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Purpose:Ruxolitinib with lenalidomide and dexamethasone shows antimyeloma effects in vitro and in vivo. MUC1 leads to lenalidomide resistance in multiple myeloma cells, and ruxolitinib blocks its expression. Thus, ruxolitinib may restore sensitivity to lenalidomide. Therefore, a phase I trial was conducted to determine the safety and efficacy of ruxolitinib with lenalidomide and methylprednisolone for patients with relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma (RRMM) who had been treated with lenalidomide/steroids and a proteasome inhibitor and showed progressive disease at study entry.Patients and Methods:A traditional 3+3 dose escalation design was used to enroll subjects in four cohorts with planned total enrollment of 28 patients. Subjects received ruxolitinib twice daily, lenalidomide daily on days 1–21 of a 28-day cycle, and methylprednisolone orally every other day. Primary endpoints were safety, clinical benefit rate (CBR), and overall response rate (ORR).Results:Twenty-eight patients were enrolled. The median age was 67 years and received a median of six prior treatments including lenalidomide and steroids to which 93% were refractory. No dose-limiting toxicities occurred. The CBR and ORR were 46% and 38%, respectively. All 12 responding patients were refractory to lenalidomide. Grade 3 or grade 4 adverse events (AE) included anemia (18%), thrombocytopenia (14%), and lymphopenia (14%). Most common serious AEs included sepsis (11%) and pneumonia (11%).Conclusions:This phase I trial demonstrates that a JAK inhibitor, ruxolitinib, can overcome refractoriness to lenalidomide and steroids for patients with RRMM. These results represent a promising novel therapeutic approach for treating multiple myeloma (ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT03110822).

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High-risk multiple myeloma (MM) continues to have a poor prognosis and remains a therapeutic challenge. This phase 2 study evaluated the efficacy and safety of elotuzumab in combination with pomalidomide, carfilzomib, and low-dose dexamethasone for patients with high-risk relapsed/refractory (RR)MM (NCT03104270). Of 13 enrolled patients, 11 were evaluable for efficacy. Overall response rate and clinical benefit rate were 45.4% and 54.5%, respectively. Deep responses were observed including two complete responses. The novel quadruplet combination was overall well-tolerated, with clinically manageable adverse events. Common adverse events of ≥ grade 3 included lymphopenia (15%), anemia (15%), sepsis (15%), pneumonia (15%), and hypophosphatemia (15%). The novel combination showed promising efficacy and was well tolerated in this heavily pretreated MM population. Even though the study was terminated early prior to completion of enrollment, the results indicate that this may be a promising therapeutic approach for high-risk RRMM patients, which warrants further study.

Background Multiple myeloma (MM) patients have variable responses to mRNA vaccination to COVID-19. Little is known regarding their vaccine-induced antibody levels over time. Methods We monitored spike IgG antibody levels over 24 weeks among a subset of 18 MM patients who showed a full response after two mRNA vaccinations. MM patients had a more rapid decline in antibody levels as compared to 8 healthy controls, with power law half-lives of 72 days (versus 107 days) and exponential half-lives of 37 days (versus 51 days). Results The patients with longer SARS-CoV-2 antibody half-lives were more likely to have undetectable monoclonal protein than those with shorter half-lives, suggesting better disease control may correlate with longer duration of vaccine-induced antibodies. Regardless, by 16 weeks post-second dose of mRNA vaccination, the majority of patients had antibody levels below 250 binding arbitrary units per milliliter, which would be unlikely to contribute significantly to preventing COVID-19. Conclusions Thus, even MM patients who respond adequately to vaccination are likely to require more frequent booster doses than the general population.

Multiple myeloma (MM) patients are at higher risk for severe COVID-19. Their mRNA vaccination response against SARS-CoV-2 is unknown. Thus, we analyzed responses to mRNA vaccination against COVID-19 among these patients. Using an ELISA-based assay that detects IgG antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 spike protein, we determined serum antibody levels prior to immunization and 12–21 and 14–21 days following the first and second vaccinations, respectively, with mRNA-1273 (Moderna) or BNT162b2 (Pfizer/BioNTech) among 103 MM patients (96 and 7 with active and smoldering disease, respectively). We stratified patients into clinically relevant responders (>250 IU/mL), partial responders (50–250 IU/mL, which was above pre-COVID-19 background), and nonresponders ( second line of treatment, and among those not in complete remission. Patients who received mRNA-1273 vaccine had higher anti-spike antibody levels than those who were vaccinated with BNT162b2. Thus, most MM patients have impaired responses to mRNA vaccination against COVID-19, and specific clinical and myeloma-related characteristics predict vaccine responsiveness.

Venetoclax is a BCL-2 inhibitor currently indicated for use in treating hematologic malignancies with recommended doses ranging from 400 to 600 mg/day. Although currently not FDA-approved to treat multiple myeloma (MM) patients, there is a growing number of reports indicating its efficacy as a salvage therapy for these patients, especially for those with the t(11;14) chromosomal marker. These studies, however, have also indicated that venetoclax given at doses ≥ 400 mg/day can cause serious adverse events (SAEs) especially when administered with bortezomib, commonly related to infections. The purpose of this single-center retrospective study was to determine the efficacy of low dose venetoclax (defined as ≤ 250 mg/day) in combination with low dose bortezomib (defined as 1.0 mg/m2 per dose), daratumumab, and dexamethasone (Dvvd) as a salvage therapy for relapsed/refractory myeloma (RRMM) patients. Twenty-two RRMM patients were given venetoclax orally at doses ranging from 100 to 250 mg daily using this four-drug regimen. While the low doses resulted in reduced venetoclax efficacy among those lacking t(11;14) (overall response rate [ORR] = 31%), those harboring the t(11;14) marker exhibited an ORR of 80%. Notably, this response was without frequent infection-related SAEs as reported in previous studies. Together, the results of this study demonstrate that treatment of t(11;14) positive RRMM patients with Dvvd is both effective and well-tolerated.

Ruxolitinib with lenalidomide and dexamethasone shows anti-myeloma effects in vitro and in vivo. MUC1 leads to lenalidomide resistance in multiple myeloma (MM) cells, and ruxolitinib blocks its expression. Thus, ruxolitinib may restore sensitivity to lenalidomide. A phase I trial was conducted to determine the safety and efficacy of ruxolitinib with lenalidomide and methylprednisolone for patients with relapsed/refractory (RR)MM who had been treated with lenalidomide, steroids and a proteasome inhibitor and showed progressive disease at study entry. A traditional 3 + 3 dose escalation design was used to enroll subjects in four cohorts. Subjects received ruxolitinib twice daily, lenalidomide daily on days 1-21 of a 28 day cycle and methylprednisolone orally every other day. Primary endpoints were safety, clinical benefit rate (CBR) and overall response rate (ORR). Forty-nine patients were enrolled. The median age was 64 years and they had received a median of six prior treatments including lenalidomide and steroids to which 94% were refractory. No dose limiting toxicities occurred. The CBR and ORR were 49% and 36%, respectively. All responding patients were refractory to lenalidomide. Grade 3 or 4 adverse events (AEs) included anemia (17%), decreased lymphocyte count (15%), and hypophosphatemia (10%). Most common serious AEs included sepsis (9.8%) and pneumonia (7.8%). This Phase I trial demonstrates that a JAK inhibitor, ruxolitinib, can overcome refractoriness to lenalidomide and steroids for patients with RRMM. These results represent a promising novel therapeutic approach for treating MM. NCT03110822.

The purpose of this single-center retrospective study was to determine the incidence of decreased blood phosphorus levels and hypophosphatemia among multiple myeloma (MM) patients treated with elotuzumab. Hypophosphatemia, which is defined as a serum phosphorus concentration

A 52-year-old African-American woman with a prior history of monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) developed infiltrating ductal carcinoma of the left breast. Following a mastectomy, she underwent reconstruction with a silicone gel breast implant. Three years later, her MGUS had progressed to active multiple myeloma (MM). She had a minimal response after two different regimens of bortezomib-based treatments and monthly zoledronic acid, and was placed on maintenance therapy with bortezomib, intravenous dexamethasone, and oral methylprednisolone, as well as ongoing monthly zoledronic acid. After 1 year of this maintenance therapy, during which her myeloma markers remained unchanged, she had her silicone implant replaced with saline. Despite no change in her myeloma treatment, her laboratory values began to steadily improve following removal of the silicone implant. Her M-protein decreased from 2.14 to 0.83 g/dL and her IgG levels from 3,330 to 1,210 mg/dL following replacement of her silicone implant with saline. To our knowledge, this is the first report in which removal of silicone implants improved the clinical status of a patient with MM following a year of maintenance therapy during which the patient’s myeloma laboratory values remained unchanged. Further studies are warranted to determine if silicone breast implant removal can, in fact, improve MM patients’ disease status.

