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Pevonedistat; Chronic myelomonocytic leukemia Pevonedistat; Leucemia mielomonocítica crónica Pevonedistat; Leucèmia mielomonocítica crònica PANTHER is a global, randomized phase 3 trial of pevonedistat+azacitidine (n = 227) vs azacitidine monotherapy (n = 227) in patients with newly diagnosed higher-risk myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS; n = 324), higher-risk chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (n = 27), or acute myeloid leukemia (AML) with 20% to 30% blasts (n = 103). The primary end point was event-free survival (EFS). In the intent-to-treat population, the median EFS was 17.7 months with pevonedistat+azacitidine vs 15.7 months with azacitidine (hazard ratio [HR], 0.968; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.757-1.238; P = .557) and in the higher-risk MDS cohort, median EFS was 19.2 vs 15.6 months (HR, 0.887; 95% CI, 0.659-1.193; P = .431). Median overall survival (OS) in the higher-risk MDS cohort was 21.6 vs 17.5 months (HR, 0.785; P = .092), and in patients with AML with 20% to 30% blasts was 14.5 vs 14.7 months (HR, 1.107; P = .664). In a post hoc analysis, median OS in the higher-risk MDS cohort for patients receiving >3 cycles was 23.8 vs 20.6 months (P = .021) and for >6 cycles was 27.1 vs 22.5 months (P = .008). No new safety signals were identified, and the azacitidine dose intensity was maintained. Common hematologic grade ≥3 treatment emergent adverse events were anemia (33% vs 34%), neutropenia (31% vs 33%), and thrombocytopenia (30% vs 30%). These results underscore the importance of large, randomized controlled trials in these heterogeneous myeloid diseases and the value of continuing therapy for >3 cycles. The trial was registered on clinicaltrials.gov as #NCT03268954. This study was sponsored by Takeda Development Centers Inc (TDCA; Lexington, MA).

Fragility scales are intended to help in therapeutic decisions. Here, we asked if the fragility assessment in MM patients ≥ 75 years old qualified for treatment by the local physician correlates with the choice of treatment: a two- or three-drug regimens. Between 7/2018 and 12/2019, we prospectively enrolled 197 MM patients at the start of treatment from the 13 Polish Myeloma Group centers. The data to assess fragility were prospectively collected, but centrally assessed fragility was not disclosed to the local center. The activity of daily living (ADL) could be assessed in 192 (97.5%) and was independent in 158 (80.2%), moderately impaired in 23 (11.7%), and 11 (5.6%) in completely dependent. Patients with more than three comorbidities made up 26.9% (53 patients). Thus, according to the Palumbo calculator, 43 patients were in the intermediate fitness group (21.8%), and the rest belonged to the frailty group (153, 77.7%). Overall, 79.7% of patients (157) received three-drug regimens and 20.3% (40) received two-drug regimens. In each ECOG group, more than three out of four patients received three-drug regimens. According to the ADL scale, 82.3% of the independent 65.2% of moderately impaired, and 81.8% of the dependent received three-drug regimens. Out of 53 patients with at least four comorbidities, 71.7% received three-drug regimens, and the rest received two-drug regimens. Thirty-four patients from the intermediate fit group (79.0%), and 123 (79.9%) from the frail group received three-drug regimens. Early mortality occurred in 25 patients (12.7%). No one discontinued treatment due to toxicity. To conclude, MM patients over 75 are mainly treated with triple-drug regimens, not only in reduced doses, regardless of their frailty scores. However, the absence of prospective fragility assessment did not negatively affect early mortality and the number of treatment discontinuations, which brings into question the clinical utility of current fragility scales in everyday practice.

Fragility scales are intended to help in therapeutic decisions. Here we asked if the fragility as-sessment in MM patients ≥75 years old qualified for treatment by the local physician correlates with the choice of treatment: a 2- or 3-drug regimen. Between 7/2018 to 12/2019 we prospectively enrolled 197 MM patients at the start of treatment from the 13 Polish Myeloma Group centers. The data to assess fragility were prospectively collected, but centrally assessed fragility was not disclosed to the local center. The activity of daily living (ADL) could be assessed in 192 (97.5%) and was independent in 158 (80.2%), moderately impaired in 23 (11.7%), and 11 (5.6%) in com-pletely dependent. Patients with more than 3 comorbidities were 26.9% (53 patients). Thus, ac-cording to the Palumbo calculator, 43 patients were in the intermediate-fitness group (21.8%), and the rest belonged to the frailty group (153, 77.7%). Overall, 79.7% of patients (157) received 3-drug regimens and 20.3% (40) received 2-drug regimens. In each ECOG group, more than 3/4 of patients received 3-drug regimens. According to the ADL scale, 82.3% of the independent 65.2% of moderately impaired, and 81.8% of the dependent received 3-drug regimens. Out of 53 pa-tients with at least 4 comorbidities, 71.7% received 3-drug regimens, and the rest 2-drug regi-mens. Three-drugs regimens received 34 patients from the intermediate-fit group (79.0%), and 123 (79.9%) from the frail group. Early mortality occurred in 25 patients (12.7%). No one discon-tinued treatment due to toxicity. To conclude, MM patients over 75 are mainly treated with tri-ple-drug regimens, not only in reduced doses, regardless of their frailty scores. However, the absence of prospective fragility assessment did not negatively affect early mortality and the number of treatment discontinuations which questions the clinical utility of current fragility scales in everyday practice.

BACKGROUND: Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitors approved for myelofibrosis provide spleen and symptom improvements but do not meaningfully improve anaemia. Momelotinib, a first-in-class inhibitor of activin A receptor type 1 as well as JAK1 and JAK2, has shown symptom, spleen, and anaemia benefits in myelofibrosis. We aimed to confirm the differentiated clinical benefits of momelotinib versus the active comparator danazol in JAK-inhibitor-exposed, symptomatic patients with anaemia and intermediate-risk or high-risk myelofibrosis.METHODS: MOMENTUM is an international, double-blind, randomised, controlled, phase 3 study that enrolled patients at 107 sites across 21 countries worldwide. Eligible patients were 18 years or older with a confirmed diagnosis of primary myelofibrosis or post-polycythaemia vera or post-essential thrombocythaemia myelofibrosis. Patients were randomly assigned (2:1) to receive momelotinib (200 mg orally once per day) plus danazol placebo (ie, the momelotinib group) or danazol (300 mg orally twice per day) plus momelotinib placebo (ie, the danazol group), stratified by total symptom score (TSS; FINDINGS: 195 patients were randomly assigned to either the momelotinib group (130 [67%]) or danazol group (65 [33%]) and received study treatment in the 24-week randomised treatment period between April 24, 2020, and Dec 3, 2021. A significantly greater proportion of patients in the momelotinib group reported a 50% or more reduction in TSS than in the danazol group (32 [25%] of 130 vs six [9%] of 65; proportion difference 16% [95% CI 6-26], p=0·0095). The most frequent grade 3 or higher treatment-emergent adverse events with momelotinib and danazol were haematological abnormalities by laboratory values: anaemia (79 [61%] of 130 vs 49 [75%] of 65) and thrombocytopenia (36 [28%] vs 17 [26%]). The most frequent non-haematological grade 3 or higher treatment-emergent adverse events with momelotinib and danazol were acute kidney injury (four [3%] of 130 vs six [9%] of 65) and pneumonia (three [2%] vs six [9%]).INTERPRETATION: Treatment with momelotinib, compared with danazol, resulted in clinically significant improvements in myelofibrosis-associated symptoms, anaemia measures, and spleen response, with favourable safety. These findings support the future use of momelotinib as an effective treatment in patients with myelofibrosis, especially in those with anaemia.FUNDING: Sierra Oncology.

46-years old male diagnosed with primary myelofibrosis (PMF) was included into therapeutic program of treatment with ruxolitinib. Due to initial thrombocytopenia with basal platelets [PLT] range below 100 G/l, initial dosage of the treatment was reduced according to characteristics of drug. No treatment-related toxicity was noted, the dosage was gradually increased reaching the dose 20 mg twice a day at twelfth week of therapy. Although alleviation of systemic symptoms was reached, lack of diminishment of spleen size demanded by therapeutic program led to cessation of treatment. In group of patients with PMF and secondary thrombocytopenia treatment with ruxolitinib may lead to improvement of patient condition.

