Clinical trial NCT06317662: Testing the Addition of the Anti-cancer Drug Venetoclax and/or the Anti-cancer Immunotherapy Blinatumomab to the Usual Chemotherapy Treatment for Infants With Newly Diagnosed KMT2A-rearranged or KMT2A-non-rearranged Leukemia
Official title: A Phase 2 Study of Blinatumomab in Combination With Chemotherapy for Infants With Newly Diagnosed Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia With Randomization of KMT2A-Rearranged Patients to Addition of Venetoclax
Study type: INTERVENTIONAL
Overall status: RECRUITING
Phase: PHASE2
Conditions: Acute Leukemia of Ambiguous Lineage
B Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia
Lead sponsor: National Cancer Institute (NCI)
Sponsor class: NIH
First posted: 2024-03-19
Enrollment: 153
Sex: ALL
Maximum age (years): 365
Standard ages: CHILD
Accepts healthy volunteers: no
Allocation: RANDOMIZED
Intervention model: SEQUENTIAL
Primary purpose: TREATMENT

Brief summary: This phase II trial tests the addition of venetoclax and/or blinatumomab to usual chemotherapy for treating infants with newly diagnosed acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) with a KMT2A gene rearrangement (KMT2A-rearranged \[R\]) or without a KMT2A gene rearrangement (KMT2A-germline \[G\]). Venetoclax is in a class of medications called B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2) inhibitors. It may stop the growth of cancer cells by blocking Bcl-2, a protein needed for cancer cell survival. Blinatumomab is a monoclonal antibody that may interfere with the ability of cancer cells to grow and spread. Chemotherapy drugs work in different ways to stop the growth of cancer cells, either by killing the cells, by stopping them from dividing, or by stopping them from spreading. Adding venetoclax and/or blinatumomab to standard chemotherapy may be more effective at treating patients with ALL than standard chemotherapy alone, but it may also cause more side effects. This clinical trial evaluates the safety and effectiveness of adding venetoclax and/or blinatumomab to chemotherapy for the treatment of infants with KMT2A-R or KMT2A-G ALL.

Detailed description: PRIMARY OBJECTIVES:

I. To evaluate the safety and tolerability of venetoclax in addition to a standard chemotherapy backbone and two cycles of blinatumomab in infants (aged 365 days or less at diagnosis) with newly diagnosed KMT2A-R ALL.

II. To determine in a randomized manner if the addition of venetoclax to induction chemotherapy improves end of induction minimal residual disease (MRD)-negative remission rates in infants with KMT2A-R ALL.

SECONDARY OBJECTIVES:

I. To estimate the MRD-negative remission rate for all eligible infants with KMT2A-R ALL treated with venetoclax at the recommended phase 2 dose (RP2D).

II. To compare event free survival (EFS) rates of infants with KMT2A-R ALL treated on arm B to those treated on arm A.

III. To compare 3-year EFS rates of infants with KMT2A-R ALL treated on arm A to historical controls.

IV. To determine the feasibility of treating infants with KMT2A-G ALL with a Children's Oncology Group (COG) high risk ALL chemotherapy backbone and two cycles of blinatumomab and estimate the 3-year EFS rate of infants with KMT2A-G ALL treated on arm C.

V. To characterize the pharmacokinetics (PK) of venetoclax in infants.

EXPLORATORY OBJECTIVES:

I. To describe 3-year EFS rate of infants with KMT2A-R ALL treated on arm B. II. To evaluate the use of high-throughput sequencing (HTS) for MRD detection in infant ALL compared to centralized flow cytometry.

III. To characterize the PK of calaspargase pegol-mknl in infants with ALL. IV. To report the incidence of CD19 negative relapse and myeloid switch relapse with protocol therapy.

V. To evaluate the impact of venetoclax in combination with chemotherapy on T-cell subsets and function.

VI. To describe the feasibility of T-cell collection and success of T-cell manufacturing for infants with KMT2A-R ALL who receive chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T- cell therapy after coming off protocol therapy.

VII. To determine predictors of response and resistance to venetoclax and overall protocol therapy.

VIII. To evaluate the impact of subsequent anti-cancer therapy on overall survival after coming off protocol therapy.

OUTLINE:

STEROID PREPHASE: All patients receive prednisone or prednisolone orally (PO) or nasogastrically (NG) three times daily (TID) or methylprednisolone intravenously (IV) TID for 7 days prior to the start of induction therapy (on days 1-7).

Patients who are KMT2A gene rearrangement positive are assigned to the safety phase cohort during the safety phase of the study, or randomized between Arm A and Arm B during the expansion phase of the study. Patients who are KMT2A gene rearrangement negative are assigned to Arm C.

