suibb: Honoraria. Schjesvold:Janssen: Research Funding; Novartis: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding. Lechner:Novartis: Honoraria. Gisslinger:Novartis: Consultancy, Honoraria; AOP Orphan: Consultancy, Honoraria; Baxalta: Consultancy, Honoraria. Greil:Novartis: Honoraria, Research Funding; Janssen Cilag: Honoraria, Research Funding. Gunsilius:Takeda: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Janssen: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Amgen: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; BMS: Honoraria; Novartis: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Weisel:Amgen: Consultancy, Honoraria; Bristol Myer-Squibb: Consultancy, Honoraria; Celgene: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Novartis: Consultancy, Honoraria; Janssen: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Takeda: Consultancy, Honoraria. Munder:Janssen: Honoraria; Amgen: Honoraria; Bristol Myers Squibb: Honoraria; Takeda: Honoraria. Kiani:Novartis: Consultancy, Honoraria, Speakers Bureau. Campello-Iddison:Novartis: Employment, Equity Ownership. Einsele:Janssen: Consultancy, Honoraria, Speakers Bureau; Novartis: Consultancy, Honoraria; Celgene: Consultancy, Honoraria, Speakers Bureau; Amgen: Consultancy, Honoraria, Speakers Bureau.

Platzbecker: TEVA: Honoraria, Research Funding. Greiner:BMS: Research Funding. Thiede:AgenDix: Employment, Other: Ownership. Hochhaus:BMS: Honoraria, Research Funding; Novartis: Honoraria, Research Funding; Pfizer: Honoraria, Research Funding; ARIAD: Honoraria, Research Funding.

Introduction:

Background:Standard therapy of acute promyelocytic leukemia has long relied on the combination of All-trans-retinoic acid (ATRA) and chemotherapy. The introduction of arsenic trioxide (ATO) in APL treatment has allowed achievement of similarly high remission and survival rates coupled with significantly reduced myelosuppression. Recent results of the APL0406 trial by the GIMEMA-AMLSG-SAL study groups showed that the combination of ATRA and arsenic trioxide (ATO) is superior to standard ATRA and chemotherapy (CHT) in front-line therapy of low/intermediate risk acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL). The implications of these results for the clinical practice of APL patients in Germany have been uncertain given the fact that ATO is not formally licensed for front-line therapy of APL.

van de Velde: Ortho Biotech Oncology Research & Development: Employment. Sonneveld:Celgene: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Janssen-Cilag: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Onyx: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Millennium: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees.

Abstract 332

Bisphosphonates have been proven to be effective in preventing or delaying skeletal complications in multiple myeloma with a significant improvement of the quality of life. Although these agents are usually well tolerated, osteonecrosis of the jaw (ONJ) has been recently associated with the use of bisphophonates. Nevertheless, the true incidence of this complication is not clearly defined. Therefore, we studied the incidence, characteristics and risk factors for the development of ONJ among patients with multiple myeloma treated with biphosphonates in our institution.Five-hundred and sixteen patients who received biphosphonates (zoledronic acid, pamidronate, bondronate) and had a minimum exposure of 6 months to the drug were included in this analysis. These patients were asked reterospectivly to fill out a form containing several queries, including sex and age, type and time of neoplasia diagnosis, treatment and neoplasia status, odonthoiatric anamnesis, type and duration of therapy with BP, microbial isolation in site of lesion, specific treatment for osteonecrosis, number of patients (pts) affected by MM treated with BP from 2007 to 2009. From this retrospective review thirty-five patients were identified with pain of the jaw.Two-hundred of five-hundred and sixteen patients received bondronate, seventy-four patients pamidronate, one-hundred and seventy-four patients zoledronic acid, twenty-three patients oral bisphosphonate and two patients are unable to name the bisphosphonate. Thirty-five patients were identified with pain of the jaw. A total of twenty-five ONJ cases were identified either by histology or estimation of the surgeon among all patients treated and referred to our institute. Five patients had no ONJ, only non-specific pain of the jaw. Five patients have other disease of the jaw (1 patient osteoymelitis; 1 patient cyst of the jaw; 1 patient epulis gigantocellularis, 1 patient granuloma, 1 patient plasmozytoma of the jaw). Ten patients who were diagnosed with ONJ received bondonate, eleven patients pamidonate and thirteen patients zoledronic acid. The majority of the ONJ lesions completely healed in 24 patients. Overall, most of the ONJ lesions were associated with dental procedures and pain was the symptom most frequently reported.ONJ is a serious complication of bisphosphonate therapy. But with active monitoring for ONJ and early input from dental experts, ONJ has been mild to moderate in severity, had minimal impact on overall quality of life and improved or healed in the majority of patients. These results suggest that with proper management, ONJ is a manageable, infrequent complication that may be associated with a reduced SRE (skeletal-related events) risk and improved overall survival. Length of exposure and the probably the type of biphosphonate used appear to be the most important risk factor for this complication.Goldschmidt: Johnson and Johnson: Research Funding, Speakers Bureau.