In multiple myeloma (MM) patients, various T-cell abnormalities, such as a marked reduction in the proportions of CD4 and CD8 cells expressing co-stimulatory molecules, signal transduction components, Th1/Th2 imbalance and alterations of regulatory T cells/T helper 17 cells (Treg/Th17 ratio), have been observed. The inducible T-cell co-stimulator (ICOS) has been implicated in the induction and regulation of Th1, Th2, and Treg/Th17 immunity. Therefore, we postulate that variations in ICOS gene might be associated with susceptibility and clinical course of MM. We analyzed ICOSISV1+173T>C (rs10932029), ICOSc.1624C>T (rs10932037), ICOSc.602A>C (rs10183087), ICOSc.1564T>C (rs4404254) and ICOSc.2373G>C (rs4675379) polymorphisms in 205 MM patients and 325 controls with TaqMan® SNP Genotyping Assays. None of the investigated ICOS gene polymorphisms were associated with susceptibility to the disease. However, in a multivariate Cox analysis which included the age of diagnosis, ISS, time to the clinical response to the treatment, gender, immunoglobulin classes, ICOS gene variations, we found that time to the response to treatment, ISS stage 3 and possessing of ICOSc.2373G>C [C+] allele were independently associated with the overall survival (HR: 1.35, 2.86 and 3.77, respectively). Although the result of the present study does not confirm the association of the investigated polymorphisms with risk of MM, they indicated that variations in ICOS gene might influence overall survival.

Context Mosun, a full-length, humanized, IgG1 CD20×CD3 bispecific antibody, demonstrated efficacy/safety in relapsed/refractory DLBCL (NCT02500407; Schuster, et al. ASH 2019). The phase I/II multicenter GO40554 (NCT03677154) study showed similar results for elderly/unfit patients with first-line DLBCL intolerant of full-dose chemoimmunotherapy (CIT) (Olszewski, et al. ASH 2020). Objective To describe updated GO40554 study data. Methods Two safety-evaluation cohorts were assessed (Mosun 13.5 mg and 30 mg), then a 30 mg expansion phase. Patients were aged ≥80 years; 60–79 years with impairment in ≥1 activity of daily living (ADL); instrumental ADL; or impaired cardiac, renal, or liver function. Patients received optional pre-treatment with prednisone (+/– vincristine), then intravenous mosun in step-up doses on days (D)1 (1 mg), 8 (2 mg), and 15 (full-dose: 13.5/30 mg) of cycle (C)1, and full (C1D15) dose on D1 of each 21-day cycle for eight cycles, continuing for ≤17 cycles. Results As of January 15, 2021, 40 patients received mosun (13.5 mg safety cohort, n=8; 30 mg safety cohort, n=7; 30 mg expansion, n=25). Median age: 84 (range 67–100) years; 50% with Ann Arbor Stage III–IV, 80% with IPI score ≥2. Of 40 treated patients, 27 (67.5%) had ≥1 mosun-related adverse event (AE); 15 (37.5%) had a grade 3–4 AE. Most common treatment-emergent AE: cytokine release syndrome (CRS; n=9, 22.5%); five patients had neutropenia (12.5%). Six (15%) patients had grade 1 CRS per ASTCT (Lee, et al. Biol Blood Marrow Transplant 2019); three (7.5%) had grade 2 CRS, all managed with supportive care, fluids for hypotension, steroids, or low-flow oxygen, as required (no tocilizumab, vasopressors, high-flow oxygen, or intensive care). 14 (35%) patients discontinued due to progressive disease (PD). Overall response rate for efficacy-evaluable patients (n=31): 67.7%; complete response (CR) rate: 41.9%. Responses with 13.5 mg mosun: CR: 37.5%; PR: 37.5%; PD: 25%; with 30 mg mosun: CR: 43.5%; PR: 21.7%; stable disease/PD: 34.8%. Four durable responses were observed ≥12 months from start of therapy in 13 patients with CR (11 ongoing). Conclusions Mosun showed promising efficacy, including durable responses, and tolerable safety for elderly/unfit patients with 1L DLBCL; it should be further evaluated as a chemotherapy-free backbone for patients unable to tolerate standard CIT.

Background: Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) IQYMUNE® is a highly purified 10% IVIG that was assessed using the new stringent definition of response described in the revised guideline on the clinical investigation of IVIG. The efficacy and the safety of IQYMUNE® were investigated in adult patients with chronic primary immune thrombocytopenia (ITP). Methods: In this phase III multinational, multicentre, prospective, uncontrolled, open-label, single-arm study, adult patients with a baseline platelet count < 30 × 10 9 /L were treated with IVIG 10% at a dose of 2 g/kg body weight administered over 2 consecutive days. The primary endpoint was Response over the study period and was defined according to the recent and most stringent European Medicines Agency guidelines (platelet count ≥ 30 × 10 9 /L and a ≥ 2-fold increase from baseline, no new bleeding, and no concomitant treatment with drugs that affect platelet count and/or induce bleeding cessation). Results: Thirty-eight patients were enrolled; 73 infusions were administered (38 on Day 1 and 35 on Day 2). Response was reached by 24 patients corresponding to 63.2% of patients in the full analysis set (95% CI: 46.0; 78.2) and 68.6% of patients in the per-protocol set (95% CI: 50.7; 83.1). The median time to Response was 1 day. The median duration of Response was 13.5 days. Reasons for non-response were failure to reach the required platelet count (n = 12), a new bleeding event (n = 1), and forbidden medication use (n = 1). Among the 23 patients with a baseline platelet count ≤ 20 × 10 9 /L, 19 patients (82.6%) achieved a platelet count ≥ 50 × 10 9 /L at least once before Day 5 (previous European Medicines Agency definition of response). Treatment was well tolerated even in patients with a high flow rate (≥ 6 mL/kg/h in 40% of patients). Headache (34.2%), pyrexia (15.8%), and creatinine renal clearance decrease, including one case of decrease in glomerular filtration rate (10.5%) were the most frequently reported drug-related adverse events. Conclusions: Administration of IQYMUNE® for 2 consecutive days at a dose of 2 g/kg was safe and efficacious. These results support the treatment of adult patients with chronic ITP with IQYMUNE®. J Hematol. 2018;7(3):87-95 doi: https://doi.org/10.14740/jh385w

GREEN (NCT01905943) is a non-randomized, open-label phase IIIb study investigating obinutuzumab alone or plus chemotherapy in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). We report a preplanned subgroup analysis of 158 previously untreated CLL patients receiving obinutuzumab–bendamustine (G-B). Patients received six 28-day cycles (C) of G-B: obinutuzumab day (D)1/D2 of C1 (25 mg D1/975 mg D2), 1000 mg D8 and D15 of C1, and D1 of C2–6; and bendamustine 70/90 mg/m2 D1 and D2 of C1–6. The primary endpoint was safety/tolerability. Grade ≥3 adverse events (AEs) occurred in 82.3% of patients, including neutropenia (49.4%), thrombocytopenia (12.0%) and febrile neutropenia (10.8%). Serious AEs included neutropenia (12.7%), febrile neutropenia (9.5%) and pneumonia (7.6%). Rates of grade ≥3 infections and infusion-related reactions were 20.3% and 17.1%, respectively. Due to tumor lysis syndrome (TLS; 8.2%), including two associated fatalities (one in another study cohort), additional risk-minimization measures were implemented. Overall response rate was 81.0%. After 32.8 months’ median observation time, 2-year progression-free survival was 81.8%. Minimal residual disease was undetectable in 59.5% (94/ 158) and 27.8% (44/158) of patients for blood and bone marrow, respectively. Frontline G-B appears to have manageable toxicity with clinical activity in CLL. Careful TLS risk assessment, pretreatment and monitoring is required.