Serum B-cell maturation antigen (sBCMA) is a novel biomarker for B-cell malignancies. A normal reference range (

Identifying effective combination regimens is a high priority in multiple myeloma (MM), as most patients eventually become refractory to their current treatments. In this study, we investigated whether the proteasome inhibitor (PI) ixazomib could delay disease progression among patients who failed regimens containing another PI, bortezomib or carfilzomib. This phase 1/2, multicenter, open-label, nonrandomized study enrolled patients who were refractory to a previous regimen containing bortezomib or carfilzomib. Patients continued the other anti-MM drugs in the regimen at the same doses and frequencies. Patients with combination regimens with unknown maximum tolerated dose (MTD) of ixazomib were enrolled in phase 1, with ixazomib starting at 3 mg and then dose escalated to 4 mg. Patients on regimens with a known ixazomib MTD were enrolled in phase 2. Primary endpoints were overall response rate (ORR), clinical benefit rate (CBR), adverse events (AEs), and determination of maximum tolerated dose (MTD). Of the 46 patients enrolled, 39 were evaluable for efficacy. ORR and CBR were 12.8% and 17.9%, respectively. Ixazomib appeared to be well tolerated as a replacement for carfilzomib and bortezomib, with 23.9% of patients experiencing at least one grade ≥3 serious adverse event (SAE) and 37.0% experiencing at least one grade ≥3 AE. The most common grade ≥3 AEs were hyponatremia (8.7%), anemia (8.7%), dyspnea (8.7%), thrombocytopenia (6.5%), dehydration (4.3%), and pneumonia (4.3%). The results indicate that ixazomib is not an effective replacement for bortezomib or carfilzomib for patients with MM who have previously relapsed on other bortezomib/carfilzomib-containing regimens.

Previous retrospective studies have shown that serum B-cell maturation antigen (sBCMA) levels predict outcomes among patients with multiple myeloma (MM) undergoing new treatments. Specifically, baseline levels and changes during treatment of this protein predict both progression free survival (PFS) and overall survival. However, prospective studies are lacking evaluating sBCMA for determining outcomes among MM patients undergoing new treatments. Thus, we evaluated whether its baseline levels and changes during treatment in the amount of this serum marker predict outcomes among 38 relapsed/refractory MM patients treated with ruxolitinib, lenalidomide and methylprednisolone in a phase 1 trial. Patients with baseline sBCMA levels in the lowest three quartiles had longer PFS (median PFS 136 vs. 28 days; p 0.0001). This was also shown for patients with baseline levels below the median (median PFS 140 vs. 77 days; p = 0.0225). PFS was shorter for patients whose sBCMA levels increased ≥25% through their first cycle (median PFS: 50 vs. 134 days, p = 0.0022), second cycle (median PFS: 50 vs. 141 days, p = 0.0273), and during the first three cycles of study treatment (median PFS: 50 vs. 220 days, p 0.0001). No patient whose sBCMA increased ≥25% during cycle 1 responded whereas the majority (58%) of patients whose level increased25% responded. This is the first prospective study to determine whether sBCMA levels predict outcomes for MM patients undergoing a non-BCMA directed treatment regimen and demonstrates that baseline levels and its changes during treatment predict PFS and the likelihood of responding to their treatment. These results add to the growing literature suggesting that this serum marker will be useful for determining outcomes for patients undergoing treatment for MM.

B-cell maturation antigen (BCMA) is expressed on malignant plasma cells from patients with multiple myeloma (MM). These patients have higher levels of serum (s)BCMA than healthy subjects, and levels correlate with disease status. The half-life of sBCMA is only 24–36 h, and levels are independent of renal function. We determined whether baseline sBCMA values, a ≥ 25% increase, and a ≥ 50% decrease during treatment predicted progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) among 81 patients with relapsed/refractory MM (RRMM) starting new treatments. Serum was obtained on day 22 of each patient’s 28-day cycle of new therapy. Kaplan–Meier survival analysis and log-rank comparison tests were used to determine the effect of baseline sBCMA. The effect of percentage change in sBCMA was investigated using time-dependent Cox proportional hazard models. Patients with baseline sBCMA levels above the median had a shorter PFS (p = 0.0077), and those in the highest quartile had a shorter PFS (p = 0.0012) and OS (p = 0.0022). A ≥ 25% increase at week 4, week 8, and anytime through week 12 predicted a shorter PFS (p = 0.0011, p = 0.0005, and p < 0.0001, respectively). A ≥ 50% decrease at week 4, week 8, and anytime through week 12 predicted a longer PFS (p = 0.0045, p = 0.029, p = 0.0055, respectively). A ≥ 25% increase in sBCMA occurred before progression according to International Myeloma Working Group criteria in 67.5% of patients. Our results indicate the potential for the use of sBCMA as a new biomarker for monitoring patients with RRMM.

Background Multiple myeloma (MM) patients with smoldering (S) disease are defined by a lack of CRAB/SLiM criteria but may transform into disease requiring treatment. The International Myeloma Working Group risk stratification model for SMM uses serum M-protein, serum free light chain ratio, and bone marrow plasma cell percentage. We investigated whether baseline serum B-cell maturation antigen (sBCMA) levels are predictive of disease progression among 65 patients with SMM. Methods A receiver operating characteristic curve was used to establish a definition for high risk baseline sBCMA. Mantel Byar analysis was used to examine if high risk sBCMA was correlated with shorter time to transformation, and a time dependent cox proportional hazard was used to determine if it is independent of other risk factors. A z-test for proportions was used to compare the percentage of patients that progressed among high risk versus low risk sBCMA patients. Results A baseline sBCMA level ≥ 137.5 ng/mL was found to be the optimal cut off between high and low risk SMM patients. Patients with high risk sBCMA levels had a shorter time to transformation (p = 0.000332). sBCMA was also higher at the time of transformation than baseline levels (p = 0.0116). sBCMA was the only variable found to be significantly predictive of time to transformation, and additionally was found to be independent of other risk factors. Conclusions In this study, we have shown for the first time that sBCMA levels predict transformation of SMM to active disease and that these levels increase at the time of transformation. These results are consistent with other studies showing that active MM patients undergoing therapy with higher baseline sBCMA levels are more likely to progress early and its levels increase at the time of disease progression.

The serum B-cell maturation antigen (sBCMA) has been identified as a novel serum biomarker for patients with multiple myeloma. However, no study has yet established a reference range for sBCMA levels. Its levels were determined in 196 healthy subjects and showed a right-tailed distribution with a median value of 37·51 ng/ml with a standard deviation of 22·54 ng/ml (range 18·78-180·39 ng/ml). Partitioning of subgroup reference ranges was considered but determined to be irrelevant. A non-parametric method using the median ± 2 standard deviations suggests using a universal reference interval of