SAFETY PHASE COHORT:

INDUCTION: Patients receive venetoclax PO or NG once daily (QD) on days 1-7, 1-10, or 1-14, daunorubicin IV over 1-15 minutes on days 1 and 2, vincristine IV on days 1, 8, 15, and 22, dexamethasone PO, NG, or IV TID on days 1-28, calaspargase pegol IV over 1-2 hours on day 4, and intrathecal therapy (methotrexate, hydrocortisone, cytarabine) intrathecally (IT) on days 1, 15, and 29 or days 1, 8, 15, 22, and 29. Patients with \< 5% blasts by morphology in the bone marrow at the end of induction (day 35) proceed directly to blinatumomab block 1 on the next day or when absolute neutrophil counts (ANC) \>= 500/uL and platelets \>= 50,000/uL. Patients with \>= 5% blasts by morphology in the bone marrow at the end of induction proceed to blinatumomab block 1 as soon as marrow results are known, irrespective of ANC or platelet values.

BLINATUMOMAB BLOCK 1: Patients receive dexamethasone PO, NG, or IV on day 1 or days 1 and 8, blinatumomab IV on days 1-28, 1-7, or 8-28, and intrathecal therapy IT on days 15 and 29. Patients who are MRD \>= 1% or who have residual non-central nervous system (CNS) extramedullary disease at the end of blinatumomab block 1 (day 35) discontinue protocol therapy. All other patients proceed directly to consolidation on the next day or when peripheral counts recover to ANC \>= 500/uL and platelets \>= 50,000/uL.

CONSOLIDATION: Patients receive cyclophosphamide IV over 30-60 minutes on days 1 and 29, cytarabine subcutaneously (SC) QD or IV over 15-30 minutes on days 1-4, 8-11, 29-32, and 36-39, mercaptopurine PO or NG QD on days 1-14 and 29-42, and intrathecal therapy IT on day 29. Patients who are MRD \>= 0.01% at the end of consolidation therapy (day 56) discontinue protocol therapy. All other patients proceed directly to MARMA the next day or when peripheral counts recover to ANC \>= 750/uL and platelets \>= 75,000/uL.

MARMA: Patients receive mercaptopurine PO or NG QD on days 1-14, high dose methotrexate IV over 24 hours on days 1 and 8, leucovorin PO, NG, or IV or levoleucovorin IV on days 3-4 and 10-11, intrathecal therapy IT on days 1 and 8, high dose cytarabine IV over 3 hours on days 22-23 and 29-30, and recombinant crisantaspase IM or crisantaspase IM or IV over 1-2 hours on days 23 and 30. At the end of MARMA (day 49), all patients proceed directly to blinatumomab block 2 the next day or when peripheral counts recover to ANC \>= 500/uL and platelets \>= 50,000/uL.

BLINATUMOMAB BLOCK 2: Patients receive blinatumomab IV on days 1-28 and intrathecal therapy IT on days 1 and 15. At the end of blinatumomab block 2 (day 35), all patients proceed directly to delayed intensification the next day or when peripheral counts recover to ANC \>= 750/uL and platelets \>= 75,000/uL.

DELAYED INTENSIFICATION: Patients receive calaspargase pegol IV over 1-2 hours on day 1, dexamethasone PO, NG, or IV TID on days 1-21, thioguanine PO or NG on days 1-28 and 36-49, vincristine IV on days 1, 8, 15, and 22, daunorubicin IV over 1-15 minutes on days 1, 8, 15, and 22, cytarabine SC or IV over 15-30 minutes on days 2-5, 9-12, 16-19, 23-26, 37-40, and 44-47, cyclophosphamide IV over 15-30 minutes on days 36 and 50, and intrathecal therapy IT on days 1 and 15. At the end of delayed intensification (day 63), all patients proceed directly to maintenance the next day or when peripheral counts recover to ANC \>= 500/uL and platelets \>= 50,000/uL.

MAINTENANCE: Patients receive mercaptopurine PO or NG on days 1-84 of each cycle, methotrexate PO, NG, or IV on days 1, 8, 15, 22, 29, 36, 43, 50, 57, 64, 71, and 78 of each cycle, and intrathecal therapy IT on day 1 of cycles 1-3. Cycles repeat every 12 weeks (84 days) for up to 2 years from the start of MARMA in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity.

EXPANSION PHASE: After completion of Safety phase, patients who are KMT2A gene rearrangement positive are randomized to Arm A or Arm B.

