Tagraxofusp (SL-401) in Patients with Chronic Myelomonocytic Leukemia (CMML): Updated Results of an Ongoing Phase 1/2 Trial
Authors: Patnaik Mrinal M. , Ali Haris , Wang Eunice S. , Yacoub Abdulraheem , Gupta Vikas , Lee Sangmin , Schiller Gary J. , Foran James M. , Tefferi Ayalew , Brooks Christopher L , Garcia-Manero Guillermo , Mughal Tariq I. , Pemmaraju Naveen 
Published: November 2021

Abstract
Introduction
CMML is a clonal hematopoietic stem cell disorder with overlapping features of myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) and myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN). Current therapeutic options for patients (pts) with CMML are limited, leaving a significant unmet medical need. Pts classified to have the MPN subtype, compared with the MDS subtype, and those with high-risk genetic features tend to have a higher rate of transformation to acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and median survival of 2-3 years. The seminal observation of increased expression of CD123 (interleukin-3Rα) on leukemia stem cells and clonal plasmacytoid dendritic cells led to the clinical investigation of a novel CD123-targeted agent, tagraxofusp (TAG, SL-401), in CD123-positive hematologic malignancies, including blastic plasmacytoid dendritic cell neoplasm (BPDCN), CMML, AML, and myelofibrosis. TAG demonstrated robust clinical activity in pts with BPDCN and is now approved in the US and EU for this indication. Data from an ongoing phase 1/2 study of TAG monotherapy for pts with relapsed/refractory (R/R) CMML (NCT02268253) also demonstrated clinical activity (Patnaik et al. J Clin Oncol 2019;37: abstr 7059). Herein, we present updated safety and efficacy results of this study in first-line (1L) high-risk and R/R pts.

Methods
A multicenter, multistage, phase 1/2 trial was designed initially to assess the safety and efficacy of TAG monotherapy in adult pts with R/R CMML (Stages 1 and 2), and subsequently expanded to include 1L high-risk and R/R pts (Stage 3A). Clinical responses were initially assessed by the International Working Group/MDS 2006 criteria, and subsequently amended to the MDS/MPN 2015 criteria. Splenomegaly was assessed by palpation in Stages 1 and 2, and by palpation and imaging in Stage 3A. TAG was administered as a daily IV infusion at 7, 9, or 12 mcg/kg on days (d)1-3 every 21 d (cycles [C]1-4), 28 d (C5-7), and 42 d (C8 and beyond) in Stage 1, and at 12 mcg/kg (recommended phase 2 dose defined in Stage 1) every 21 d (C1-4) and 28 d (C5 and beyond) in Stages 2-3A.
Results
As of July 2021, 36 pts have been enrolled, comprising 20 pts with CMML-1 and 16 with CMML-2; median age is 69 years (range 42-81); 75% are male. Twenty-three (64%) pts had either high- or intermediate-risk genetics based on CPSS, GFM, MMM, or ELN risk-stratification systems. Prior therapies included HMA in 16 (43%) pts, allogeneic stem cell transplantation (allo-SCT) in 3 (8%), and other in 12 (32%); 7 (19%) pts were high-risk and treatment naive. Overall, 16 (44%) pts had baseline palpable splenomegaly, of whom 12 pts' spleen size was ≥5 cm below left costal margin. The most common (in ≥20% of pts, n=34) treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs) were hypoalbuminemia (26%), thrombocytopenia (24%), nausea (24%), and capillary leak syndrome (CLS, 21%; grade 2, n=4; grade 3, n=3). Grade ≥3 TRAEs were thrombocytopenia (21%), CLS (9%), anemia (9%), and nausea (3%). Discontinuation rate due to TRAEs was low (n=1). Overall, 4 of 36 (11%) pts achieved bone marrow morphologic complete responses (BMCRs), of whom 1 pt was bridged to allo-SCT; all 4 pts had splenomegaly at baseline. Noteworthy, 2 of the 4 BMCRs were observed in pts with high-risk genetic features. Fifteen (42%) pts with baseline splenomegaly had spleen responses; 9 (60%) pts had a ≥50% reduction in spleen size, including 5 (42%) with splenomegaly ≥5 cm at baseline. Median follow-up was 11 weeks (range 1-163 weeks). In the Stage 3A cohort, 2 high-risk 1L pts had BM partial remissions, with 1 also having clinical benefit. Three pts had a spleen volume reduction by MRI scans following C1 (range 7%-36%) and 1 pt had a reduction of 57% after C4. While on study, none of the 7 pts (2 transfusion dependent at baseline) have required blood or platelet transfusions. Updated results on Stage 3A, including total symptom scores, will be presented.