Introduction: Amid the current COVID-19 pandemic, the highest mortality rates are among the elderly and immunocompromised. Multiple myeloma (MM) patients are immunocompromised and often are elderly. Not only do MM patients develop more frequent infections, but it is one of the leading causes of death for these patients. This population develops more severe COVID-19 due to various mechanisms that impair their ability to fight infection. This also reduces their ability to generate immunity from vaccination, as has been demonstrated by their diminished responses to vaccines for various respiratory illnesses. It follows that while phase III trial results for mRNA1273 and BNT162b2 COVID-19 vaccines showed an efficacy of 94-95% against even mild infection with this virus, the efficacy has been shown to be lower among MM patients. We recently evaluated patients' antibody responses to vaccination for COVID-19 by measuring anti-spike IgG levels in patient serum from before vaccination (baseline) and two weeks after dose 2 (D2W2) of vaccination with mRNA-1273 or BNT162b2, and found that most MM patients have impaired responses (Stampfer et al., Leukemia 2021). Patients who received mRNA-1273 vaccine had higher antibody levels than those who were vaccinated with BNT162b2, and specific clinical and myeloma-related characteristics predicted vaccine responsiveness. In the current study, we are monitoring anti-spike IgG antibody levels at Dose 2 Week 8 (D2W8) and Dose 2 Week 16 (D2W16) post-mRNA vaccination among these patients and in age-matched healthy controls to investigate antibody decay. Methods: Participants in the trial included MM patients (n=91) at the Berenson Cancer Center, and age-matched healthy controls (n=27). Healthy subjects were not known to be immunocompromised or currently receiving immunosuppressive therapy. Vaccination was done outside of the clinic and subjects provided copies of their CDC-issued COVID-19 vaccination cards to confirm dosing dates. Sera from vaccinated individuals were drawn at baseline (0-60 days prior to first vaccine dose) and at intervals following their second dose (14-21, 56-70, and 112-126 days post-vaccination). Background levels were determined from the clinic's serum bank of healthy subjects drawn pre-April 2019. Using an ELISA-based assay that detects IgG antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 spike protein, we determined Anti-SARS-CoV-2 spike ectodomain serum antibody levels and quantified them in IU/mL based on the WHO International Standard 20/136. Results: We analyzed the patient and control populations, and specifically for those classified as responders from our original published study (D2W2 >50 IU/mL). All controls but only 70% of patients (64/91) were classified as responders, so this responder-specific analysis was only relevant for patients. There was a significant decline in anti-SARS-CoV-2 spike antibodies from D2W2 to D2W8 for both patients and controls; D2W16 results are pending. Median values dropped from 283.1 IU/mL to 90.9 IU/mL among patients, and 893.6 IU/mL to 354.4 IU/mL among controls. Median antibody levels among patients classified as responders dropped from 482.9 IU/mL to 145.5 IU/mL (p Conclusions: The markedly lower anti-spike antibody levels among MM patients compared to healthy controls at week 8 post-vaccination indicate that they remain at high risk for breakthrough infections. Combined with their rapid decline in anti-spike antibody levels over only a 6-week period, this indicates that even MM patients who responded initially to vaccination are likely to require boosters sooner than healthy individuals. This immunocompromised population remains at high risk even following vaccination and should continue to maintain social distancing precautions during periods of high local SARS-CoV-2 transmission. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

Background: Anti-CD38 monoclonal antibodies have become a standard treatment option for patients with either relapsed/refractory (RR) or newly diagnosed multiple myeloma (MM). There are two approved drugs in this class, daratumumab and isatuximab. These agents have become a mainstay of myeloma treatment being used in a variety of combination approaches. Although they are widely used, very little has been reported regarding the benefit they provide if they are used again in subsequent lines of therapy among patients that have already been treated with prior anti-CD38 containing regimens. Methods: MM patients that were treated at the Berenson Cancer Center and previously received either daratumumab or isatuximab and were treated with another anti-CD38-containing combination were retrospectively analyzed. Response to each anti-CD38 regimen was evaluated for responses according to the International Myeloma Working Group (IMWG) criteria. We used Kaplan-Meier curves to determine progression free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). Results: There were 49 patients identified as having received > 2 anti-CD38 containing regimens. Among these patients, 40, 1, and 8 received only daratumumab, only isatuximab, or a combination of both anti-CD38 regimens. 17, 19, 8, and 41 received an IMiD, PI, a combination of both, or other combinations. Overall, the median PFS was 3.9, 3.2, 2.6, 1.9, and 1.5 months for the first (n=49), second (n=49), third (n=23), fourth (n=15), and fifth (n=8) exposures, respectively. For their first anti-CD38 containing regimen (n=49), the clinical benefit rate (CBR) and overall response rate (ORR) were 44.9% and 38.8%, respectively (7.7% MR, 34.7% PR, and 4.1% CR), and 36.7% showed SD. During their second exposure (n=49), the CBR and ORR were 42.9% and 40.8%, respectively (2.0% MR, 36.7% PR, 12.0% VGPR, and 2.0% CR) and 36.7% showed SD. The PFS among patients who were exposed to a second regimen and discontinued therapy without disease progression to their first anti-CD38 containing regimen was 5.9 months compared with only 3.0 months for those who progressed during their first regimen. OS from the start of anti-CD38 treatment was a median of 36.5 months (range, 1.8-56.5). OS was longer among patients who did not progress on first exposure with a median of 26.2 months (range, 1.8-56.5) compared to patients who progressed during their first regimen (median not yet reached; range, 7.6-54.5). PFS among patients treated with a proteasome inhibitor (PI)-containing combination in their first exposure was 8.7 months versus 4.5 months among patients who were treated with an immunomodulatory agent (IMiD)-containing treatment. Additionally, the PFS among patients treated with a PI versus an IMiD with their second exposure to an anti-CD38 containing regimen was 5.9 and 2.8 months, respectively. Conclusions: Our retrospective study suggests that RRMM patients who are retreated with another anti-CD38 containing regimens can continue to respond after multiple exposures to this drug class. The ORR differs little during the first two exposures to these agents for RRMM patients. To our knowledge, this study provides support for retreatment of RRMM patients with anti-CD38 containing regimens. Additional studies are planned to further investigate this patient population. Disclosures Vescio: Janssen: Speakers Bureau; Karyopharm: Speakers Bureau; GlaxoSnithKlein: Speakers Bureau; Amgen: Speakers Bureau.

Objective To evaluate the efficacy and safety of elotuzumab and dexamethasone (Ed) for relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma (RRMM) patients. Method This retrospective study evaluated the efficacy and safety of (Ed) treatment for 21 RRMM patients, 11 of whom were considered lenalidomide-refractory, and all of whom had progressed on at least 1 prior steroid-containing regimen. We also evaluated the efficacy of adding lenalidomide to a subset of patients following progression from Ed. Results The overall response rate (ORR) and clinical benefit rate (CBR) of Ed were 10% and 19%, respectively. An additional 52% of patients demonstrated stable disease as their best response. The median PFS was 1.8 months on Ed for all patients. Fifteen patients received ERd following progression on Ed, and 60% of these patients were lenalidomide-refractory. The ORR and CBR were 20% and 33%, respectively, and the median PFS was 3.4 months. Conclusion Our results suggest that some patients can benefit from Ed without an accompanying immunomodulatory agent and that efficacy can be achieved with the addition of lenalidomide at the time of progression. No new safety signals were detected, except for thrombocytopenia in 1 patient on Ed. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Purpose: Ruxolitinib with lenalidomide and dexamethasone shows antimyeloma effects in vitro and in vivo. MUC1 leads to lenalidomide resistance in multiple myeloma cells, and ruxolitinib blocks its expression. Thus, ruxolitinib may restore sensitivity to lenalidomide. Therefore, a phase I trial was conducted to determine the safety and efficacy of ruxolitinib with lenalidomide and methylprednisolone for patients with relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma (RRMM) who had been treated with lenalidomide/steroids and a proteasome inhibitor and showed progressive disease at study entry. Patients and Methods: A traditional 3+3 dose escalation design was used to enroll subjects in four cohorts with planned total enrollment of 28 patients. Subjects received ruxolitinib twice daily, lenalidomide daily on days 1–21 of a 28-day cycle, and methylprednisolone orally every other day. Primary endpoints were safety, clinical benefit rate (CBR), and overall response rate (ORR). Results: Twenty-eight patients were enrolled. The median age was 67 years and received a median of six prior treatments including lenalidomide and steroids to which 93% were refractory. No dose-limiting toxicities occurred. The CBR and ORR were 46% and 38%, respectively. All 12 responding patients were refractory to lenalidomide. Grade 3 or grade 4 adverse events (AE) included anemia (18%), thrombocytopenia (14%), and lymphopenia (14%). Most common serious AEs included sepsis (11%) and pneumonia (11%). Conclusions: This phase I trial demonstrates that a JAK inhibitor, ruxolitinib, can overcome refractoriness to lenalidomide and steroids for patients with RRMM. These results represent a promising novel therapeutic approach for treating multiple myeloma (ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT03110822).

New classes of drugs including the proteasome inhibitors (PI) bortezomib and, more recently, carfilzomib and the immunomodulatory agent lenalidomide have shown improved outcomes for multiple myeloma (MM) patients during the past decade. However, most of the studies reporting outcomes for patients receiving these drugs have relied on older data sets derived from large institutions that included patients not receiving their treatment at those facilities and represented only those eligible for clinical trials or were from sites where treatment options were limited. We have analyzed data from 258 MM patients who have received treatment with at least one of three agents: bortezomib, carfilzomib, and lenalidomide in a single clinic specializing in MM with respect to their responses and other outcomes to treatment regimens including these agents. Response rates were similar between these three drugs when used for the first time and again during subsequent treatment regimens. As expected, the clinical benefit rates (CBRs) were better for patients receiving their first treatment when compared to their use in subsequent treatment regimens. The CBRs were similar during their 2nd, 3rd, and 4th treatments containing these agents. Many patients refractory to these agents showed responses to regimens containing these same drugs when used in different combinations. In addition, patients refractory to one PI often responded to the other PI. The results of this study demonstrate that novel agents can be used repeatedly in novel combinations with significant clinical benefit for patients with MM.