Abstract 4935

BACKGROUND: Most patients (pts) undergoing high-dose therapy and autologous transplant for multiple myeloma (MM) develop disease recurrence. The optimal salvage treatment for these patients is not well defined. Autologous (auto-) and allogeneic (allo-) hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (SCT) have been used for salvage therapy. METHODS: We performed a retrospective analysis of pts with MM (n=118) treated in our institution who had failed after 1st-line therapy or relapsed after auto-SCT. Re-induction was performed with TCED (thalidomide, cyclophosphamide, etoposide and dexamethasone, median number of cycles 3). Seventy-four pts (median age, 59 yrs) received auto-SCT as salvage therapy, whereas 44 pts (median age, 53 yrs, p=0.43) underwent a reduced-intensity allo-SCT (related in 23 pts), using conditioning with 2 Gy total body irradiation and fludarabine in 40 pts or melphalan 140 mg/m2 / fludarabine in 4 pts. The majority of the pts (37 / 44) received allo- SCT a median of 59 (range 33–186) days after auto-SCT. Twenty pts in the auto-group and 9 pts in the allo-group were primary progressive, respectively (p=0.42). RESULTS: 89 pts (75%) responded to TCED chemotherapy (CR 4 pts, PR 65 pts, MR 22 pts, SD 13 pts). The number of pts progressing after TCED was equal in both groups (p=0.54). Remission status improved in 30 pts after auto-SCT (7 CR) and in 20 pts after allo-SCT (16 CR, p=0.001). After a median follow-up of 24 months for the auto-group and 21 months for the allo-group since the end of TCED therapy, the median event-free survival (EFS, figure 1) and overall survival (OS, figure 2) were 14 months in both groups (p=0.37) and 27 months versus 35 months (p=0.75), respectively. Incidence of chronic GvHD was 82% (62% extensive). TRM was 20% in the allo-group and differed significantly from the auto-group (1%, p=0.007). Three years after end of TCED 12/44 pts are alive (6 pts in CR) in the allo-group compared to 15/74 pts (1 pt in CR) in the auto-group. All but 1 pt with CR > 3 years after allo-SCT have extensive cGvHD. CONCLUSIONS: Both auto- and allo-SCT are feasible as salvage therapy for MM. Disease recurrence or progression remains the major cause of treatment failure. More CRs and more long term survivors in CR have been observed after allo-SCT confirming the contribution of the GvM-effect. Further concepts are necessary to maintain CR, to prevent relapse or progression and to reduce TRM after allo-SCT. Figure Figure Figure Figure

BACKGROUND: Most patients (pts) undergoing high-dose therapy and autologous transplant for multiple myeloma (MM) develop disease recurrence. The optimal salvage treatment for these patients is not well defined. Autologous (auto-) and allogeneic (allo-) hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (SCT) have been used for salvage therapy.

Patients with recurrent and refractory multiple myeloma have a very limited survival expectance. Allogeneic transplantation might offer an option for cure in myeloma and the recent development of non-myeloablative conditioning regimens has reduced transplant related morbidity and mortality and rendered this treatment feasible in elderly patients. The role of non-myeloablative allogeneic transplantation for multiple myeloma however, has not yet been defined. We have analyzed the results of patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma treated at our institution. Between 08/1999 and 02/2004, 56 patients with relapsed (n=54) or refractory (n=2) myeloma were treated with non-myeloablative allogeneic transplantation. The median beta2microglobulin at the time of diagnosis was 2.75 mg/l, and median age at the time of transplant was 54.5 years (39.2–67.8). The median time from diagnosis to transplant was 3.6 years. Prior to allogeneic transplantation, patients received reinduction chemotherapy which included an autologous transplantation for 30 patients. The median number of previous cycles of conventional chemotherapy was 9. The conditioning regimen was 2 Gy TBI with (n=43) or without (n=3) fludarabin 3 x 30 mg/m² for 46 patients, the remaining 10 patients received a melphalan containing regimen. Acute toxicity was low with a WBC < 500/μl and platelets < 50/μl for a median of 0 days. Engraftment was prompt with 90 % of patients having achieved > 90 % donor chimerism by day 56. Acute GvHD Grade II-IV occurred in 36 % of patients with 22 % Grade III-IV, and 61 % experienced chronic GvHD. Total transplant related mortality reached 20 %, with a day 100 TRM of 5 %. 32 patients experienced relapse or progressive disease, and 32 % of patients died due to relapse. The Kaplan-Meier estimate of overall survival and progression free survival at 18 months was 40 % and 25 %, respectively, with a median follow up of survivors of 21 months. Patients who experienced cGvHD had a significantly higher overall survival estimate (60 % vs. 20 % at 18 months, p=0.03). The number of cycles of pretreatment before allogeneic transplantation had a statistically significant negative influence on overall (p=0.02) and progression free survival (p=0.006). We conclude that non-myeloablative allogeneic transplantation is feasible in patients with relapsed multiple myeloma. The significant poor prognostic factors we identified were absence of chronic GvHD and number of cycles of pretreatment. Allogeneic transplantion should therefore be considered as an option earlier in the course of the disease.

Patients with recurrent and refractory multiple myeloma have a very limited survival expectance. Allogeneic transplantation might offer an option for cure in myeloma and the recent development of non-myeloablative conditioning regimens has reduced transplant related morbidity and mortality and rendered this treatment feasible in elderly patients.