Background: Older patients with higher-risk MDS/CMML or AML with 20-30% marrow blasts typically receive single-agent hypomethylating agent (HMA) therapy. Median response duration and survival for these patients is poor, and many patients with MDS transform to secondary AML, which is associated with a particularly dismal prognosis. Novel HMA-based combination therapies that improve survival, delay transformation to AML, and increase depth and duration of response vs single-agent HMA therapy without additional toxicity or myelosuppression are needed. In a randomized, proof-of-concept phase 2 study PEV - a first-in-class, selective inhibitor of NEDD8-activating enzyme - in combination with AZA demonstrated encouraging clinical efficacy vs AZA alone in patients with higher-risk MDS and AML with 20-30% marrow blasts, with nearly double the complete remission rate, almost triple the duration of response, and improved event-free survival (EFS) among patients with higher-risk MDS (Sekeres Leukemia 2021). PEV + AZA had a comparable safety profile to AZA alone, without increased myelosuppression. Here we report the study design and patient characteristics from PANTHER, a global, multicenter, randomized phase 3 trial (NCT03268954). Methods: Patients aged ≥18 years with a confirmed diagnosis of higher-risk MDS or higher-risk CMML (Revised International Prognostic Scoring System [IPSS-R] risk score >3; ≥5% marrow blasts for intermediate-risk patients) or AML with 20-30% marrow blasts and who were chemotherapy/HMA-naïve and ineligible for upfront intensive chemotherapy and/or allogeneic stem cell transplantation were randomized 1:1 to receive PEV 20 mg/m 2 (IV, days 1, 3, 5) + AZA 75 mg/m 2 (IV or subcutaneous; days 1-5, 8, 9) or AZA alone in 28-day cycles until unacceptable toxicity, relapse, progressive disease, or transformation to AML. Patients were stratified into 4 categories: very high, high, and intermediate risk (per IPSS-R) MDS/CMML, and AML with 20-30% marrow blasts. The primary endpoint was EFS, defined as time from randomization to death or transformation to AML for patients with higher-risk MDS or higher-risk CMML, or to death for patients with AML. OS was a key secondary endpoint. EFS and OS are being tested sequentially in the higher-risk MDS cohort and intent-to-treat (ITT) population using separate hierarchical testing procedures (total 1-sided alpha of 0.025 for each procedure), with subsequent OS testing in the AML cohort. Results: A total of 454 patients were randomized (PEV + AZA, n=227; AZA alone, n=227), 324 with higher-risk MDS (n=161; n=163), 103 with AML (n=50; n=53), and 27 with higher-risk CMML (n=16; n=11). Baseline demographics and disease characteristics were generally well balanced between arms. In the ITT population, 58% and 63% of patients in the PEV + AZA and AZA alone arms, respectively, were male, 91% and 86% were aged ≥65 years (41% and 48% aged ≥75 years), and 89%/10% and 84%/15% had an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status of 0 or 1/2. In patients with higher-risk MDS who were treated with PEV + AZA or AZA alone, IPSS-R risk group was very high in 39% and 36%, high in 37% and 39%, and intermediate in 24% and 25%; 93% and 94% of patients had de novo disease. In patients with AML treated with PEV + AZA or AZA alone, 60% and 70% were classified as adverse-risk per European LeukemiaNet 2017 guidelines; 62% and 49% had de novo disease. To date, no new safety signals have been identified. At the prespecified second interim analysis for the primary endpoint of EFS (n=147 events, higher-risk MDS), approximately 202 OS events had also occurred. Conclusions: Patient characteristics were well-balanced between arms, and the population is reflective of typical patients with higher-risk MDS/CMML and AML with 20-30% marrow blasts. EFS and OS in the ITT population and the higher-risk MDS cohort for each treatment arm will be presented, along with data on secondary endpoints, including response rates and duration of response, time to AML transformation in patients with higher-risk MDS, rates of transfusion independence, and safety. If endpoints are met, this would be the first phase 3 study in this setting to demonstrate superior efficacy with addition of a novel agent to AZA. Disclosures Sekeres: Novartis: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Takeda/Millenium: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; BMS: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Girshova: Astellas Pharma, Inc.: Research Funding. Diez-Campelo: Takeda Oncology: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; BMS: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Novartis: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau. Valcarcel: ASTELLAS: Consultancy, Honoraria, Speakers Bureau; NOVARTIS: Consultancy, Honoraria, Speakers Bureau; AMGEN: Consultancy, Honoraria, Speakers Bureau; JAZZ: Consultancy, Honoraria, Speakers Bureau; SOBI: Consultancy, Honoraria, Speakers Bureau; SANOFI: Consultancy, Honoraria, Speakers Bureau; TAKEDA: Consultancy, Honoraria, Speakers Bureau; BMS: Consultancy, Honoraria, Speakers Bureau; CELGENE: Consultancy, Honoraria, Speakers Bureau. Viniou: Abbvie: Research Funding; Pfizer: Research Funding; Janssen: Honoraria, Research Funding; Sanofi: Research Funding; Novartis: Honoraria, Research Funding; Takeda: Research Funding; Sandoz: Research Funding; Bristol-Myers Squibb: Honoraria, Research Funding; Roche: Research Funding; Astellas: Research Funding; Celgene: Research Funding. De Paz Arias: BMS: 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; Novartis: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Symeonidis: Astellas: Consultancy, Research Funding; Demo: Research Funding; Sanofi: 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; Pfizer: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Novartis: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; MSD: Consultancy, Research Funding; Amgen: 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; AbbVie: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; WinMedica: Research Funding; GenesisPharma: 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; BMS: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; GSK: Research Funding; Sanofi/Genzyme: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Gilead: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding. Anagnostopoulos: Abbvie: Other: clinical trials; Sanofi: Other: clinical trials ; Ocopeptides: Other: clinical trials ; GSK: Other: clinical trials; Incyte: Other: clinical trials ; Takeda: Other: clinical trials ; Amgen: Other: clinical trials ; Janssen: Other: clinical trials; novartis: Other: clinical trials; Celgene: Other: clinical trials; Roche: Other: clinical trials; Astellas: Other: clinical trials . Platzbecker: Takeda: Honoraria; AbbVie: Honoraria; Janssen: Honoraria; Novartis: Honoraria; Celgene/BMS: Honoraria; Geron: Honoraria. Santini: Astex: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; BMS/Celgene: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Geron: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Gilead: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Menarini: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Novartis: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Takeda: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Fram: Takeda Pharmaceuticals Intl. Co: Current Employment; Takeda: Current equity holder in publicly-traded company; Bristol Myers Squibb: Current equity holder in publicly-traded company; Baxter: Current equity holder in publicly-traded company; Pfizer: Current equity holder in publicly-traded company; Gilead: Current equity holder in publicly-traded company; Teva: Current equity holder in publicly-traded company; Viatris: Current equity holder in publicly-traded company; Medtronics: Current equity holder in publicly-traded company; Zimmer Biomet Hldgs Inc: Current equity holder in publicly-traded company. Yuan: Takeda: Current Employment. Faller: Briacell, Inc: Current holder of stock options in a privately-held company; Takeda Pharmaceuticals Co.: Current Employment; Viracta Therapeutics, Inc: Current holder of stock options in a privately-held company, Ended employment in the past 24 months, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Ades: ABBVIE: Honoraria; NOVARTIS: Honoraria; CELGENE/BMS: Honoraria; TAKEDA: Honoraria; JAZZ: Honoraria, Research Funding; CELGENE: Research Funding. OffLabel Disclosure: This presentation contains information about investigational use of pevonedistat. Safety and efficacy have not been determined.

Background Although the introduction of novel agents improved the survival outcomes in patients with multiple myeloma (MM), some patients died within one year (early mortality, EM) following diagnosis. In this study, we evaluated the EM rate, and investigated the risk factors associated with EM in MM patients. Aims In this study we investigated risk factors associated with EM in MM patients initially treated with novel-agent containing regimen. Methods We conducted a multicenter (15 Polish sites) retrospective study a cohort of symptomatic MM pts diagnosed between October 2006 and November 2019 and living < 365 days (d) after diagnosis. All pts were dead at the time of the analysis. Data were collected from medical registries and databases. Mortality rate and cause at 2, 6, and 12 months following diagnosis was evaluated. Clinical staging was performed using the International Staging System (ISS). Response to treatment was evaluated according to the International Myeloma Working Group (IMWG) consensus criteria (2016). Statistical analysis was performed using R-studio v.1.3.959. and significant levels were set at p Results Of the 197 pts were included in the study, 112 (57%) male and the median age at diagnosis was 69 y (41-91). The MM type of 100 patients (52%) was Immunoglobulin (Ig) G, 24% of patients was IgA, 15% of patients had light chain disease, and 3% of patients IgM or IgD. At diagnosis, renal impairment (RI) was present in 43%, extramedullary disease (EMD) in 15% of the pts; 15% were in stage I, 10% in stage II, 60% in stage III (ISS) and 15% not done. Fluorescent in situ hybridization analysis was performed in 59 pts, 69% presenting high-risk cytogenetic abnormalities (HRC) [t(4;14), t(14;16), t(14;20) or del17p]. 54% pts were >2 comorbidities at diagnosis. Heart disease was presented at diagnosis in 57% pts and diabetes in 22% pts. First-line treatment (1stL), 41% of the pts patients were bortezomib-based (Bor) regimens, 25% Bor with thalidomide (VT)-based, 22% IMiD-based and 13% others. Response evaluation showed an overall response rate (ORR) of 44% (3% CR; 14% VGPR; 27% PR). 46% pts survived < 2 months, 29%; 2-6 months and 25%: 6-12 month. Median time until death was 2.5 month; 31% of pts died directly from progression disease (PD), and 69% from other causes [infection in 66%, cardiovascular complications in 27%, RI in 8%]. In our study, age > 65 y (HR 1.67; 95% CI 1.24-2.26; p=0.0007), and >75 y (HR 1.5; 95% CI 1.10-2.03; p=0.0087), >2 comorbidities (p=0.002), heart disease (HR 2.12; 95% CI 1.57-2.85; p < 0.0001), RI (HR 0.7; 95% CI 0.53-0.95; p=0.029), dependence of dialysis (HR 1.50; 95% CI 1.05-2.14; p=0.029) were associated with increased risk of death. Mortality predictive value showed HRC (p=0.05), lactate dehydrogenase levels (HR 0.65; 95% CI 0.38-1.1; p=0.002), and >PR (HR 0.30; 95% CI 0.21-0.43; p Conclusions IMWG response criteria are not adequate to predict short-term outcome in the era of novel agents. Infections and refractory disease were the leading contributors to early death in our pts cohort. These data may provide new opportunities to define patient-adapted treatment strategies in order to decrease EM and improve overall survival in MM. Disclosures Wrobel: BMS/Celgene: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Novartis: Honoraria; Roche: Research Funding; Janssen: Honoraria. Robak:Abbvie, Pharmacyclics, Gilead, GlaxoSmithKline, Novartis, Janssen, F. Hoffmann-La Roche, Acerta, AstraZeneca, BioGene, UCB: Research Funding; F. Hoffmann-La Roche, Abbvie, Pharmacyclics, Novartis, Janssen, Acerta, AstraZeneca, BioGene, UCB, Sandoz: Honoraria. Robak:Bristol Meyers Squibb: Research Funding; Roche: Consultancy, Other: TRAVEL, ACCOMMODATIONS, EXPENSES (paid by any for-profit health care company), Research Funding; Novartis: Honoraria, Research Funding; Takeda: Consultancy; GSK: Research Funding; UTX-TGR: Research Funding; Acerta: Research Funding; BioGene: Honoraria, Research Funding; Morphosys: Research Funding; Janssen: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: TRAVEL, ACCOMMODATIONS, EXPENSES (paid by any for-profit health care company), Research Funding; Octapharma: Honoraria; AbbVie: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: TRAVEL, ACCOMMODATIONS, EXPENSES (paid by any for-profit health care company), Research Funding; Medical University of Lodz: Current Employment; UCB: Honoraria, Research Funding; Pfizer: Research Funding; Momenta: Consultancy; Sandoz: Consultancy, Honoraria; Pharmacyclics LLC, an AbbVie Company: Honoraria, Research Funding; AstraZeneca: Honoraria, Research Funding.