Despite recent advances made in its treatment, multiple myeloma (MM) remains an incurable B cell malignancy. Thus, the objective for treating these patients is to prolong overall survival (OS) and preserve patients’ quality of life. We have analyzed data from 264 consecutive MM patients who had their initial visit between July 1, 2004 and December 1, 2014 and have received treatment in a single clinic specializing in MM. We determined their progression-free survival (PFS, OS, and 5-year OS). The PFS for frontline (n = 165 treatments), salvage (n = 980), and all treatments (n = 1145) were 13.9, 4.6, and 5.5 months, respectively. The median OS of all patients was 98 months with a 5-year survival of 74%. The results of this study show a marked improvement in OS for unselected MM patients compared with historical data. There were no significant differences in OS between patients with different International Staging System (ISS) stages. Younger patients (

Immunosuppressed patients are known to have an increased incidence of skin cancer. Patients with multiple myeloma (MM) show impaired immune function. In the past, because of poor survival, the incidence of specific secondary primary malignancies such as skin cancer among these patients was difficult to establish. With more effective MM therapies that have emerged in recent years, these patients are living markedly longer, and therefore, it becomes of increasing importance to determine whether their risk of developing other medical problems such as skin cancer is increased. We performed a retrospective cohort study of 205 myeloma patients and 193 age-, race-, and gender-matched control subjects to assess the incidence of skin cancers among patients with MM and determine the specific types of and risk factors for skin cancer. We found that there is an increased occurrence of skin cancer among patients with MM compared to control subjects (26.8% vs. 16.1% in controls; P = 0.009). Among specific types of skin cancer, the proportion of patients with squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) was higher than controls (P = 0.016). In addition to MM diagnosis, older age and Caucasian ethnicity were predictors of skin cancer of any type. Furthermore, older age was also a predictor of SCC.

Introduction Ruxolitinib (RUX) is an FDA-approved oral, selective inhibitor of Janus kinase (JAK) 1/2 for the treatment of patients with intermediate or high-risk myelofibrosis and polycythemia vera who have had an inadequate response to or are intolerant of hydroxyurea. Preclinical studies from our laboratory have demonstrated that RUX in combination with dexamethasone shows marked anti-myeloma effects both in vitro and in vivo. Specifically, RUX blocks expression of Mucin 1 whose function is linked to lenalidomide (LEN) resistance and down-regulates PD-L1 and PD-L2 expression and reduces tumor stimulatory M2 macrophage polarization in multiple myeloma (MM) bone marrow. Recently published results from a Phase 1 trial for 28 heavily previously treated MM patients administered RUX, LEN and methylprednisolone (MP) demonstrated that the therapy was well tolerated and RUX overcame refractoriness to LEN and steroids (Berenson et al., Clin Cancer Res. 2020). The clinical and overall response rates were 46% and 28%, respectively, and all 12 responding patients were refractory to LEN. To further evaluate whether RUX and steroids without LEN demonstrate clinical activity and its tolerability in the same patient population, an ongoing Phase I trial was expanded to also include a cohort of patients treated with this two-drug combination (NCT03110822). Methods MM patients must have failed > 3 prior regimens and have been exposed to a proteasome inhibitor and LEN. Patients were treated orally (PO) with 15 mg RUX twice daily on days 1-28 of a 28-day cycle and 40 mg MP every other day. The treatment of this two-drug combination was continued until disease progression (PD). Once PD was confirmed, LEN at 10 mg PO daily on days 1-21 of a 28-day cycle was added to the regimen. Primary endpoints were safety, clinical benefit rate (CBR) and overall response rate (ORR). Results As of July 25, 2020, 16 of the planned 29 patients have been enrolled, and 15 patients have completed at least 1 full cycle of therapy; and, thus, were evaluable for efficacy. The median age was 64 years (range, 46-77), and 9 (60%) were male. Patients received a median of 4 (range, 3-10) prior treatments including LEN and steroids to which they were all refractory. Of the 15 evaluable patients treated with RUX and steroids, the CBR and ORR were 53% (n=8) and 33% (n=5), respectively. With a median follow-up of 4.7 months, the median duration of response was 3.5 months (range, 1-11+). Five and 2 patients showed stable disease and progressive disease, respectively. Notably, all 8 responding patients were refractory to LEN (i.e. progressed while on or within 8 weeks of last dosage). Of 6 patients who had progressed on the two-drug combination and had LEN added to their regimen, 3 patients responded (2 MR and 1 PR). Four patients experienced SAEs including sepsis (7%), group B strep sepsis with neutropenic fever and nausea (7%), pneumonia and pneumothorax (7%), thrombocytopenia (7%), and hyperglycemia (7%). Two patients died (one each from pneumonia and progressive disease). Conclusions This ongoing phase 1 trial is the first study reporting clinical activity of the JAK inhibitor RUX with steroids for MM. These results demonstrate that RUX with only steroids is also well tolerated and shows promising efficacy for treating heavily previously treated MM patients. Because of this, additional studies are being conducted with higher doses of RUX in combination with MP for this patient population. Disclosures Berenson: Takeda: Consultancy, Honoraria, Speakers Bureau; Celgene: Consultancy, Honoraria, Speakers Bureau; Bristol-Myers Squibb: Consultancy, Honoraria, Speakers Bureau; Janssen: Consultancy, Honoraria, Speakers Bureau; Incyte: Honoraria, Patents & Royalties: OncoTracker, Speakers Bureau; Amgen: Consultancy, Honoraria, Speakers Bureau. Swift:Jassen: Consultancy, Honoraria, Speakers Bureau; bristol myers squibb: Consultancy, Honoraria, Speakers Bureau; Amgent: Consultancy, Honoraria, Speakers Bureau. Boccia:Incyte: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Daiichi Sankyo: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Amgen: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; AstraZeneca: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Genentech: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Janssen: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Rigel: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau. OffLabel Disclosure: Ruxolitinib and steroids only for treatment patients with Multiple Myeloma

Summary Immunomodulatory drugs including thalidomide, lenalidomide (LEN) and pomalidomide (POM), are effective for treating multiple myeloma (MM). POM has shown enhanced efficacy with dexamethasone (DEX). Pegylated liposomal doxorubicin (PLD) with bortezomib is US Food and Drug Administration-approved for treating MM. PLD with LEN or thalidomide has shown efficacy for MM patients. LEN with DEX, PLD and bortezomib achieves high response rates. We evaluated the combination of POM with DEX 40 mg and PLD 5 mg/m2 with the latter two drugs administered on days 1, 4, 8 and 11 on a 28-day cycle for the treatment of relapsed/refractory MM patients. During Phase 1, the maximum tolerated dose of POM was 4 mg, and was used in Phase 2, which also required patients to be refractory to LEN. However, neutropenia ≥ grade 3 was observed in 10/17 (59%) patients, and the dose was lowered to 3 mg. Median PFS was 5·4 months (range, 0·3–29·0 + months). Overall response rates for patients in Phase 2 were 39% and 31% among subjects receiving POM at 3 mg and 4 mg, respectively, and clinical benefit rates were 51% and 44%, respectively. POM, PLD and DEX is a treatment option for relapsed/refractory MM patients including those who are refractory to LEN.