ARM A:

INDUCTION: Patients receive daunorubicin IV over 1-15 minutes on days 1 and 2, cytarabine SC or IV over 15-30 minutes on days 1-14, vincristine IV on days 1, 8, 15, and 22, dexamethasone PO, NG, or IV TID on days 1-28, calaspargase pegol IV over 1-2 hours on day 4, and intrathecal therapy IT on days 1, 15, and 29, or days 1, 8, 15, 22, and 29. Patients with \< 5% blasts by morphology in the bone marrow at the end of induction (day 35) proceed directly to blinatumomab block 1 on the next day or when ANC \>= 500/uL and platelets \>= 50,000/uL. Patients with \>= 5% blasts by morphology in the bone marrow at the end of induction proceed to blinatumomab block 1 as soon as marrow results are known, irrespective of ANC or platelet values.

BLINATUMOMAB BLOCK 1: Patients receive dexamethasone PO, NG, or IV on day 1 or days 1 and 8, blinatumomab IV on days 1-28, 1-7, or 8-28, and intrathecal therapy IT on days 15 and 29. Patients who are MRD \>= 1% or who have residual non-CNS extramedullary disease at the end of blinatumomab block 1 (day 35) discontinue protocol therapy. All other patients proceed directly to consolidation on the next day or when peripheral counts recover to ANC \>= 500/uL and platelets \>= 50,000/uL.

CONSOLIDATION: Patients receive cyclophosphamide IV over 30-60 minutes on days 1 and 29, cytarabine SC QD or IV over 15-30 minutes on days 1-4, 8-11, 29-32, and 36-39, mercaptopurine PO or NG QD on days 1-14 and 29-42, and intrathecal therapy IT on day 29. Patients who are MRD \>= 0.01% at the end of consolidation therapy (day 56) discontinue protocol therapy. All other patients proceed directly to MARMA the next day or when peripheral counts recover to ANC \>= 750/uL and platelets \>= 75,000/uL.

MARMA: Patients receive mercaptopurine PO or NG QD on days 1-14, high dose methotrexate IV over 24 hours on days 1 and 8, leucovorin PO, NG, or IV or levoleucovorin IV on days 3-4 and 10-11, intrathecal therapy IT on days 1 and 8, high dose cytarabine IV over 3 hours on days 22-23 and 29-30, and recombinant crisantaspase IM or crisantaspase IM or IV over 1-2 hours on days 23 and 30. At the end of MARMA (day 49), all patients proceed directly to blinatumomab block 2 the next day or when peripheral counts recover to ANC \>= 500/uL and platelets \>= 50,000/uL.

BLINATUMOMAB BLOCK 2: Patients receive blinatumomab IV on days 1-28 and intrathecal therapy IT on days 1 and 15. At the end of blinatumomab block 2 (day 35), all patients proceed directly to delayed intensification the next day or when peripheral counts recover to ANC \>= 750/uL and platelets \>= 75,000/uL.

DELAYED INTENSIFICATION: Patients receive calaspargase pegol IV over 1-2 hours on day 1, dexamethasone PO, NG, or IV TID on days 1-21, thioguanine PO or NG on days 1-28 and 36-49, vincristine IV on days 1, 8, 15, and 22, daunorubicin IV over 1-15 minutes on days 1, 8, 15, and 22, cytarabine SC or IV over 15-30 minutes on days 2-5, 9-12, 16-19, 23-26, 37-40, and 44-47, cyclophosphamide IV over 15-30 minutes on days 36 and 50, and intrathecal therapy IT on days 1 and 15. At the end of delayed intensification (day 63), all patients proceed directly to maintenance the next day or when peripheral counts recover to ANC \>= 500/uL and platelets \>= 50,000/uL.

MAINTENANCE: Patients receive mercaptopurine PO or NG on days 1-84 of each cycle, methotrexate PO, NG, or IV on days 1, 8, 15, 22, 29, 36, 43, 50, 57, 64, 71, and 78 of each cycle, and intrathecal therapy IT on day 1 of cycles 1-3. Cycles repeat every 12 weeks (84 days) for up to 2 years from the start of MARMA in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity.

ARM B: Patients are assigned to 1 of 4 cohorts.

COHORT 1:

INDUCTION + VENETOCLAX: Patients receive venetoclax PO or NG QD, daunorubicin IV over 1-15 minutes on days 1 and 2, vincristine IV on days 1, 8, 15, and 22, dexamethasone PO, NG, or IV TID on days 1-28, calaspargase pegol IV over 1-2 hours on day 4, and intrathecal therapy IT on days 1, 15, and 29 or days 1, 8, 15, 22, and 29. Patients with \< 5% blasts by morphology in the bone marrow at the end of induction (day 35) proceed directly to blinatumomab block 1 on the next day or when ANC \>= 500/uL and platelets \>= 50,000/uL. Patients with \>= 5% blasts by morphology in the bone marrow at the end of induction proceed to blinatumomab block 1 as soon as marrow results are known, irrespective of ANC or platelet values.