Conclusions
Ongoing results in pts with CMML demonstrate TAG monotherapy has significant clinical activity in 1L pts with high-risk disease as well as those with R/R disease. The responses were particularly notable in those with baseline splenomegaly. As Stage 3A of the trial continues, mutational correlates and BM PDCs are being assessed. TAG treatment is well-tolerated, with a manageable and predictable safety profile. Overall, the data suggest that TAG may offer a novel targeted approach for pts with CMML. Stage 3A of the trial continues.

Disclosures
Patnaik: Kura Oncology: Research Funding; Stemline Therapeutics: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Stemline Therapeutics: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Ali: BMS: Speakers Bureau; Incyte: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Speakers Bureau; CTI BioPharma: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Wang: Kite Pharmaceuticals: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: Advisory Board; Mana Therapeutics: Consultancy, Honoraria; Novartis: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: Advisory Board; BMS/Celgene: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Stemline Therapeutics: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: Advisory board, Speakers Bureau; Genentech: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; DAVA Oncology: Consultancy, Speakers Bureau; Takeda: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: Advisory board; Kura Oncology: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: Advisory board, steering committee, Speakers Bureau; Pfizer: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: Advisory Board, Speakers Bureau; Jazz Pharmaceuticals: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: Advisory Board; GlaxoSmithKline: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: Advisory Board; Astellas: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; AbbVie: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Rafael Pharmaceuticals: Other: Data safety monitoring committee; Gilead: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: Advisory board; Daiichi Sankyo: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: Advisory board; PTC Therapeutics: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: Advisory board; Genentech: Consultancy; MacroGenics: Consultancy. Yacoub: Incyte: Consultancy, Honoraria, Speakers Bureau; CTI Biopharma: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; ACCELERON PHARMA: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Agios: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Speakers Bureau; Dynavex: Current equity holder in publicly-traded company; Cara: Current equity holder in publicly-traded company; Ardelyx: Current equity holder in publicly-traded company; Seattle Genetics: Honoraria, Speakers Bureau; Novartis: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Speakers Bureau; Hylapharm: Current equity holder in publicly-traded company. Gupta: Pfizer: Consultancy; BMS-Celgene: 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, Research Funding; AbbVie: Consultancy, Honoraria; Incyte: Honoraria, Research Funding; Sierra Oncology: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Constellation Pharma: Consultancy, Honoraria; Roche: Consultancy. Lee: AstraZeneca: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; BMS: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Innate: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Pin Therapeutics: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Schiller: Kite/Gilead: Honoraria, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Agios: Consultancy, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; FujiFilm: Research Funding; PrECOG: Research Funding; Karyopharm: Research Funding; Actinium Pharmaceuticals, Inc: Research Funding; Sangamo: Research Funding; Tolero: Research Funding; Incyte: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Geron: Research Funding; Stemline Therapeutics, Inc.: Honoraria, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Takeda: Research Funding; Constellation Pharmaceuticals: Research Funding; Trovagene: Research Funding; Actuate: Research Funding; BMS/Celgene: Consultancy, Current equity holder in publicly-traded company, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Amgen: Consultancy, Current equity holder in publicly-traded company, Honoraria, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Regimmune: Research Funding; Delta-Fly: Research Funding; Genentech-Roche: Research Funding; Gamida Cell Ltd.: Research Funding; Astellas: Honoraria, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Celator: Research Funding; Daiichi-Sankyo: Research Funding; Arog: Research Funding; Forma: Research Funding; Samus: Research Funding; Deciphera: Research Funding; Jazz: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Elevate: Research Funding; Bio: Research Funding; Ono-UK: Consultancy, Research Funding; Abbvie: Research Funding; Mateon: Research Funding; Pfizer: Current equity holder in publicly-traded company, Research Funding; Onconova: Research Funding; Novartis: Consultancy, Research Funding; Sanofi: Honoraria, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Pharma: Consultancy; Johnson & Johnson: Current equity holder in publicly-traded company; Biomed Valley Discoveries: Research Funding; Eli Lilly: Research Funding; ASH foundation: Other: Chair-unpaid; Sellas: Research Funding; Ono: Consultancy; Incyte: Consultancy; Ariad: Research Funding; AstraZeneca: Consultancy; Kaiser Permanente: Consultancy; Cyclacel: Research Funding; MedImmune: Research Funding; Ambit: Research Funding; Leukemia & Lymphoma Society: Research Funding; Bluebird Bio: Research Funding; Boehringer-Ingleheim: Research Funding; Cellerant: Research Funding; CTI Biopharma: Research Funding; Janssen: Research Funding; Kura Oncology: Research Funding; Pharmacyclics: Honoraria, Speakers Bureau; Millennium: Research Funding; National Marrow Donor Program: Research Funding; NIH: Research Funding; Onyx: Research Funding; Pharmamar: Research Funding; UC Davis: Research Funding; UCSD: Research Funding; Evidera: Consultancy; NCI: Consultancy; Novartis: Speakers Bureau. Foran: takeda: Research Funding; taiho: Honoraria; syros: Honoraria; boehringer ingelheim: Research Funding; trillium: Research Funding; abbvie: Research Funding; aptose: Research Funding; actinium: Research Funding; kura: Research Funding; sanofi aventis: Honoraria; gamida: Honoraria; certara: Honoraria; servier: Honoraria; revolution medicine: Honoraria; bms: Honoraria; pfizer: Honoraria; novartis: Honoraria; OncLive: Honoraria; h3bioscience: Research Funding; aprea: Research Funding; sellas: Research Funding; stemline: Research Funding. Brooks: Stemline Therapeutics: Current Employment. Mughal: Oxford University Press, Informa: Other: financial benefit and/or patents ; Stemline: Current Employment, Current holder of stock options in a privately-held company. Pemmaraju: Cellectis S.A. ADR: Other, Research Funding; Daiichi Sankyo, Inc.: Other, Research Funding; HemOnc Times/Oncology Times: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; CareDx, Inc.: Consultancy; Aptitude Health: Consultancy; ASH Communications Committee: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; ASCO Leukemia Advisory Panel: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Springer Science + Business Media: Other; Bristol-Myers Squibb Co.: Consultancy; Sager Strong Foundation: Other; Dan's House of Hope: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; ImmunoGen, Inc: Consultancy; Samus: Other, Research Funding; Plexxicon: Other, Research Funding; Blueprint Medicines: Consultancy; Clearview Healthcare Partners: Consultancy; DAVA Oncology: Consultancy; Roche Diagnostics: Consultancy; MustangBio: Consultancy, Other; Abbvie Pharmaceuticals: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Other, Research Funding; Celgene Corporation: Consultancy; Stemline Therapeutics, Inc.: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Other, Research Funding; LFB Biotechnologies: Consultancy; Novartis Pharmaceuticals: Consultancy, Other: Research Support, Research Funding; Incyte: Consultancy; Affymetrix: Consultancy, Research Funding; Protagonist Therapeutics, Inc.: Consultancy; Pacylex Pharmaceuticals: Consultancy.