Introduction: DARA is a human IgGκ monoclonal antibody targeting CD38 with a direct on-tumor and immunomodulatory mechanism of action. In the phase 3 ALCYONE study (median follow-up of 40.1 months), DARA in combination with VMP (D-VMP) reduced the risk of disease progression or death by 58% versus VMP alone (median 36.4 vs 19.3 months; HR, 0.42; 95% CI, 0.34-0.51; P Methods: Pts with TIE NDMM were randomized 1:1 to receive up to nine 6-week cycles of VMP (V 1.3 mg/m2 SC on Days 1, 4, 8, 11, 22, 25, 29, and 32 of Cycle 1 and Days 1, 8, 22, and 29 of Cycles 2-9; M 9 mg/m2 PO on Days 1-4 of Cycles 1-9; and P 60 mg/m2 PO on Days 1-4 of Cycles 1-9) ± DARA (16 mg/kg intravenously once weekly (QW) for Cycle 1 and Q3W for Cycles 2-9). Pts in the D-VMP group received DARA as maintenance therapy Q4W for Cycles 10+ until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. The primary endpoint was PFS. Secondary endpoints included overall response rate (ORR), rate of ≥CR, rate of ≥very good partial response (VGPR), MRD-negativity rate (10-5), OS, and HRQoL. Outcomes were also examined at the time of best response at the beginning of DARA monotherapy (Cycle 10+) and 1 and 2 years after beginning DARA monotherapy. Results: A total of 706 (D-VMP, n=350; VMP, n=356) pts were randomized. Baseline characteristics were well balanced between groups. After a median follow-up of 40.1 months, D-VMP increased the ORR (90.9% vs 73.9%) and the rates of ≥CR (46% vs 25%), ≥VGPR (73% vs 50%), MRD-negativity (28% vs 7%; all P For patients in the D-VMP group who received DARA monotherapy in Cycle 10+, responses continued to deepen: rates of ≥CR improved from 44% at the beginning of maintenance to 64% and 68% at 1 and 2 years, respectively, after the start of DARA maintenance therapy. As in the full study population, improved PFS and OS were observed with deepening responses. Conclusions: D-VMP induced deep responses in TIE NDMM pts and improved PFS, regardless of response status. Depth of response improved PFS, OS, and time to subsequent therapy and responses continued to deepen for patients receiving DARA maintenance therapy. HRQoL was improved in both treatment groups over the course of the study as clinical response deepened. These findings suggest that the addition of DARA to VMP achieves and maintains deep responses for TIE NDMM pts, leading to better outcomes and HRQoL. Disclosures Rodriguez-Otero: Janssen, BMS: Other: Travel, accommodations, expenses; Janssen, BMS, AbbVie, Sanofi, GSK, Oncopeptides, Kite, Amgen: Consultancy, Honoraria; BMS, Janssen, Amgen: Honoraria; Celgene-BMS: Consultancy, Honoraria; Mundipharma: Research Funding. Boccadoro:Mundipharma: Research Funding; AbbVie: Honoraria; Bristol-Myers Squibb: Honoraria, Research Funding; Novartis: Honoraria, Research Funding; Janssen: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Amgen: Honoraria, Research Funding; Celgene: Honoraria, Research Funding; Sanofi: Honoraria, Research Funding; GlaxoSmithKline: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Hajek:Takeda: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Pharma MAR: Consultancy, Honoraria; BMS: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; AbbVie: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Celgene: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Amgen: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Janssen: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Roche: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Oncopeptides: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Novartis: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding. Martinez-Lopez:Novartis: Consultancy; Incyte: Consultancy, Research Funding; Janssen: Consultancy, Honoraria; Janssen-cilag: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; BMS: Consultancy, Research Funding. Lucio:Janssen: Consultancy, Honoraria; Amgen: Consultancy, Honoraria; Takeda: Consultancy, Honoraria; Celgene: Consultancy, Honoraria. Nagy:MorphoSys AG: Patents & Royalties. Liberati:Onconova: Research Funding; Takeda: Research Funding; Roche: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; GSK: Research Funding; Pfizer: Research Funding; Abbvie: Honoraria, Research Funding; Morphosys: Research Funding; Novartis: Research Funding; Incyte: Honoraria; Oncopeptides: Research Funding; Karyopharm: Research Funding; Verastem: Research Funding; Janssen: Honoraria, Research Funding. Takamatsu:Adaptive Biotechnologies: Honoraria; Bristol-Myers Squibb: Honoraria, Research Funding; Ono pharmaceutical: Honoraria, Research Funding; Janssen Pharmaceutical: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; SRL: Consultancy, Research Funding. Romejko-Jarosinska:Janssen: Honoraria; Celgene: Honoraria; Gilead: Honoraria, Other: travel expences ; Servier: Honoraria; Sanofi: Honoraria; Roche: Honoraria, Other: travel expences ; Macopharma: Other: travel expences ; Servier: Other: travel expences . Knop:Celgene; Bristol Myers Squibb; Sanofi; Janssen: Honoraria. Forsyth:Amgen: Consultancy; Janssen Pharmaceuticals Australia: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Gries:Janssen: Current Employment, Current equity holder in publicly-traded company. Pei:Janssen: Current Employment, Current equity holder in publicly-traded company. Kudva:Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center: Other: non-paid consultancy; Janssen: Current Employment, Current equity holder in publicly-traded company. Ukropec:Janssen: Current Employment, Current equity holder in publicly-traded company. Wroblewski:Susan Wrobleski: Current Employment, Current equity holder in publicly-traded company. Carson:Janssen: Current Employment. Dimopoulos:BMS: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Other: Personal fees; Amgen: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Other: Personal fees, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Takeda: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Other: Personal fees, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Celgene: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Other: Personal fees, Speakers Bureau; Janssen: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Other: Personal fees, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau.

BACKGROUND: The adjuvanted recombinant zoster vaccine (Shingrix) can prevent herpes zoster in older adults and autologous haemopoietic stem cell transplant recipients. We evaluated the safety and immunogenicity of this vaccine in adults with haematological malignancies receiving immunosuppressive cancer treatments. METHODS: In this phase 3, randomised, observer-blind, placebo-controlled study, done at 77 centres worldwide, we randomly assigned (1:1) patients with haematological malignancies aged 18 years and older to receive two doses of the adjuvanted recombinant zoster vaccine or placebo 1-2 months apart during or after immunosuppressive cancer treatments, and stratified participants according to their underlying diseases. The co-primary objectives of the study were the evaluation of safety and reactogenicity of the adjuvanted recombinant zoster vaccine compared with placebo from the first vaccination up to 30 days after last vaccination in all participants; evaluation of the proportion of participants with a vaccine response in terms of anti-glycoprotein E humoral immune response to the adjuvanted recombinant zoster vaccine at month 2 in all participants, excluding those with non-Hodgkin B-cell lymphoma and chronic lymphocytic leukaemia; and evaluation of the anti-glycoprotein E humoral immune responses to the vaccine compared with placebo at month 2 in all participants, excluding those with non-Hodgkin B-cell lymphoma and chronic lymphocytic leukaemia. We assessed immunogenicity in the per-protocol cohort for immunogenicity and safety in the total vaccinated cohort. The study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT01767467, and with the EU Clinical Trials Register, number 2012-003438-18. FINDINGS: Between March 1, 2013, and Sept 10, 2015, we randomly assigned 286 participants to adjuvanted recombinant zoster vaccine and 283 to placebo. 283 in the vaccine group and 279 in the placebo group were vaccinated. At month 2, 119 (80·4%, 95% CI 73·1-86·5) of 148 participants had a humoral vaccine response to adjuvanted recombinant zoster vaccine, compared with one (0·8%, 0·0-4·2) of 130 participants in the placebo group, and the adjusted geometric mean anti-glycoprotein E antibody concentration was 23 132·9 mIU/mL (95% CI 16 642·8-32 153·9) in the vaccine group and 777·6 mIU/mL (702·8-860·3) in the placebo group (adjusted geometric mean ratio 29·75, 21·09-41·96; p