BLINATUMOMAB BLOCK 1: Patients receive dexamethasone PO, NG, or IV on day 1 or days 1 and 8, blinatumomab IV on days 1-28, 1-7, or 8-28, and intrathecal therapy IT on days 15 and 29. Patients who are MRD \>= 1% or who have residual non-CNS extramedullary disease at the end of blinatumomab block 1 (day 35) discontinue protocol therapy. All other patients proceed directly to consolidation on the next day or when peripheral counts recover to ANC \>= 500/uL and platelets \>= 50,000/uL.

CONSOLIDATION: Patients receive cyclophosphamide IV over 30-60 minutes on days 1 and 29, cytarabine SC QD or IV over 15-30 minutes on days 1-4, 8-11, 29-32, and 36-39, mercaptopurine PO or NG QD on days 1-14 and 29-42, and intrathecal therapy IT on day 29. Patients who are MRD \>= 0.01% at the end of consolidation therapy (day 56) discontinue protocol therapy. All other patients proceed directly to MARMA the next day or when peripheral counts recover to ANC \>= 750/uL and platelets \>= 75,000/uL.

MARMA + VENETOCLAX: Patients receive mercaptopurine PO or NG QD on days 1-14, high dose methotrexate IV over 24 hours on days 1 and 8, leucovorin PO, NG, or IV or levoleucovorin IV on days 3-4 and 10-11, intrathecal therapy IT on days 1 and 8, venetoclax PO or NG QD, high dose cytarabine IV over 3 hours on days 22-23 and 29-30, and recombinant crisantaspase IM or crisantaspase IM or IV over 1-2 hours on days 23 and 30. At the end of MARMA (day 49), all patients proceed directly to blinatumomab block 2 the next day or when peripheral counts recover to ANC \>= 500/uL and platelets \>= 50,000/uL.

BLINATUMOMAB BLOCK 2: Patients receive blinatumomab IV on days 1-28 and intrathecal therapy IT on days 1 and 15. At the end of blinatumomab block 2 (day 35), all patients proceed directly to delayed intensification the next day or when peripheral counts recover to ANC \>= 750/uL and platelets \>= 75,000/uL.

DELAYED INTENSIFICATION: Patients receive calaspargase pegol IV over 1-2 hours on day 1, dexamethasone PO, NG, or IV TID on days 1-21, thioguanine PO or NG on days 1-28 and 36-49, vincristine IV on days 1, 8, 15, and 22, daunorubicin IV over 1-15 minutes on days 1, 8, 15, and 22, cytarabine SC or IV over 15-30 minutes on days 2-5, 9-12, 16-19, 23-26, 37-40, and 44-47, cyclophosphamide IV over 15-30 minutes on days 36 and 50, and intrathecal therapy IT on days 1 and 15. At the end of delayed intensification (day 63), all patients proceed directly to maintenance the next day or when peripheral counts recover to ANC \>= 500/uL and platelets \>= 50,000/uL.

MAINTENANCE: Patients receive mercaptopurine PO or NG on days 1-84 of each cycle, methotrexate PO, NG, or IV on days 1, 8, 15, 22, 29, 36, 43, 50, 57, 64, 71, and 78 of each cycle, and intrathecal therapy IT on day 1 of cycles 1-3. Cycles repeat every 12 weeks (84 days) for up to 2 years from the start of MARMA in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity.

COHORT 2:

INDUCTION + VENETOCLAX: Patients receive venetoclax PO or NG QD, daunorubicin IV over 1-15 minutes on days 1 and 2, vincristine IV on days 1, 8, 15, and 22, dexamethasone PO, NG, or IV TID on days 1-28, calaspargase pegol IV over 1-2 hours on day 4, and intrathecal therapy IT on days 1, 15, and 29 or days 1, 8, 15, 22, and 29. Patients with \< 5% blasts by morphology in the bone marrow at the end of induction (day 35) proceed directly to blinatumomab block 1 on the next day or when ANC \>= 500/uL and platelets \>= 50,000/uL. Patients with \>= 5% blasts by morphology in the bone marrow at the end of induction proceed to blinatumomab block 1 as soon as marrow results are known, irrespective of ANC or platelet values.

BLINATUMOMAB BLOCK 1: Patients receive dexamethasone PO, NG, or IV on day 1 or days 1 and 8, blinatumomab IV on days 1-28, 1-7, or 8-28, and intrathecal therapy IT on days 15 and 29. Patients who are MRD \>= 1% or who have residual non-CNS extramedullary disease at the end of blinatumomab block 1 (day 35) discontinue protocol therapy. All other patients proceed directly to consolidation on the next day or when peripheral counts recover to ANC \>= 500/uL and platelets \>= 50,000/uL.