Introduction: B-cell maturation antigen (BCMA) is increased in the serum (s) of multiple myeloma (MM) patients (pts). We have previously shown that baseline sBCMA levels predict outcomes for MM pts. The purpose of this study was to determine whether a decrease of sBCMA to normal levels (< 82.69 ng/mL) after initiating treatment predicts both progression free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) among MM pts and its relationship to clinical response status in this pt population. Methods: sBCMA levels were determined using an ELISA (R&D Systems; Minneapolis, MN) in 147 consecutive MM pts whose first treatment was in the frontline (n=87 [59%]) or salvage (n=60 [41%]) settings in a single clinic specializing in MM from February 2009 to April 2019 (observation cut-off: May 31, 2019). We determined sBCMA weekly during the first cycle and then monthly thereafter (median follow-up= 28 mo). An age-matched analysis of 206 healthy donors was used to determine a median normal sBCMA level of 37.6 ng/mL (SD 22.5 ng/mL). A reference threshold value of 82.7 ng/mL was determined using 2 SDs above the median. We defined normalization of sBCMA as a decrease in levels to < 82.7 ng/mL on two consecutive measurements. Kaplan-Meier analysis was used to compare PFS and OS among these pts and compared with responses as defined using the IMWG criteria. All pt samples were obtained following informed consent in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki. Results: One hundred thirteen pts (77%) had a baseline sBCMA ≥ upper threshold of normal (82.7 ng/mL) with a median of 435.3 ng/mL (range, 84.5-9,153.8 ng/mL) whereas the remaining 34 pts (23%) had baseline levels below 82.7 ng/mL and were excluded from analyses in relationship to normalizing sBCMA during their treatment. sBCMA levels normalized (< 82.7 ng/mL) in over half (55%) of evaluable pts (n=62), and these pts showed a markedly longer PFS (median 33.2 mo) than pts that did not (n=51; median 4.0 mo; p We also compared the PFS and OS of pts in CR to normalization of sBCMA. Pts whose sBCMA normalized (n=62) had both similar PFS (p=0.6257) and OS (p=0.7346) to those who achieved CR (n=26). Notably, every pt who achieved CR had normalized sBCMA and all pts who failed to normalize did not achieve CR (n=51). Pts who failed to normalize had shorter PFS (median 4.0 mo; n=51) than those who did not achieve CR (median 12.7 mo; n=87; p=0.0091). Among the pts who normalized sBCMA, pts who achieved CR (n=26) had similar PFS (p=0.4029) and OS (p=0.6354) to those who did not achieve CR (n=36). Conversely, among the 87 pts who did not achieve CR, pts who normalized their sBCMA (n=36) had markedly longer PFS (median 29.4 mo) than those who did not (n=51; median 4.0 mo; p We examined pts whose best clinical response was ≥ MR to determine if normalization of sBCMA improved upon determination of their PFS and OS. We found that among pts who achieved PR, those who normalized sBCMA (n=26) experienced improved PFS (median 33.2 mo) than those who did not (n=18; median 12.8 mo; p=0.0173); OS was also improved in those PR pts who normalized their sBCMA (p=0.0350). Similar findings were found when analyzing those achieving MR or PR, with PFS (p=0.0006) and OS (p=0.0326) for pts who normalized (n=30) being longer than for pts who did not normalize sBCMA (n=28). Of those achieving at least an MR, both PFS (median 33.9 vs 12.8 mo; p Conclusion: We have demonstrated that among MM pts starting new treatment with baseline elevated sBCMA levels, normalization of sBCMA levels (< 82.7 ng/mL) predicts markedly longer PFS and OS. Patients who achieve normalization have similar outcomes to those in CR. Additionally, our findings suggest that normalization of sBCMA predicts longer PFS and OS for pts who achieve ≥ MR. Therefore, normalization of sBCMA may be a novel approach to predict clinical outcomes for MM pts starting new treatment. Disclosures Chen: Oncotraker Inc: Equity Ownership. Swift:Bristol Mayers Squib: Consultancy, Honoraria; Amgen: Consultancy, Honoraria; Jansen: Consultancy, Honoraria. Berenson:Sanofi: Consultancy; Janssen: Consultancy, Speakers Bureau; Bristol-Myers Squibb: Honoraria, Research Funding; Incyte Corporation.: Consultancy, Research Funding; OncoTracker: Equity Ownership, Other: Officer; Amgen: Consultancy, Speakers Bureau; Amag: Consultancy, Speakers Bureau; Takeda: Consultancy, Speakers Bureau.

Introduction: B-cell maturation antigen (BCMA) is a protein that is expressed on malignant plasma cells from patients (pts) with multiple myeloma (MM). Our group has previously shown that MM pts have higher levels of serum (s) BCMA than healthy subjects and that sBCMA levels can be used to monitor the disease course of MM pts. Notably, we have shown that the half-life of soluble BCMA is only 24-36 hours which is much shorter than sM-protein, and its levels are independent of renal function. With the expanding therapeutic options for the treatment (Tx) of MM, there is a need for more rapid and accurate ways to assess the efficacy of new therapies. In this study, we analyzed the relationship between progression free survival (PFS) and changes in weekly levels of sBCMA, sM-protein and serum free light chain (sFLC) during the first cycle of a new treatment among relapsed/refractory (RR)MM patients. Methods: Serum was obtained weekly during each pt's first cycle of a new therapy (C1) and the first day of their second cycle (C2D1) from all RRMM pts (n = 122) at a single clinic from August 2016 to December 2018. sM-protein and sFLC levels were measured, and sBCMA levels were determined using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (R&D Systems; Minneapolis, MN). Percentage changes in sBCMA, sM-protein and sFLC (difference between involved and uninvolved FLCs) throughout Tx were determined relative to levels measured at the start of treatment (C1D1). Kaplan-Meier analysis was used to assess differences in PFS based on the percentage changes from baseline in these levels at cycle 1 day 8 (C1D8), day 15 (C1D15), day 22 (C1D22), and day 29 (C2D1). All pt samples were obtained following proper informed consent in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki. Results: The analysis involved 122 Tx in 75 RRMM pts undergoing new treatment (IgG [n = 33], IgA [n= 15], IgM [n = 1], and light chain only [n = 26]). All pts were evaluable by sBCMA (above the lower limit of detection of the assay [16 ng/mL]). Pts whose baseline sBCMA was higher than the median (217.6 ng/mL) had a significantly shorter PFS (n = 61, median PFS = 2.5 mo) than those below the median (n = 61, median = 7.3 mo, p = 0.0003). When baseline sBCMA levels were quartiled, there was an inverse relationship between sBCMA and PFS (Q1: n = 30, median = 8.0 mo; Q2: n = 31, median = 7.2 mo; Q3: n = 31, median = 3.2 mo; Q4: n = 30, median = 1.9 mo; p = 0.0002). Pts whose sBCMA increased ≥ 25% on C1D8 (n = 8) had a shorter PFS (median = 1.6 mo) than those that did not (n = 114, median = 3.9 mo, p = 0.0042). Those whose sBCMA increased ≥ 25% at any time during C1 (n = 31) also had a shorter PFS (median = 1.6 mo) than those that did not (n = 91, median = 5.2 mo, p < 0.0001). sM-protein was only evaluable by IMWG criteria (> 1.0 g/dL) in 45 (37%) of the pts and only 2 and 5 pts showed an increase of > 25% on C1D8 and anytime during cycle 1, respectively. In the remaining 77 pts who were not evaluable by sM-protein, 51 (68%) were evaluable by sFLC using IMWG criteria (> 100 mg/L difference between the involved and uninvolved FLC) and only 13 showed a > 25% increase during the first cycle. Next, we determined if changes in sBCMA could be used for pts who were not evaluable by either sM-protein or sFLC. Among pts that could not be followed by sM-protein, those with a ≥ 25% increase in sBCMA at any point in C1 (n = 18, median = 2.2 mo) had a significantly shorter PFS than those who did not (n = 59; median = 4.4 mo; p = 0.0218). Among pts that could not be followed by sFLC, those with a ≥ 25% increase in sBCMA at any point in C1 (n = 12) had a significantly shorter PFS (median = 1.6 mo) than those who did not (n = 30; median PFS = 8.7 mo; p = 0.0072). Among pts that could not be followed by either sFLC or sM-protein, a > 25% in sBCMA at any point in C1 (n = 8) showed a shorter PFS (median = 1.6 mo) than those who did not (n = 17; median = 19.3 mo; p = 0.0154). Notably, among pts whose sFLC or sM-protein were below evaluable levels, ≥ 25% increases in sFLC or sM-protein did not predict PFS. Conclusions: We have shown that serum BCMA was evaluable in all RRMM pts at the start of new therapy in contrast to the standard sM-protein and sFLC biomarkers. Baseline levels of sBCMA predict PFS in RRMM pts undergoing new therapy. Additionally, increases of sBCMA > 25% during the first cycle occur in more pts than sM-protein or sFLC, and predict for a shorter PFS. These results suggest that baseline sBCMA and monitoring its levels weekly during the first cycle of a new treatment can help improve predicting outcomes for RRMM pts. Disclosures Chen: Oncotraker Inc: Equity Ownership. Swift:Bristol Mayers Squib: Consultancy, Honoraria; Amgen: Consultancy, Honoraria; Jansen: Consultancy, Honoraria. Berenson:Sanofi: Consultancy; Amgen: Consultancy, Speakers Bureau; Amag: Consultancy, Speakers Bureau; Janssen: Consultancy, Speakers Bureau; OncoTracker: Equity Ownership, Other: Officer; Bristol-Myers Squibb: Honoraria, Research Funding; Takeda: Consultancy, Speakers Bureau; Incyte Corporation.: Consultancy, Research Funding.