© 2018 The Authors., [Background]: The present prospective, multinational, noninterventional study aimed to document and describe real-world treatment regimens and disease progression in multiple myeloma (MM) patients. [Patients and Methods]: Adult patients initiating any new MM therapy from October 2010 to October 2012 were eligible. A multistage patient/site recruitment model was applied to minimize the selection bias; enrollment was stratified by country, region, and practice type. The patient medical and disease features, treatment history, and remission status were recorded at baseline, and prospective data on treatment, efficacy, and safety were collected electronically every 3 months., [Results]: A total of 2358 patients were enrolled. Of these patients, 775 and 1583 did and did not undergo stem cell transplantation (SCT) at any time during treatment, respectively. Of the patients in the SCT and non-SCT groups, 49%, 21%, 14%, and 15% and 57%, 20%, 12% and 10% were enrolled at treatment line 1, 2, 3, and ≥ 4, respectively. In the SCT and non-SCT groups, 45% and 54% of the patients had received bortezomib-based therapy without thalidomide/lenalidomide, 12% and 18% had received thalidomide/lenalidomide-based therapy without bortezomib, and 30% and 4% had received bortezomib plus thalidomide/lenalidomide-based therapy as frontline treatment, respectively. The corresponding proportions of SCT and non-SCT patients in lines 2, 3, and ≥ 4 were 45% and 37%, 30% and 37%, and 12% and 3%, 33% and 27%, 35% and 32%, and 8% and 2%, and 27% and 27%, 27% and 23%, and 6% and 4%, respectively. In the SCT and non-SCT patients, the overall response rate was 86% to 97% and 64% to 85% in line 1, 74% to 78% and 59% to 68% in line 2, 55% to 83% and 48% to 60% in line 3, and 49% to 65% and 36% and 45% in line 4, respectively, for regimens that included bortezomib and/or thalidomide/lenalidomide., [Conclusion]: The results of our prospective study have revealed great diversity in the treatment regimens used to manage MM in real-life practice. This diversity was linked to factors such as novel agent accessibility and evolving treatment recommendations. Our results provide insight into associated clinical benefits., Writing support during the development of our report was provided by Laura Mulcahy and Catherine Crookes of FireKite, an Ashfield company, a part of UDG Healthcare plc, which was funded by Millennium Pharmaceuticals, Inc, and Janssen Global Services, LLC. The EMMOS study was supported by research funding from Janssen Pharmaceutical NV and Millennium Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

The association of single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of B-cell activating factor (BAFF)/a proliferation-inducing ligand (APRIL) system with B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (B-CLL) have been suggested, therefore, we investigated 20 SNPs of BAFF, APRIL, BAFF-R, transmembrane activator and calcium modulator and cyclophilin-ligand interactor (TACI), B-cell maturation antigen (BCMA) genes and the risk and outcome of B-CLL in 187 patients and 296 healthy subjects as well as ligand-receptor gene × gene interactions. Although the obtained P-values for all 20 SNPs did not reach statistical significance for this study (α = 0.003), the high value of the global chi-squared statistic (χ(2) df = 38 = 52.65; P = 0.0586), and obtained values of odds ratio indicate that rs9514828 (BAFF), rs3803800 (APRIL) and rs4985726 (TACI) may be associated with the risk of B-CLL. We observed that the B-CLL patients with the genotype rs9514828CT/rs11570136AA were diagnosed with the disease 12 years later than the whole group of patients in this study.

Background Interim PET after two ABVD cycles (iPET2) predicts treatment outcome in classical Hodgkin’s lymphoma. To test whether an earlier assessment of chemosensitivity would improve the prediction accuracy, we launched a prospective, multicenter observational study aimed at assessing the predictive value of iPET after one ABVD (iPET1) and the kinetics of response assessed by sequential PET scanning. Patients and methods Consecutive patients with newly diagnosed classical Hodgkin’s lymphoma underwent interim PET scan after one ABVD course (iPET1). PETs were interpreted according to the Deauville score (DS) as negative (−) (DS 1–3) and positive (+) (DS 4, 5). Patients with iPET1 DS 3–5 underwent iPET2. Results About 106 early (I–IIA) and 204 advanced (IIB–IV) patients were enrolled between January 2008 and October 2014. iPET1 was (−) in 87/106 (82%) or (+) in 19/106 (18%) of early, and (−) in 133/204 (65%) or (+) in 71/204 (35%) of advanced stage patients, respectively. Twenty-four patients were excluded from response analysis due to treatment escalation. After a median follow-up of 38.2 (3.2–90.2) months, 9/102 (9%) early and 43/184 (23%) advanced patients experienced a progression-free survival event. At 36 months, negative and positive predictive value for iPET1 were 94% and 41% (early) and 84% and 43% (advanced), respectively. The kinetics of PET response was assessed in 198 patients with both iPETs. All 116 patients with iPET1(−) remained iPET2(−) (fast responders), 41/82 with IPET1(+) became iPET2(−) (slow responders), and the remaining 41 stayed iPET2(+) (non-responders); progression-free survival at 36 months for fast, slow and non-responders was 0.88, 0.79 and 0.34, respectively. Conclusion The optimal tool to predict ABVD outcome in HL remains iPET2 because it distinguishes responders, whatever their time to response, from non-responders. However, iPET1 identified fast responders with the best outcome and might guide early treatment de-escalation in both early and advanced-stage HL.

B and T lymphocyte attenuator (BTLA) is one of the members of immunoglobulin superfamily which, like CTLA-4 and PD-1, is involved in down regulation of immune response. Despite the important role of BTLA in maintaining immune homeostasis, relatively little studies were devoted to the relationship of polymorphisms in the gene encoding BTLA with susceptibility to autoimmune disease and cancer. Moreover, all published works were done in Asian populations. BTLA gene is located on chromosome 3 in q13.2 and consists of five exons. The aim of this study was to investigate the alleles, genotypes and haplotypes frequency of selected BTLA gene polymorphisms in Caucasian population originating from Poland. For this study, the single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were chosen on the basis of literature data. Additionally, the tag dSNP under linkage equilibrium r2 > 0.8 and available at the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) for Caucasian population of rare alleles at a frequency greater than 5 % have been chosen using the NCBI database. The ten BTLA SNPs investigated were: rs1844089, rs2705535, rs9288952, rs9288953, rs1982809, rs2633580, rs2705511, rs2705565, rs76844316, rs16859633. For all SNPs selected on the basis of literature data the significantly different distributions of genotypes between Asian and Caucasian populations were observed.

We compared the outcomes of multiple myeloma (MM) patients aged 21–40 and 41–60 years in the novel agent era. This case-control study included 1089 patients between 2000 and 2015. Cases and controls were matched for sex, International Staging System (ISS) stage and institution. There were 173 patients in the younger group and 916 patients in the older group. Younger patients presented with a higher incidence of lytic lesions (82% vs. 72%; P = 0·04) and high-risk cytogenetic abnormalities (83% vs. 68%; P = 0·007), but lower rate of elevated lactate dehydrogenase (21% vs. 44%; P