CONSOLIDATION + VENETOCLAX: Patients receive venetoclax PO or NG QD, cyclophosphamide IV over 30-60 minutes on days 1 and 29, cytarabine SC QD or IV over 15-30 minutes on days 1-4, 8-11, 29-32, and 36-39, mercaptopurine PO or NG QD on days 1-14 and 29-42, and intrathecal therapy IT on day 29. Patients who are MRD \>= 0.01% at the end of consolidation therapy (day 56) discontinue protocol therapy. All other patients proceed directly to MARMA the next day or when peripheral counts recover to ANC \>= 750/uL and platelets \>= 75,000/uL.

MARMA: Patients receive mercaptopurine PO or NG QD on days 1-14, high dose methotrexate IV over 24 hours on days 1 and 8, leucovorin PO, NG, or IV or levoleucovorin IV on days 3-4 and 10-11, intrathecal therapy IT on days 1 and 8, high dose cytarabine IV over 3 hours on days 22-23 and 29-30, and recombinant crisantaspase IM or crisantaspase IM or IV over 1-2 hours on days 23 and 30. At the end of MARMA (day 49), all patients proceed directly to blinatumomab block 2 the next day or when peripheral counts recover to ANC \>= 500/uL and platelets \>= 50,000/uL.

BLINATUMOMAB BLOCK 2: Patients receive blinatumomab IV on days 1-28 and intrathecal therapy IT on days 1 and 15. At the end of blinatumomab block 2 (day 35), all patients proceed directly to delayed intensification the next day or when peripheral counts recover to ANC \>= 750/uL and platelets \>= 75,000/uL.

DELAYED INTENSIFICATION: Patients receive calaspargase pegol IV over 1-2 hours on day 1, dexamethasone PO, NG, or IV TID on days 1-21, thioguanine PO or NG on days 1-28 and 36-49, vincristine IV on days 1, 8, 15, and 22, daunorubicin IV over 1-15 minutes on days 1, 8, 15, and 22, cytarabine SC or IV over 15-30 minutes on days 2-5, 9-12, 16-19, 23-26, 37-40, and 44-47, cyclophosphamide IV over 15-30 minutes on days 36 and 50, and intrathecal therapy IT on days 1 and 15. At the end of delayed intensification (day 63), all patients proceed directly to maintenance the next day or when peripheral counts recover to ANC \>= 500/uL and platelets \>= 50,000/uL.

MAINTENANCE: Patients receive mercaptopurine PO or NG on days 1-84 of each cycle, methotrexate PO, NG, or IV on days 1, 8, 15, 22, 29, 36, 43, 50, 57, 64, 71, and 78 of each cycle, and intrathecal therapy IT on day 1 of cycles 1-3. Cycles repeat every 12 weeks (84 days) for up to 2 years from the start of MARMA in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity.

COHORT 3:

INDUCTION + VENETOCLAX: Patients receive venetoclax PO or NG QD, daunorubicin IV over 1-15 minutes on days 1 and 2, vincristine IV on days 1, 8, 15, and 22, dexamethasone PO, NG, or IV TID on days 1-28, calaspargase pegol IV over 1-2 hours on day 4, and intrathecal therapy IT on days 1, 15, and 29 or days 1, 8, 15, 22, and 29. Patients with \< 5% blasts by morphology in the bone marrow at the end of induction (day 35) proceed directly to blinatumomab block 1 on the next day or when ANC \>= 500/uL and platelets \>= 50,000/uL. Patients with \>= 5% blasts by morphology in the bone marrow at the end of induction proceed to blinatumomab block 1 as soon as marrow results are known, irrespective of ANC or platelet values.

BLINATUMOMAB BLOCK 1: Patients receive dexamethasone PO, NG, or IV on day 1 or days 1 and 8, blinatumomab IV on days 1-28, 1-7, or 8-28, and intrathecal therapy IT on days 15 and 29. Patients who are MRD \>= 1% or who have residual non-CNS extramedullary disease at the end of blinatumomab block 1 (day 35) discontinue protocol therapy. All other patients proceed directly to consolidation on the next day or when peripheral counts recover to ANC \>= 500/uL and platelets \>= 50,000/uL.

CONSOLIDATION + VENETOCLAX: Patients receive venetoclax PO or NG QD, cyclophosphamide IV over 30-60 minutes on days 1 and 29, cytarabine SC QD or IV over 15-30 minutes on days 1-4, 8-11, 29-32, and 36-39, mercaptopurine PO or NG QD on days 1-14 and 29-42, and intrathecal therapy IT on day 29. Patients who are MRD \>= 0.01% at the end of consolidation therapy (day 56) discontinue protocol therapy. All other patients proceed directly to MARMA the next day or when peripheral counts recover to ANC \>= 750/uL and platelets \>= 75,000/uL.