8048 Background: Preclinical studies from our laboratory have demonstrated that ruxolitinib (RUX) in combination with lenalidomide (LEN) and dexamethasone shows marked anti-myeloma effects both in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, MUC1 is responsible for LEN resistance in MM cells, and RUX blocks its expression in MM cells. Thus, RUX may restore sensitivity to LEN. Therefore, a phase 1 trial was conducted to determine the safety and efficacy of RUX in combination with LEN and methylprednisolone (MP) for relapsed/refractory (RR) MM patients (pts) who had previously been treated with LEN/steroids and a proteasome inhibitor (PI) and showed progressive disease at study entry. Methods: A traditional 3+3 dose escalation design was used to enroll subjects in four cohorts with planned total enrollment to be 49 pts. Subjects received RUX twice daily continuously, LEN daily on d1-21 of a 28-d cycle and MP orally every other day. In DL0, pts received RUX 5 mg, LEN 5 mg, and MP 40 mg. In DL+1 and +2, both doses of LEN and MP remained unchanged and RUX was escalated to 10 and 15 mg, respectively. DL+3 escalated LEN to 10 mg with MP unchanged and RUX at 15 mg. Primary endpoints were safety, clinical benefit rate (CBR) and overall response rate (ORR). Results: As of September 1, 2018, 36 pts were enrolled, and 32 were evaluable for efficacy. The median age was 66 years (range, 46-81), and 21 (58%) were male. Pts received a median of 6 prior treatments including LEN and steroids to which they were all refractory and a proteasome inhibitor. No DLTs occurred, and DL+3 was expanded. Among evaluable pts, the CBR and ORR were 47% and 41%, respectively (1 CR, 2 VGPR, 10 PR and 2 MR), and 14 and 3 pts showed SD and PD. All 15 responding pts were refractory to LEN. G3 AEs included anemia (17%), neutropenia (14%), sepsis (14%), lymphocytopenia (11%), thrombocytopenia (11%), and pneumonia (11%). Most common SAEs included sepsis (14%) and pneumonia (11%). Conclusions: This Ph 1 trial demonstrates for the first time that a JAK inhibitor, RUX, can overcome refractoriness to LEN and steroids for RR MM pts. These promising results are leading to expansion of the current clinical trial to 78 pts, and represents a novel therapeutic approach for treating MM. Clinical trial information: NCT03110822.

Neuropathy is an important complication that may limit treatment options for patients with multiple myeloma. Previous studies have focused on treatment efficacy and have shown that retreatment with bortezomib (BTZ) is an effective treatment option. The goal of this study was to focus on the clinical manifestations of peripheral neuropathy (PN) and to retrospectively compare the incidence and severity of PN between the initial BTZ regimen and upon retreatment. Furthermore, this study evaluated how certain factors affect BIPN, which will help determine what conditions should be considered prior to retreatment. Charts were reviewed from 93 patients who were retreated with a BTZ-containing regimen after previously being treated with this drug. Among the patients who developed PN, most patients in the study had low-grade neuropathy during the initial BTZ treatment (n = 52, 68%). The results showed no evidence of cumulative toxicity, and there was no significant difference in the incidence and severity of PN upon retreatment. Factors such as the presence of baseline PN, number of prior treatments, dose of BTZ, and comorbidities did not increase the severity of PN upon retreatment. The lapse of time between the two regimens also did not affect the severity of PN. The results suggest that retreatment with BTZ may be a feasible option, without additional risks of PN, for MM patients even with peripheral neuropathy during their initial treatment with this drug.

Bendamustine, active in multiple myeloma (MM), is a bifunctional mechlorethamine derivative with alkylating properties. Bortezomib, approved to treat MM, is effective in combination with alkylators. The tolerability and efficacy of bendamustine plus bortezomib in relapsed/refractory MM was assessed in an open-label, dose-escalating, phase I/II study. Patients aged ≥18 years received intravenous bendamustine 50, 70, or 90 mg/m(2) (days 1 and 4) plus bortezomib 1·0 mg/m(2) (days 1, 4, 8, and 11) for up to eight 28-day cycles. No dose-limiting toxicity was observed after cycle 1; bendamustine 90 mg/m(2) plus bortezomib 1·0 mg/m(2) was designated the maximum tolerated dose (MTD). The most common grade 3/4 adverse events were leucopenia (58%), neutropenia (50%), lymphopenia (45%), and thrombocytopenia (30%). Primary efficacy measure was overall response rate (ORR), which was the combined complete response (CR), very good partial response (VGPR), partial response (PR), and minimal response (MR). ORR was 48% (one CR, two VGPR, nine PR, and seven MR) for all 40 enrolled patients, 52% (16/31) at the MTD (90 mg/m(2) ), and 42% and 46% for prior use of bortezomib (n = 31) or alkylators (n = 28) respectively. Bendamustine plus bortezomib was well tolerated with promising efficacy in this heavily pretreated population.

Our previous studies have shown that lowering the dose of pegylated liposomal doxorubicin (PLD) and bortezomib in combination with intravenous dexamethasone on a longer 4-week cycle maintained efficacy and improved tolerability in both previously untreated and relapsed/refractory (R/R) multiple myeloma (MM) patients. Lenalidomide has shown efficacy in combination with bortezomib and dexamethasone but this combination has been poorly tolerated. We conducted this phase 2 study (clinicaltrials.gov identifier: NCT01160484) to evaluate whether a longer 4-week schedule using modified doses and schedules of IV dexamethasone (40 mg), bortezomib (1.0 mg/m(2)) and PLD (4.0 mg/m(2)) administered on days 1, 4, 8, and 11 with lenalidomide 10 mg daily on days 1-14 (DVD-R) would be effective and tolerated for patients with R/R MM. A total of 40 heavily pretreated patients were enrolled and 84.6% showed clinical benefit (complete response, 20.5%; very good partial response, 10.3%; partial response, 17.9%; minimal response, 35.9%) to the combination regimen. An additional 10.3% showed stable disease and 5.1% progressed while on study. The regimen was well tolerated, with a low incidence of adverse events such as fatigue (40%), thrombocytopenia (35%), neutropenia (35%), anemia (30%), peripheral neuropathy (25%) and pneumonia (15%). Thus, the DVD-R regimen is well tolerated and produces high response rates for patients with R/R MM.

SummaryThe combination of pegylated liposomal doxorubicin (PLD), bortezomib anddexamethasone has shown efficacy in the treatment of multiple myeloma(MM) patients. Our earlier retrospective study suggested that modification ofthe doses, schedules and route of administration of these drugs appears toreduce toxicity without compromising anti-MM activity. As a result, weevaluated this modified drug combination in the frontline setting in aprospective multicentre phase II trial. Thirty-five previously untreated MMpatients were enrolled. Dexamethasone IV 40 mg, bortezomib 1 mg/m 2 andPLD 5 mg/m 2 were administered on days 1, 4, 8 and 11 of a 4-week cycle.Patients were treated to their maximum response plus two additional cycles.The treatment regimen was discontinued after a maximum of eight cycles.Our modified schedule and dosing regimen achieved a high overall responserate of 86%, while showing a marked decrease in the incidence and severityof peripheral neuropathy, palmar-plantar erythrodysesthesia and myelo-suppression compared to the standard dosing on a 3-week cycle using thesedrugs. This modified regimen of dexamethasone, bortezomib and PLD showsimproved tolerability and safety while maintaining a high response rate whencompared to standard treatment with these agents in the frontline setting.Keywords: multiple myeloma, dexamethasone, bortezomib, pegylated lipo-somal doxorubicin.