Background Patients with hematologic malignancies treated with anticancer immunosuppressive therapies (ITs) are at increased risk of herpes zoster (HZ). In a previous report of this phase 3, observer-blind, multicenter trial (NCT01767467), the adjuvanted recombinant zoster vaccine (RZV) was shown to be immunogenic and well-tolerated in ≥18 years of age patients with hematologic malignancies who completed or were undergoing anticancer IT.1 Here we report end-of-study results from the same trial. Methods Participants were randomized 1:1 to receive 2 doses of RZV or placebo (PL) 1–2 months apart, either ≥10 days before or after a cancer therapy cycle, or 10 days to 6 months after cancer therapy ended. Humoral and cell-mediated immune (CMI) responses were evaluated at 1 month and 12 months post-dose 2 (month 2 and month 13, respectively). Confirmatory objectives were to evaluate humoral response rate to RZV and to compare humoral immune responses to RZV and PL at month 2 excluding either subjects with chronic lymphocytic leukemia and non-Hodgkin B-cell lymphoma (NHBCL), or only those with NHBCL. Efficacy against HZ was explored in a post-hoc analysis of confirmed HZ cases. Solicited and unsolicited adverse events (AEs) were recorded for 7 and 30 days after each dose, respectively. Serious AEs (SAEs) and potential immune-mediated diseases (pIMDs) were recorded throughout the study. Results Of the 562 (RZV: 283, PL: 279) treated participants, 415 (RZV: 217, PL: 198)/310 (RZV: 168, PL: 142) were included in the according-to-protocol (ATP) cohort for humoral immunogenicity/immune persistence. The ATP sub-cohort for CMI included 132 (RZV: 69, PL: 63) participants at month 2 and 100 (RZV: 54, PL: 46) at month 13. All confirmatory immunogenicity objectives were met (Table 1). RZV efficacy against HZ, assessed post-hoc, was 87.2% (Table 2). RZV was more reactogenic than PL. The occurrence of unsolicited AEs, SAEs, and pIMDs was similar between the study groups (Table 3). Conclusion RZV induced robust humoral and cellular immune responses and showed an effect in the reduction of HZ incidence in patients with hematologic malignancies who completed or were undergoing anticancer IT. No safety concerns were identified. Reference 1. Oostvogels et al. IDWeek2017, abs 1344. Funding. GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals SA. Disclosures A. F. Dagnew, GSK: Employee and Shareholder, Salary. J. Murphy, GSK: Investigator, Research support. S. A. McNeil, GSK group of companies: Grant Investigator, Research grant and Research support. B. Salaun, GSK group of companies: Employee and Shareholder, Salary. E. Di Paolo, GSK group of companies: Employee, Salary. L. Campora, GSK group of companies: Employee and Shareholder, Salary. M. López-Fauqued, GSK group of companies: Employee, Salary. M. El Idrissi, GSK group of companies: Employee, Salary. A. Schuind, GSK: Employee, Salary. T. C. Heineman, GSK group of companies: Consultant, Employee and Shareholder, Consulting fee and Salary. P. Van Den Steen, GSK: Employee and Shareholder, Restricted shares and Salary. L. Oostvogels, GSK: Employee, Salary and Stock and stock options.

Recent multi-stage genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that are robustly associated with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) risk. Given that most of these SNPs map to non-coding regions of the genome, it suggests that the functional basis of many GWAS signals will be through differential gene expression. By referencing publically accessible expression quantitative trait loci (eQTL) data on lymphoblastoid cells lines (LCLs) we have globally demonstrated an association between GWAS P-values and eQTLs, consistent with much of the variation in CLL risk being defined by variants impacting on gene expression. To explore using eQTL data to select GWAS SNPs for replication, we genotyped rs2072135 (GWAS P-value = 0·0024, eQTL P-value = 1·510(-19)) in five independent case-control series totalling 1968 cases and 3538 controls. While not attaining statistical significance (combined P-value = 1 × 10(-4)), rs2072135 defines a promising risk locus for CLL. Incorporating eQTL information offers an attractive strategy for selecting SNPs from GWAS for validation.

The aim of this study was to analyze the association between gene polymorphisms of killer-cell immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIRs) and their human leukocyte antigen (HLA) ligands and susceptibility to B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (B-CLL) and the clinical course of disease. The distribution of individual KIR genes in 197 B-CLL patients and 200 controls was similar, except for a tendency for lower frequencies of the KIR2DS3 and KIR2DL5 genes among B-CLL patients (26.9% vs 35.5%, P = 0.06, 46.2% vs 55.5%, P = 0.06). The associations between KIR2DS3 and B-CLL reached statistical significance in women (P = 0.05). Moreover, we found a trend toward a lower frequency of genotypes with the presence of five or six activating KIR genes in B-CLL patients compared to controls (20.8% vs 29.0%, P = 0.06), and a significantly higher frequency of individuals possessing genotypes with a prevalence of inhibitory over activating KIR genes (ratio < 0.71) among B-CLL patients (P = 0.04). The HLA-Bw4 specificity was significantly reduced among B-CLL patients (48.7% vs 63.0%, P = 0.005), which resulted from a decreased frequency of HLA-Bw4(Thr80) (21.6% vs 32.0%, P = 0.02). Moreover, among HLA-Bw4-positive individuals, progression-free survival (PFS) tended to be higher in the presence of KIR3DS1 (77% ± 9% vs 39% ± 13%, P = 0.07). However, in B-CLL patients, the presence of HLA-C2 was associated with decreased PFS (49% ± 9% vs 75% ± 7%, P = 0.02), and among HLA-C2-positive patients, the probability of PFS was significantly reduced in the absence of KIR2DS1 (34% ± 11% vs 77% ± 7%, P = 0.007). Our results indicate that the pattern of inhibitory/activating KIR genes, together with their HLA ligands, is associated with susceptibility to B-CLL and affects the clinical course of this disease.

Various phenotype and functional T-cell abnormalities are observed in multiple myeloma (MM) patients. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between polymorphisms in the gene encoding cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen-4 (CTLA-4), a negative regulator of the T-lymphocyte immune response and susceptibility to multiple myeloma in a Polish population. Two hundred MM patients and 380 healthy subjects were genotyped for the following polymorphisms: CTLA-4c.49A>G, CTLA-4g.319C>T, CTLA-4g.*642AT(8_33), CT60 (CTLA-4g.*6230G>A), Jo31 (CTLA-4g.*10223G>T). Our study is the largest and most comprehensive evaluation to date of the association between genetic polymorphisms in the CTLA-4 molecule and multiple myeloma. It was found that CTLA-4c.49A>G[G], CT60[G], and Jo31[G] alleles were more frequently observed in MM patients than in controls (0.50 vs. 0.44, p = 0.03, 0.65 vs. 0.58, p = 0.04, and 0.63 vs. 0.57, p = 0.03, respectively). Moreover, the haplotype CTLA-4c.49A>G[G], CTLA-4g.319C>T[C], CTLA-4g.*642AT(8_33) [8], CT60[G], Jo31[G] including all susceptibility alleles increases the risk of MM about fourfold (OR: 3.79, 95%CI: 2.08–6.89, p = 0.00001). These findings indicate that genetic variations in the CTLA-4 gene play role in susceptibility to multiple myeloma and warrant further investigation through replication studies.

There is strong evidence that altered immunological function entails an increased risk of B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (B-CLL). The main mechanism of an anti-tumor response depends on T-cell activation. Unlike the constitutively expressed CD28, inducible costimulatory molecule (ICOS) is expressed on the T-cell surface after activation. ICOS enhances all the basic T-cell responses to a foreign antigen, namely proliferation, secretion of lymphokines, the upregulation of molecules that mediate cell-cell interaction, and effective help for antibody secretion by B cells. ICOS is essential for both efficient interaction between T and B cells and normal antibody responses to T cell-dependent antigens. It does not upregulate the production of interleukin-2, but superinduces the synthesis of interleukin-10. Our previous results indicated the ICOS gene has a role as a susceptibility locus to B-CLL. Therefore an extended study was undertaken to evaluate the association between four ICOS polymorphisms (which were recently described as functional ones) and susceptibility to B-CLL in the Polish population. A case-control study of 296 individuals, including 146 B-CLL patients, was conducted on four polymorphisms in the ICOS gene. Genotyping of the polymorphisms ICOS ISV1+173T>C (rs10932029), ICOSc.1624C>T (rs10932037), ICOSc.2373G>C (rs4675379), and ICOSc.602A>C (rs10183087) was carried out using allelic discrimination methods with the TaqMan® SNP Genotyping Assay. There were no statistically significant differences in the allele, genotype, or haplotype distributions between B-CLL patients and healthy controls for any of the investigated polymorphic markers in the ICOS gene. However, we noted that patients carrying genotype ICOS ISV1+173T>C [TT], ICOSc.602A>C [AA], ICOSc.1624C>T [CC], and ICOSc.2373G>C [GG] have a decreased frequency of progression to a higher Rai stage during 60-month follow-up (21.35% vs. 40.8%, p = 0.013) compared to other individuals. This indicates that the investigated polymorphisms do not modulate the risk of B-CLL in the Polish population, but are associated with disease dynamics, in particular with the time to Rai stage progression. (Folia Histochemica et Cytobiologica 2011; Vol. 49, No. 1, pp. 49–54)

Induction therapy in patients with multiple myeloma increases the risk of thromboembolism. We have recently shown that multiple myeloma patients tend to form denser fibrin clots displaying poor lysability. We investigated the effect of induction therapy on fibrin clot properties in multiple myeloma patients. Ex-vivo plasma fibrin clot permeability, turbidity, susceptibility to lysis, thrombin generation, factor VIII and fibrinolytic proteins were compared in 48 multiple myeloma patients prior to and following 3 months of induction therapy, mainly with cyclophosphamide-thalidomide-dexamethasone regimen. Patients on thromboprophylaxis with aspirin or heparins were eligible. A 3-month induction therapy resulted in improved clot properties, that is higher clot permeability, compaction, shorter lag phase and higher final turbidity, along with shorter clot lysis time and higher rate of D-dimer release from fibrin clots than the baseline values. The therapy also resulted in lower thrombin generation, antiplasmin and thrombin-activatable fibrinolysis inhibitor (TAFI), but elevated factor VIII. Progressive disease was associated with lower posttreatment clot permeability and lysability. Despite thromboprophylaxis, two patients developed ischemic stroke and 10 had venous thromboembolism. They were characterized by pretreatment lower clot permeability, prolonged clot lysis time, longer lag phase, higher peak thrombin generation, TAFI and plasminogen activator inhibitor -1. Formation of denser plasma fibrin clots with reduced lysability and increased thrombin generation at baseline could predispose to thrombotic complications during induction treatment in multiple myeloma patients. We observed improved fibrin clot properties and thrombin generation in multiple myeloma patients except those with progressive disease.