MARMA + VENETOCLAX: Patients receive mercaptopurine PO or NG QD on days 1-14, high dose methotrexate IV over 24 hours on days 1 and 8, leucovorin PO, NG, or IV or levoleucovorin IV on days 3-4 and 10-11, intrathecal therapy IT on days 1 and 8, venetoclax PO or NG QD, high dose cytarabine IV over 3 hours on days 22-23 and 29-30, and recombinant crisantaspase IM or crisantaspase IM or IV over 1-2 hours on days 23 and 30. At the end of MARMA (day 49), all patients proceed directly to blinatumomab block 2 the next day or when peripheral counts recover to ANC \>= 500/uL and platelets \>= 50,000/uL.

BLINATUMOMAB BLOCK 2: Patients receive blinatumomab IV on days 1-28 and intrathecal therapy IT on days 1 and 15. At the end of blinatumomab block 2 (day 35), all patients proceed directly to delayed intensification the next day or when peripheral counts recover to ANC \>= 750/uL and platelets \>= 75,000/uL.

DELAYED INTENSIFICATION: Patients receive calaspargase pegol IV over 1-2 hours on day 1, dexamethasone PO, NG, or IV TID on days 1-21, thioguanine PO or NG on days 1-28 and 36-49, vincristine IV on days 1, 8, 15, and 22, daunorubicin IV over 1-15 minutes on days 1, 8, 15, and 22, cytarabine SC or IV over 15-30 minutes on days 2-5, 9-12, 16-19, 23-26, 37-40, and 44-47, cyclophosphamide IV over 15-30 minutes on days 36 and 50, and intrathecal therapy IT on days 1 and 15. At the end of delayed intensification (day 63), all patients proceed directly to maintenance the next day or when peripheral counts recover to ANC \>= 500/uL and platelets \>= 50,000/uL.

MAINTENANCE: Patients receive mercaptopurine PO or NG on days 1-84 of each cycle, methotrexate PO, NG, or IV on days 1, 8, 15, 22, 29, 36, 43, 50, 57, 64, 71, and 78 of each cycle, and intrathecal therapy IT on day 1 of cycles 1-3. Cycles repeat every 12 weeks (84 days) for up to 2 years from the start of MARMA in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity.

COHORT 4:

INDUCTION + VENETOCLAX: Patients receive venetoclax PO or NG QD, daunorubicin IV over 1-15 minutes on days 1 and 2, vincristine IV on days 1, 8, 15, and 22, dexamethasone PO, NG, or IV TID on days 1-28, calaspargase pegol IV over 1-2 hours on day 4, and intrathecal therapy IT on days 1, 15, and 29 or days 1, 8, 15, 22, and 29. Patients with \< 5% blasts by morphology in the bone marrow at the end of induction (day 35) proceed directly to blinatumomab block 1 on the next day or when ANC \>= 500/uL and platelets \>= 50,000/uL. Patients with \>= 5% blasts by morphology in the bone marrow at the end of induction proceed to blinatumomab block 1 as soon as marrow results are known, irrespective of ANC or platelet values.

BLINATUMOMAB BLOCK 1: Patients receive dexamethasone PO, NG, or IV on day 1 or days 1 and 8, blinatumomab IV on days 1-28, 1-7, or 8-28, and intrathecal therapy IT on days 15 and 29. Patients who are MRD \>= 1% or who have residual non-CNS extramedullary disease at the end of blinatumomab block 1 (day 35) discontinue protocol therapy. All other patients proceed directly to consolidation on the next day or when peripheral counts recover to ANC \>= 500/uL and platelets \>= 50,000/uL.

CONSOLIDATION: Patients receive cyclophosphamide IV over 30-60 minutes on days 1 and 29, cytarabine SC QD or IV over 15-30 minutes on days 1-4, 8-11, 29-32, and 36-39, mercaptopurine PO or NG QD on days 1-14 and 29-42, and intrathecal therapy IT on day 29. Patients who are MRD \>= 0.01% at the end of consolidation therapy (day 56) discontinue protocol therapy. All other patients proceed directly to MARMA the next day or when peripheral counts recover to ANC \>= 750/uL and platelets \>= 75,000/uL.