Introduction Ruxolitinib (RUX) is an FDA-approved oral, selective inhibitor of Janus kinase (JAK) 1/2 for the treatment of patients with polycythemia vera who have had an inadequate response to or are intolerant of hydroxyurea or intermediate or high-risk myelofibrosis (MF). Preclinical studies from our laboratory have demonstrated that RUX in combination with the immunomodulatory agent lenalidomide (LEN) and dexamethasone shows marked anti-myeloma effects both in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, MUC1 is responsible for LEN resistance in MM cells, and RUX blocks its expression in multiple myeloma (MM) cells. Thus, RUX may restore sensitivity to LEN. RUX also downregulates PD-L1 and PD-L2 expression on MM cells and reduces tumor stimulatory M2 macrophage polarization in MM bone marrow. Therefore, a phase 1 trial was conducted to determine the safety and efficacy of RUX in combination with LEN and the steroid methylprednisolone (MP) for relapsed/refractory (RR) MM patients who had previously been treated with LEN/steroids and a proteasome inhibitor (PI) and showed progressive disease at study entry. Methods A traditional 3+3 dose escalation design was used to enroll subjects in four cohorts with expansion once a MTD was determined. Subjects received RUX twice daily continuously, LEN daily on d1-21 of a 28-d cycle and MP orally every other day. In DL0, patients received RUX 5 mg, LEN 5 mg, and MP 40 mg. In DL+1 and +2, both doses of LEN and MP remained unchanged and RUX was escalated to 10 and 15 mg, respectively. DL+3 escalated LEN to 10 mg with MP unchanged and RUX at 15 mg. Primary endpoints were safety, clinical benefit rate (CBR) and overall response rate (ORR). Results Thirty-four patients have been enrolled, and 31 were evaluable for response as of July 13, 2018. The median age was 68 years (range, 49-81), and 20 (59%) were male. Patients received a median of 6 prior treatments including lenalidomide and a PI. No DLTs occurred, and DL+3 was expanded (n=25). Among all 31 evaluable patients, the CBR and ORR were 48% and 39%, respectively (1 CR, 9 PR, 2 VGPR, and 3 MR), and 11 and 5 showed SD and PD, respectively. Notably, all 15 patients achieving ≥ MR were refractory to LEN (i.e. progressed while on or within 8 weeks of last dosage). The median PFS for all evaluable patients was 7.4 months. Grade 3/4 adverse events included transient thrombocytopenia (11.1%), anemia (8.8%), neutropenia (6.7%), hypoxia (4.4%) and gastrointestinal bleeding (4.4%). Common serious adverse events included abdominal pain (6.7%), gastrointestinal bleeding (6.7%) and hypoxia (6.7 %). Conclusions This phase 1 trial demonstrates for the first time that a JAK inhibitor, RUX, can overcome refractoriness to LEN and steroids for RRMM patients. This all oral regimen was well tolerated, and reversible Grade 3/4 cytopenias occurred in only a small minority of patients. These promising results are leading to other clinical trials using immunomodulatory agents, steroids and RUX, for treating RRMM patients, and this may represent a new therapeutic approach for these patients. Disclosures Berenson: BMS: Consultancy, Honoraria, Speakers Bureau; Amgen: Consultancy, Honoraria; Takeda: Honoraria, Speakers Bureau; Daiichi: Speakers Bureau; Celgene: Honoraria, Speakers Bureau; Janssen: Honoraria, Speakers Bureau.

Background: B-cell maturation antigen (BCMA) is highly expressed on malignant plasma cells from patients with multiple myeloma (MM). We have previously shown that serum (s) BCMA levels are elevated among MM patients, and baseline levels predict both progression free and overall survival in an unselected MM population. The half-life of soluble BCMA is much shorter (approximately 24-hours) than sM-protein (3-4 weeks). As a result, we have monitored sBCMA and sM-protein levels weekly among unselected MM patients starting any new therapy in our clinic. We have previously reported that this biomarker much more quickly determines changes in their clinical status than conventional biomarkers. In this study, we determined whether both baseline and changes in sBCMA levels during cycle 1 can predict progression-free survival (PFS) and best response among patients enrolled on the IRUX 1504 phase 1 trial evaluating ruxolitinib, lenalidomide and methylprednisolone for relapsed or refractory (RR) MM patients. Methods: Serum (s) was obtained weekly during the first cycle (C1) and first day of the second cycle (C2D1) and monthly thereafter from patients enrolled on the IRux 1504 trial from February 2017 to July 2018. sM-protein levels were assessed using standard protein electropheresis, and sBCMA levels were determined using an ELISA (R&D Systems; Minneapolis, MN). Kaplan-Meier analysis was used to assess differences in PFS based on baseline sBCMA levels and the percentage (%) change in sBCMA from baseline to C1D8. We also determined the relationship between changes in sBCMA on C1D8 and best response as determined using International Myeloma Working Group criteria. All patient samples were obtained following proper informed consent in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki. Results: Twenty-eight MM patients (IgG [n=13], IgA [n=5], free light chain only [n=10]), were evaluated. However, one patient progressed before reaching C1D8; and, thus, could not be included in analysis evaluating the relationship between changes at C1D8 and best response. Patients with a baseline sBCMA value in the highest quartile (range, 414.7 - 1655.1 ng/mL) had a significantly shorter PFS than those in the lowest three quartiles (range, 10.3 - 318.2 ng/mL; median PFS: 1.12 vs. 6.64 months; P=0.006). Moreover, the percentage change in sBCMA during the first week of study treatment accurately predicted their best response. Specifically, all patients that experienced ≥ 50% decrease in sBCMA on C1D8 achieved ≥ partial response; and, furthermore, all of those that experienced a ≥25% decrease in sBCMA on C1D8 achieved at least a minimal response. In contrast, all patients that experienced ≥ 25% increase during the first week showed either only disease that was stable or progressed within two study treatment cycles. Additionally, no patient that experienced any increase in sBCMA on C1D8 achieved any response better than stable disease. These results were not seen with sM-protein, as no patient with evaluable sM-protein levels at baseline showed a ≥ 25% change on C1D8. Patients that showed any increase in sBCMA on C1D8 (n=6) had a significantly shorter PFS than those whose sBCMA decreased on C1D8 (n=21, PFS = 1.4 vs 5.1 months, P = 0.0212). Conclusion: This study represents the first prospective clinical trial in which sBCMA has been studied as a biomarker to predict clinical outcomes. In this phase 1 trial evaluating ruxolitinib, lenalidomide and steroids for RRMM patients, we have shown that baseline sBCMA levels predict PFS. Moreover, percentage changes in the levels of sBCMA unlike sM-protein during the first week of study treatment were highly predictive of these patient's best responses achieved and their PFS. Thus, baseline sBCMA levels and changes in its levels during the first week of treatment may predict outcomes for MM patients faster than conventional biomarkers. Disclosures Soof: OncoTracker: Employment. Li:OncoTracker: Equity Ownership. Wang:OncoTracker: Equity Ownership. Sanchez:OncoTracker: Equity Ownership. Chen:OncoTracker: Equity Ownership. Berenson:OncoTracker: Employment, Equity Ownership.

Preclinical and clinical studies have demonstrated synergy between bortezomib and pegylated liposomal doxorubicin (PLD) for relapsed/refractory (R/R) multiple myeloma (MM) patients compared to bortezomib as a single agent. This retrospective study evaluated the efficacy and safety of a more frequent low-dose schedule of PLD, bortezomib, and intravenous dexamethasone (DVD) for patients with R/R MM, many of whom were previously treated with bortezomib. Twenty-eight patients with R/R MM were treated, and 23 (83%) had been previously treated with ≥ 1 bortezomib-containing regimen. Treatment consisted of dexamethasone 40 mg intravenously, bortezomib 1.0 mg/m(2), and PLD 5.0 mg/m(2) on days 1, 4, 8, and 11 of a 28-day cycle for a maximum of eight cycles. Patients ranged from 33 to 81 years of age (median, 67) and had received 1-14 prior therapies (median, 5). At baseline, ten, nine, and nine patients were in stages I, II, and III, respectively, as defined by the International Staging System, and eight (29%) patients had elevated serum creatinine levels. The overall response rate was 61%, which included one (4%) complete response, three (11%) very good partial responses, eight (29%) partial responses, and five (18%) minimal responses. Of the 23 patients who had previously received bortezomib, 12 (52%) responded. The regimen was well tolerated with only six patients (21%) who showed worsening of their baseline peripheral neuropathy (PN). One patient discontinued this regimen due to an adverse event (grade II PN). DVD appears to represent a well-tolerated regimen with a high response rate for the treatment of R/R MM patients.

8005Background: Preclinical studies from our laboratory have demonstrated that ruxolitinib (RUX) in combination with lenalidomide (LEN) and dexamethasone shows marked anti-myeloma effects both in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, MUC1 is responsible for LEN resistance in MM cells, and RUX blocks its expression in MM cells. Thus, RUX may restore sensitivity to LEN. Therefore, a phase 1 trial was conducted to determine the safety and efficacy of RUX in combination with LEN and methylprednisolone (MP) for relapsed/refractory (RR)MM patients (pts) who had previously been treated with LEN/steroids and a PI and showed progressive disease at study entry. Methods: A traditional 3+3 dose escalation design was used to enroll subjects in four cohorts with planned total enrollment to be 28 pts. Subjects received RUX twice daily continuously, LEN daily on d1-21 of a 28-d cycle and MP orally every other day. In DL0, pts received RUX 5 mg, LEN 5 mg, and MP 40 mg. In DL+1 and +2, both doses of LEN and MP remained unchanged...

e20012Background: Pomalidomide (POM) is a third–generation immunomodulatory drug shown to be safe and effective for the treatment of relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma (RRMM) patients (pts) previ...