A typical symptom of microscopic colitis (MC) is chronic watery diarrhea with normal endoscopic findings and characteristic inflammatory changes in histopathology. Treatment of the disease is mainly empiric. MC has two main subtypes: lymphocytic colitis and collagenous colitis. There are also untypical histopathological forms of MC: MC with giant cells, MC not otherwise specified (NOS) and cryptal lymphocytic coloproctitis. Some other histopathological changes in MC have been observed, especially Paneth cell hyperplasia or epithelial degeneration. Eosinophilic colitis, acute colitis, amyloidosis, ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease should be taken into consideration in differential diagnosis. The most reliable biopsy material for histopathological examination are samples obtained from transverse colon. Some studies proved that treatment of MC makes it possible to reduce not only clinical, but also histopathological, manifestations.

Background Multiple myeloma (MM) is associated with increased risk of venous and arterial thromboembolism. Formation of denser and poorly lysable fibrin clots is observed in patients with arterial and venous thromboembolism. We investigated fibrin clot properties and their determinants in MM patients. Materials and Methods Ex vivo plasma fibrin clot permeability, turbidity and susceptibility to lysis were evaluated in 106 MM patients at the time of diagnosis vs. 100 age- and sex-matched controls. MM patients had lower clot permeability (Ks), compaction, indicating denser fibrin clots, impaired fibrin polymerization with longer lag phase and lower final turbidity (D−Dmax), combined with hypofibrinolysis reflected by longer lysis time and slower rate of D-dimer release from fibrin clots (D−Drate) compared with controls (all P

Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) have dramatically improved the results of therapy of chronic myeloid leukemia. However the management with more potent second generation TKIs (2GTKIs) is required for imatinib-intolerant and imatinib-resistant patients. The frontline use of 2GTKIs results in higher rates of deeper and faster responses than with imatinib, it can enable many patients to qualify for participation in studies of treatment-free remission. The BCR/ABL transcript level at 3 months of TKI treatment has become a new prognostic factor. In this paper the recent clinical results of chronic myeloid leukemia therapy with imatinib in first line and with 2GTKIs in first and second line settings are reviewed, and updated PALG recommendations regarding the diagnosis, standard monitoring procedures, definitions of responses and treatment are presented.

Background: Several studies confirmed the predictive role on treatment outcome of interim-PET after 2nd ABVD cycle (iPET2) in Hodgkin lymphoma (HL). We hypothesized that interim PET after 1st cycle (iPET1) might define chemosensitivity with a better accuracy than iPET-2. To test this hypothesis, PLRG launched in 2008 a prospective multicenter observational study aiming at assessing the prognostic role of iPET1 and the dynamic of sequential PET response to ABVD. Methods: Adult pts with newly diagnosed early (stage I-IIA) and advanced (stage IIB-IV) consecutively enrolled in 11 Polish centers were risk-stratified by the EORTC/GELA criteria and treated according to the ESMO guidelines: ABVD x 3-4 cycles + IFRT in early stage, ABVD x 6 ± consolidation RT in advanced stage disease. Patients were scanned with iPET1 and iPET2 and no treatment change was permitted based solely on iPET results, with the exception of clinical or radiological evidence of overt HL progression. After the first interim analysis (52 pts enrolled, 2010), which demonstrated that all the iPET1 negative patients had also a negative iPET2, the protocol was amended, limiting the iPET2 scans only to pts with iPET1 Deauville score 5,4,3. Quality control for PET-CT was supervised by the Italian-Polish core lab using a standard methodology. PET scans were interpreted locally according to the Deauville 5-point scale: Score 1 to 3, was considered a negative (-), score 4 to 5 a positive (+) scan. Subsequently all PET scans were uploaded to the web platform WIDEN® for central review and Italian-Polish expert panel (EP) scored them afresh. Discorcondant cases were discussed in a joint review session with all the five EP members. Binary and overall concordance rates were calculated using k Cohen's and alpha Krippendorf's coefficients, respectively. Negative (NPV) and positive predictive values (PPV) of iPET1 were calculated using time to progression free survival (PFS) event. Results: Between 2008 and 2014, 346 pts were registered. 35 pts were excluded from the analysis for absence/poor quality of images resulting in 108(35%) assessable pts with early and 203(65%) with advanced HL. Median age at diagnosis was 31(18-80) years. iPET1 was scored 1-3 in 87/108(81%), and 4-5 in 21/108(19%) of pts with early and in 133/203(65%), and 70/203(35%) with advanced stage, respectively. Out of 91pts with positive iPET1, 83 pts underwent iPET2, which remained (+) in 41/83(49,4%) pts. In 22 pts treatment was escalated. 11 of those pts, in whom the treatment escalation was decided solely on positive iPET were excluded from the analysis; the remaining had symptoms or CT evidence of progression. After a median follow-up of 40,2 (3,2-90,2) months 300 pts (103 "early" and 197 "advanced") were evaluable. 65(21,7%) of them (9 in early and 56 in advanced group) had a PFS event: in "early" group 9(9%) showed disease progression (4 with iPET1(-) and 5 with IPET1(+)) and 1 of them died. In advanced stage 49(25%) pts showed disease progression (16 with iPET1(-) and 33 withiPET1(+)) out of whom 13 died; 7 additional pts died without HL progression: 4 from toxicity and 3 from unrelated events. At 36 months NPV and PPV of iPET1 was 93% and 45% in "early" and 81% and 52% in "advanced" group, respectively. The dynamic of response to ABVD was assessed in 189 pts who underwent both iPETs. All 116 pts with iPET1(-) remained (-) in iPET2-(fast-responders). Out of 83pts with IPET1(+) 39 (47%) became iPET2(-)-(slow responders); the rest (34pts: 41%) remained iPET2(+)-(no responders). PFS for fast-responders @36 months was 85%, for slow-responders 80% (log rank p=0,36) and for no-responders 25% (log rank p=0,0000). The EP changed the local iPET1 score in 27 cases: in 14 from (+) to (-) in 13 from (-) to (+). The inter-observer-agreement among reviewers on evaluating a positive vs. negative interim PET scans was good, Fleiss' kappa = 0.73, comparable to that found in analogous studies (IVS, HD0607). Conclusion: iPET1 fails to better identify chemosensitivity in ABVD-treated HL compared to iPET2. PPV of iPET1 is substantially inferior to the published results for iPET2. However NPV of iPET1 is comparable to iPET2 and therefore might guide early treatment de-escalation strategies. Disclosures Zaucha: Roche: Honoraria, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Amgen: Honoraria, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Takeda: Honoraria, Speakers Bureau. Knopinska-Posluszny:Roche: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Speakers Bureau; Amgen: Speakers Bureau; Teva: Other: travel, accommodation, Speakers Bureau. Walewski:Mundipharma; Roche; Takeda: Honoraria, Other: Travel expenses; Amgen; Boehringer Ingelheim; Celgene; Janssen-Cilag; Mundipharma; Roche; Takeda; Teva: Consultancy; Bayer (Inst); Bayer/Onyx (Inst); Boehringer Ingelheim (Inst); Celgene (Inst); Celltrion (Inst); Gilead Sciences (Inst); GlaxoSmithKline (Inst); GlaxoSmithKline (Inst); Mundipharma (Inst); Pfizer (Inst); Roche (Inst); Roche/Genentech (Inst); Seattle Geneti: Research Funding.

The treatment of patients with multiple myeloma usually includes many drugs including thalidomide, lenalidomide and bortezomib. Lovastatin and other inhibitors of HMG-CoA reductase demonstrated to exhibit antineoplasmatic and proapoptotic properties in numerous in vitro studies involving myeloma cell lines. We treated 91 patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma with thalidomide, dexamethasone and lovastatin (TDL group, 49 patients) or thalidomide and dexamethasone (TD group, 42 patients). A clinical response defined of at least 50% reduction of monoclonal band has been observed in 32% of TD patients and 44% of TDL patients. Prolongation of overall survival and progression-free survival in the TDL group as compared with the TD group has been documented. The TDL regimen was safe and well tolerated. The incidence of side effects was comparable in both groups. Plasma cells have been cultured in vitro with thalidomide and lovastatin to assess the impact of both drugs on the apoptosis rate of plasma cells. In vitro experiments revealed that the combination of thalidomide and lovastatin induced higher apoptosis rate than apoptosis induced by each drug alone. Our results suggest that the addition of lovastatin to the TD regimen may improve the response rate in patients with relapsed or refractory myeloma.