MARMA: Patients receive mercaptopurine PO or NG QD on days 1-14, high dose methotrexate IV over 24 hours on days 1 and 8, leucovorin PO, NG, or IV or levoleucovorin IV on days 3-4 and 10-11, intrathecal therapy IT on days 1 and 8, high dose cytarabine IV over 3 hours on days 22-23 and 29-30, and recombinant crisantaspase IM or crisantaspase IM or IV over 1-2 hours on days 23 and 30. At the end of MARMA (day 49), all patients proceed directly to blinatumomab block 2 the next day or when peripheral counts recover to ANC \>= 500/uL and platelets \>= 50,000/uL.

BLINATUMOMAB BLOCK 2: Patients receive blinatumomab IV on days 1-28 and intrathecal therapy IT on days 1 and 15. At the end of blinatumomab block 2 (day 35), all patients proceed directly to delayed intensification the next day or when peripheral counts recover to ANC \>= 750/uL and platelets \>= 75,000/uL.

DELAYED INTENSIFICATION: Patients receive calaspargase pegol IV over 1-2 hours on day 1, dexamethasone PO, NG, or IV TID on days 1-21, thioguanine PO or NG on days 1-28 and 36-49, vincristine IV on days 1, 8, 15, and 22, daunorubicin IV over 1-15 minutes on days 1, 8, 15, and 22, cytarabine SC or IV over 15-30 minutes on days 2-5, 9-12, 16-19, 23-26, 37-40, and 44-47, cyclophosphamide IV over 15-30 minutes on days 36 and 50, and intrathecal therapy IT on days 1 and 15. At the end of delayed intensification (day 63), all patients proceed directly to maintenance the next day or when peripheral counts recover to ANC \>= 500/uL and platelets \>= 50,000/uL.

MAINTENANCE: Patients receive mercaptopurine PO or NG on days 1-84 of each cycle, methotrexate PO, NG, or IV on days 1, 8, 15, 22, 29, 36, 43, 50, 57, 64, 71, and 78 of each cycle, and intrathecal therapy IT on day 1 of cycles 1-3. Cycles repeat every 12 weeks (84 days) for up to 2 years from the start of MARMA in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity.

ARM C:

INDUCTION: Patients receive daunorubicin IV over 1-15 minutes on days 1 and 2, cytarabine SC or IV over 15-30 minutes on days 1-14, vincristine IV on days 1, 8, 15, and 22, dexamethasone PO, NG, or IV TID on days 1-28, calaspargase pegol IV over 1-2 hours on day 4, and intrathecal therapy IT on days 1, 15, and 29, or days 1, 8, 15, 22, and 29. Patients with \< 5% blasts by morphology in the bone marrow at the end of induction (day 35) proceed directly to blinatumomab block 1 on the next day or when ANC \>= 500/uL and platelets \>= 50,000/uL. Patients with \>= 5% blasts by morphology in the bone marrow at the end of induction proceed to blinatumomab block 1 as soon as marrow results are known, irrespective of ANC or platelet values.

BLINATUMOMAB BLOCK 1: Patients receive dexamethasone PO, NG, or IV on day 1 or days 1 and 8, blinatumomab IV on days 1-28, 1-7, or 8-28, and methotrexate IT on days 15 and 29. Patients who are MRD \>= 1% or who have residual non-CNS extramedullary disease at the end of blinatumomab block 1 (day 35) discontinue protocol therapy. All other patients proceed directly to consolidation on the next day or when peripheral counts recover to ANC \>= 750/uL and platelets \>= 75,000/uL.

CONSOLIDATION: Patients receive cyclophosphamide IV over 30-60 minutes on days 1 and 29, cytarabine SC QD or IV over 15-30 minutes on days 1-4, 8-11, 29-32, and 36-39, mercaptopurine PO or NG QD on days 1-14 and 29-42, methotrexate IT on days 8, 15, and 22, vincristine IV on days 15, 22, 43, and 50, and calaspargase pegol IV over 1-2 hours on days 15 and 43. Patients who are MRD \>= 0.01% at the end of consolidation therapy (day 56) discontinue protocol therapy. All other patients proceed directly to interim maintenance 1 the next day or when peripheral counts recover to ANC \>= 750/uL and platelets \>= 75,000/uL.

INTERIM MAINTENANCE 1: Patients receive vincristine IV on days 1, 15, 29, and 43, high dose methotrexate IV over 24 hours on days 1, 15, 29, and 43, mercaptopurine PO or NG on days 1-14, 15-28, 29-42, and 43-56, methotrexate IT on days 1 and 29, and leucovorin PO or NG or IV or levoleucovorin IV on days 3-4, 17-18, 31-32, and 45-46. At the end of interim maintenance 1 (day 63), all patients proceed directly to blinatumomab block 2 the next day or when peripheral counts recover to ANC \>= 500/uL and platelets \>= 50,000/uL.