Purpose: This open-label, phase I dose-escalation study assessed the safety, tolerability, and initial efficacy of Samariam 153 (153Sm)-lexidronam/bortezomib combination therapy for patients with relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma. Experimental Design: Patients were enrolled in six cohorts and given bortezomib (1.0 or 1.3 mg/m2) on days 1, 4, 8, and 11 and 153Sm-lexidronam (0.25, 0.5, or 1.0 mCi/kg) on day 3 of a 56-day cycle (maximum of four cycles). The primary endpoints were safety and tolerability of the 153Sm-lexidronam/bortezomib regimen. Results: Twenty-four patients were enrolled. Median values for age, time since diagnosis, and number of prior treatments were 63 years, 29 months, and three regimens, respectively. The most common toxicities were hematologic; during the first cycle, median neutrophil and platelet nadirs were 1,000/mm3 and 98,500/mm3, respectively, and observed generally 3 to 4 weeks post-treatment. The incidences of grade 4 neutropenia and thrombocytopenia were 12.5% and 8.3%, respectively, during treatment cycle 1. Dose-limiting toxicity, reached in cohort 6 as a result of hematologic toxicity, defined the maximum tolerated dose as 0.5 mCi/kg 153Sm-lexidronam in combination with 1.3 mg/m2 bortezomib. The maximum tolerated dose for 153Sm-lexidronam in combination with the 1.0 mg/m2 bortezomib was not reached. No nonhematologic dose-limiting toxicities were observed; both the incidence and the severity of peripheral neuropathy were low. Responses occurred in 5 (21%) patients, including 3 (12.5%) complete and 2 (8.3%) minimal responses. Conclusions: Bortezomib combined with 153Sm-lexidronam appears to be a well-tolerated regimen, which showed clinical activity in this phase I trial for patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma.

Purpose: Patients with monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) have increased rates of bone resorption, osteopenia, osteoporosis, and risk of fractures. This study was undertaken to determine the efficacy and safety of zoledronic acid for patients with MGUS and enhanced bone loss. Experimental Design: In this phase II open-label study, 54 patients with MGUS and osteopenia or osteoporosis were administered zoledronic acid 4 mg i.v. at 0, 6, and 12 months. The primary efficacy end point was bone mineral density, assessed using a dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry scan in the lumbar (L)-spine done at screening and at 13 months (1 month after the final zoledronic acid infusion). Results: At study end for all patients (N = 54), L-spine T-scores improved by a median of +0.27 (range, −0.38 to +3.91), corresponding to a median increase in bone mineral density of +15.0% (range, −18.0% to +1,140.0%; P < 0.0001). Hip T-scores improved by a median of +0.10 (range, −2.40 to +2.03), corresponding to a median increase of +6.0% (range, −350.0% to +165.0%). During the study, no new fractures, osteonecrosis of the jaw, or significant renal adverse events were reported. Conclusions: Zoledronic acid administered i.v. at a dosage of 4 mg every 6 months for three doses total was well-tolerated and substantially improved bone mineral density for patients with MGUS and bone loss. Zoledronic acid may be effective for the prevention of new fractures in this high-risk population.

Bortezomib synergizes with melphalan in preclinical and early clinical studies. Updated data from our phase 1/2 study assessing the safety and efficacy of bortezomib plus melphalan in relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma (MM) are presented. Bortezomib (0.7, 1.0, or 1.3 mg/m(2)) on days 1, 4, 8, and 11 and oral melphalan (0.025-0.25 mg/kg) on days 1-4 of a 28-day cycle were administered. Hematologic toxicities defined the maximum tolerated dose as bortezomib 1.0 mg/m(2) and melphalan 0.10 mg/kg. Because dose-limiting toxicities were attributed to the more myelosuppressive melphalan, cohorts 9 and 10 with higher bortezomib (1.3 mg/m(2)) and lower melphalan (0.025 and 0.10 mg/kg) doses were added. Responses occurred in 32/46 (70%) evaluable patients: two complete (4%), five near-complete (11%), 16 partial (35%), and nine minimal (20%). Complete and near-complete responses were observed only with higher bortezomib doses. Response rates were similar in patients with prior melphalan or bortezomib. Median progression-free survival was 9 months (range, 1-24), and overall survival was 32 months (range, 1-54). The most common grade 3/4 hematologic adverse events (AEs) were neutropenia (31%/0%), thrombocytopenia (25%/2%), and anemia (13%/0%). Grade 4 tumor lysis syndrome was reported in one patient. Fewer grade 3/4 hematologic AEs were reported in cohorts 9 and 10 than in cohorts receiving lower bortezomib and higher melphalan doses. In conclusion, bortezomib plus melphalan is a steroid- and immunomodulatory drug-free regimen that may provide a treatment alternative for elderly patients and patients with significant comorbidity.

Purpose: This multicenter, open-label, phase I/II dose escalation study assessed the safety/tolerability and initial efficacy of arsenic trioxide/bortezomib/ascorbic acid (ABC) combination therapy in patients with relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma. Experimental Design: Enrolled in six cohorts, patients were given arsenic trioxide (0.125 or 0.250 mg/kg), bortezomib (0.7, 1.0, or 1.3 mg/m2), and a fixed dose of ascorbic acid (1 g) i.v. on days 1, 4, 8, and 11 of a 21-day cycle for a maximum of eight cycles. The primary end point was safety/tolerability of the ABC regimen. Results: Twenty-two patients (median age, 63 years) were enrolled, having failed a median of 4 (range, 3-9) prior therapies. One occurrence of grade 4 thrombocytopenia was observed. One patient had asymptomatic arrhythmia and withdrew from the study. Objective responses were observed in 6 (27%) patients, including two partial responses and four minor responses. Median progression-free survival was 5 months (95% confidence interval, 2-9 months), and median overall survival had not been reached. The 12-month progression-free survival and overall survival rates were 34% and 74%, respectively. One (minor response) of six patients receiving the lowest dose of bortezomib (0.7 mg/m2) and 5 (2 partial responses and 3 minor responses) of 16 patients receiving the higher doses (1.0 or 1.3 mg/m2) responded. Conclusions: The ABC regimen was well tolerated by most patients, and it produced preliminary signs of efficacy with an objective response rate of 27% in this heavily pretreated study population. These findings warrant further clinical evaluation of the ABC combination for treatment of relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma.

Previous studies have shown that low serum vitamin D levels have been associated with many skeletal and non-skeletal disorders. We studied the relationship between 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25D) levels and motor and sensory peripheral neuropathy (PN) among multiple myeloma (MM) patients who have been treated with bortezomib and/or thalidomide.We performed a study of 111 MM patients who had received at least one of these two agents for at least 12 weeks by correlating physical exam/neurologic assessment findings with patient self-assessment responses.The median age of study patients was 66 years (range 42-89 years) and 54 % were males. 25D levels were determined, and complete history and physical and neurologic examinations were performed at the same study visit. In addition, study subjects completed questionnaires regarding symptoms related to motor and sensory PN. Overall, patients had a median serum 25D level of only 32 ng/ml; 42 % of patients were considered either 25D-deficient (20.0 ng/mL; 16 % of patients) or 25D-insufficient (20.0-29.9 ng/mL; 26 %). Notably, we found that 25D-deficient MM patients were more likely to have severe PN (grade 2) of both motor (p = 0.0415) and sensory (p = 0.0086) types although the overall incidence of PN was not higher in this patient population.These results show that the severity of peripheral neuropathy is associated with lower vitamin D levels and provides the rationale for monitoring vitamin D for myeloma patients especially those receiving drugs associated with the development of peripheral neuropathy.

Summary Pleiotrophin (PTN), a tightly regulated angiogenic and mitogenic heparin-binding protein, is markedly elevated in a variety of aggressive solid tumours. The role of PTN in haematological malignancies, however, has not been previously evaluated. This study demonstrated that PTN serum levels were elevated in multiple myeloma (MM) patients when compared with healthy subjects (P