A small subgroup of patients with hypereosinophilic syndrome (HES) demonstrates imatinib-sensitive fusion transcript-the FIP1L1-PDGFRA (F/P+). These cases are currently diagnosed as chronic eosinophilic leukaemia (CEL). In this paper, we screened 77 patients to estimate the frequency of FIP1L1-PDGFRA transcript among patients with unexplained, long-term hypereosinophilia exceeding 1.5 x 10(9)/L and to analyse the clinical and serological features in F/P+ CEL population. The FIP1L1-PDGFRA chimeric protein was detectable in 16 (14 males and 2 females) out of 77 examined HES patients (20%) by RT-PCR. Two patients suffered from cough at diagnosis. Three out of 16 (18%) patients had no organ involvements, in 5-one organ was affected and in the remaining eight cases-at least two. Eosinophilic organ damage/dysfunction identified splenomegaly in the majority of studied patients. We compared clinical and serological features between CEL F/P+ (n = 16) and HES (n = 61) patients. F/P+ cases had significantly increased WBC and absolute eosinophil count (AEC) at diagnosis (p = 0.008 and 0.02), whereas platelet count was decreased in this population (p = 0.03). Serum B12 and tryptase levels were increased (p = 0.002 and 0.004) in CEL F/P+ patients when compared to HES cases whereas serum IL-5 levels were significantly increased in the latter group (p = 0.01). Male gender and splenomegaly occurred more frequent in CEL F/P+ population (p = 0.002 and 0.0007, respectively). Additionally, patients with F/P+ CEL (n = 16) were compared with F/P- CEL (n = 8). The latter group, was significantly older, had lower AEC and higher platelet count. In conclusion, significant clinical symptoms are infrequent present and splenomegaly remains the most common organ involvement in patients with CEL expressing F/P fusion transcript. Our study confirmed the long-term remission on imatinib in this patient population.

Ultrasonography (US) is an easy and non-invasive technique of visualizing spleen. Thanks to its repeatability, it plays an important role in the diagnostics of, among others, developmental anomalies, such as supernumerary or lobated spleens, as well as focal lesions. It is also used in monitoring the size of the spleen and it considerably facilitates diagnosis after certain injuries. Thanks to the application of the Doppler method, it also facilitates the diagnostics of pathologies within the spleen's vessels.This paper presents six different cases of focal lesions in the spleen, including lesions in the course of histiocytosis, in the course of sarcoidosis, as well as isolated abscesses of the spleen. The authors also present the case of a spleen with numerous metastatic lesions, the case of a near-splenic cyst, and the case of asymptomatic focal lesions of unknown origin. In all the presented cases, the lesions were accidentally revealed during ultrasonographic examination, which was the starting point for further diagnostics.Though rare, morphologic lesions in the spleen should always be taken into consideration when performing a routine ultrasonographic examination of the abdominal cavity, and the organ itself should not be ignored. US is a widely available, noninvasive, and useful method for diagnosing splenic abnormalities, including focal changes.

Transforming growth factor beta (TGF ) is involved in a variety of important cellular functions. The lack of TGF -dependent cell-growth control might be related to oncogenesis, as it has been shown in lung, breast, and colon carcinomas. Current observations have revealed that TGF is rather an inhibiting, not a stimulating, factor as far as malignant tumor development is concerned. Recently, however, there has been a growing number of reports on increased expression of TGF genes in certain tumors. In patients with a diagnosis of non-small-cell lung carcinoma, the tumors expressing high levels of TGF were the ones that had a higher proliferation and metastasis capability, whereas more promising were the cases with lower levels of TGF expression.A pilot study of 14 patients was conducted comprising 8 patients with a low-grade lymphoma and 6 patients with a high-grade lymphoma. The QRT-PCR method was employed to assess the activity of TGF 1 and of its receptor types I, II, and III.The expression values for TGF 1 and its receptors I, II, and III were twice as high in the group of patients with a diagnosis of high-grade lymphomas as in the group of patients diagnosed with low-grade lymphomas.Results showed a clear difference in TGF 1 expression in patients with NHL depending on the subtype of the lymphoma, suggesting its significant role in the pathomechanism of this group of malignant diseases as well as its potential value as a prognostic factor.

Wilson's disease defined also as hepatolenticular degeneration is an important clinical problem of young adults still causing diagnostic difficulties. In the course of the last decade, genetic background of the disease has been definitely established and elucidated, confirming the variety of genetic mutations, responsible for its origin. The current scheme of the disease treatment has been elaborated and established. It aims to eliminate the excess of toxic copper ions from the organism as fast as possible. In the initial phase of the treatment, traditional and recently introduced chelating agents administration usually results in prompt tissue copper deposits excretion and copper metabolism balance maintenance. In the chronic therapy, zinc compounds, inducing intestinal and hepatic metallothionein synthesis, have been gaining more common application. Life-long, constant, pharmacological Wilson's disease therapy, administered after its early diagnosis, allows for long periods of patients survival, frequently comparable to the normal population.

Abstract 4614 Introduction: There is strong evidence that altered immunological function entails an increased risk of B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (B-CLL). The main mechanism of an antitumor response depends on T-cell activation. Unlike the constitutively expressed CD28, inducible costimulatory molecule (ICOS) is expressed on the T-cell surface after activation. ICOS enhances all the basic T-cell responses to a foreign antigen, namely proliferation, secretion of lymphokines, the up-regulation of molecules that mediate cell-cell interaction, and effective help for antibody secretion by B cells. ICOS is essential for both efficient interaction between T and B cells and normal antibody responses to T cell-dependent antigens. It does not up-regulate the production of interleukin-2, but superinduces the synthesis of interleukin-10. Our previous results indicated a role of ICOS gene as a susceptibility locus to B-CLL. Therefore an extended study was undertaken to evaluate the association between four ICOS polymorphisms (which were recently described as functional ones) and susceptibility to B-CLL in a Polish population. Methods: A case-control study of 296 individuals including 146 B-CLL patients was conducted on four polymorphisms in the ICOS gene. Genotyping of the polymorphisms ICOSISV1+173T>C (rs10932029), ICOSc.1624C>T (rs10932037), ICOSc.2373G>C (rs4675379), and ICOSc.602A>C (rs10183087) was done using allelic discrimination methods with the TaqManÒ SNP Genotyping Assay. Results: There were no statistically significant differences in the allele, genotype, and haplotype distributions between B-CLL patients and healthy controls for any of the investigated polymorphic markers in the ICOS gene. However, we noted that patients carrying genotype ISV1+173T>C [TT], ICOSc.602A>C [AA], ICOSc.1624C>T [CC], and ICOSc.2373G>C [GG] have a decreased frequency of progression to a higher Rai stage during 60-month follow-up (21.35 vs. 40.8%, p=0.013) compared with other individuals. Conclusion: This study showed that the investigated polymorphisms do not modulate the risk of B-CLL in the Polish population, but are associated with disease dynamics in particular with the time to Rai stage progression. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

Abstract 4402 Introduction Dysfunction in cellular and humoral immunity entails an increased risk of B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (B-CLL). It has been suggested that innate immunity, especially natural killers cells play key role in antitumor cytotoxicity regulated by interaction between killer immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIRs) on NK cells and some T-cell subpopulations and their HLA-class I ligands on target cells. KIRs receptors have been divided into two functional groups: with long cytoplasmic tails (DL) - inhibitory and with short cytoplasmic tails (DS) - activating. Two broad haplotypes of KIR genes have been defined: the A haplotype characterized by presence of single activating KIR gene (2DS4) and the B haloptype characterized by two or more activating KIR genes (2DS1, 2DS2, 2DS3, 2DS5 and 3DS1).The 2DL2, 2DL3 and 2DS2 KIRs bind to HLA-C1 allotype (Asp80), while 2DL1 and 2DS1 KIRs bind to HLA-C2 allotype (Lys80). Due to lack of representative data in literature the study was undertaken to determine the association between polymorphism of KIR genes and HLA-C allotypes and susceptibility to B-CLL. Patients and methods The following KIR genes were typed: 2DL1, 2DL2, 2DL3, 3DL1, 2DS1, 2DS2, 2DS3, 2DS4fl, 2DS4del, 2DS5, 3DS1, in 200 B-CLL patients and 199 healthy individuals using PCR-SSP method. The HLA-C1 and HLA-C2 were determined using Olerup SSP typing kit in 187 B-CLL patients and 104 controls. Results Individual KIR gene content was similar in B-CLL cases and healthy controls although patients with KIR2DS3 gene were more common among cases compared to controls (36% vs. 27%, p=0.06) (Table1). The frequency of AA haplotype did not differ between studied groups (29% vs. 28%). Moreover no differences were found between incidence of HLA-C allotypes (HLA-C1: 74.3% vs. 76.0%, HLA-C2: 67.4% vs.70.2%), genotypes (C1/C1: 32.6% vs 29.8%, C1/C2: 41.7% vs 46,2% and C2/C2: 25.7% vs 24.1) and KIR genes in combination with genes for their HLA-C ligands in B-CLL patients and controls (Table 2). Conclusions The data obtain in this study imply that there may be not direct association between KIR and HLA-C gene content in the genome and the presence of B-CLL. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.