BLINATUMOMAB BLOCK 2: Patients receive blinatumomab IV on days 1-28, and methotrexate IT on days 1 and 15. At the end of blinatumomab block 2 (day 35), all patients proceed directly to delayed intensification the next day or when peripheral counts recover to ANC \>= 750/uL and platelets \>= 75,000/uL.

DELAYED INTENSIFICATION: Patients receive methotrexate IT on days 1, 29, and 36, dexamethasone PO, NG, or IV TID on days 1-7 and 15-21, vincristine IV on days 1, 8, 15, 43, and 50, doxorubicin IV over 3-15 minutes on days 1, 8, and 15, calaspargase pegol IV over 1-2 hours on days 4 and 43, cyclophosphamide IV over 30-60 minutes on day 29, thioguanine PO or NG on days 29-42, and cytarabine SC or IV over 15-30 minutes on days 29-32 and 36-39. At the end of delayed intensification (day 63), all patients proceed directly to interim maintenance 2 the next day or when peripheral counts recover to ANC \>= 750/uL and platelets \>= 75,000/uL.

INTERIM MAINTENANCE 2: Patients receive vincristine IV on days 1, 11, 21, 31, and 41, methotrexate IV push over 2-5 minutes of IV over 10-15 minutes on days 1, 11, 21, 31, and 41, methotrexate IT on days 1 and 31, and calaspargase pegol IV over 1-2 hours on days 2 and 23. At the end of interim maintenance 2 (day 56), all patients proceed directly to maintenance the next day or when peripheral counts recover to ANC \>= 750/uL and platelets \>= 75,000/uL.

MAINTENANCE: Patients receive methotrexate IT on day 1 of each cycle, vincristine IV on day 1 of each cycle, prednisone or prednisolone PO or NG BID or methylprednisolone IV BID on days 1-5 of each cycle, mercaptopurine PO or NG on days 1-84 of each cycle, and methotrexate PO, NG, or IV on days 1, 8, 15, 22, 29, 36, 43, 50, 57, 64, 71, and 78 of each cycle. Cycles repeat every 12 weeks (84 days) for up to 2 years from the start of interim maintenance 1 in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity.

All patients undergo bone marrow aspiration, collection of blood samples and echocardiography (ECHO) or multigated acquisition scan (MUGA) throughout the trial. Patients may undergo computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), fludeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography (FDG-PET), and/or lumbar puncture if clinically indicated.

After completion of study treatment, patients are followed up for up to 3 years.

Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

* All patients must be enrolled on APEC14B1 and consented to eligibility screening (part A) prior to treatment and enrollment on AALL2321
* Infants (aged 365 days or less) on the date of diagnosis are eligible; infants must be \> 36 weeks gestational age at the time of enrollment
* Patients must have newly diagnosed B-acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL, 2017 World Health Organization \[WHO\] classification), also termed B-precursor ALL, or acute leukemia of ambiguous lineage (ALAL), which includes mixed phenotype acute leukemia. For patients with ALAL, the immunophenotype of the leukemia must comprise at least 50% B lineage

  * Diagnostic immunophenotype: Leukemia cells must express CD19

Exclusion Criteria:

* Patients with Down Syndrome
* Patients with secondary B-ALL that developed after treatment of a prior malignancy with cytotoxic chemotherapy
* Patients must not have received any cytotoxic chemotherapy for either the current diagnosis of infant ALL or for any cancer diagnosis prior to the initiation of protocol therapy, with the exception of:

  * Steroid pretreatment:

    * PredniSONE, prednisoLONE, or methylPREDNISolone for ≤ 72 hours (3 days) in the 7 days prior to enrollment. The dose of predniSONE, prednisoLONE or methylPREDNISolone does not affect eligibility
    * Inhaled and topical steroids are not considered pretreatment
    * Note: Pretreatment with dexamethasone in the 28 days prior to initiation of protocol therapy is not allowed with the exception of a single dose of dexamethasone used during or within 6 hours prior to or after sedation to prevent or treat airway edema. However, prior exposure to ANY steroids that occurred \> 28 days before enrollment does not affect eligibility
  * Intrathecal cytarabine or methotrexate:

    * An intrathecal dose of cytarabine or methotrexate in the 7 days prior to enrollment does not affect eligibility
    * Note: The preference is to defer the diagnostic lumbar puncture with intrathecal chemotherapy to day 1 of induction to allow for cytoreduction of circulating blasts and decrease the potential for central nervous system (CNS) contamination due to a traumatic tap. If done prior to day 1 of induction, these results will be used to determine CNS status
  * Hydroxyurea:

    * Pretreatment with ≤ 72 hours (3 days) of hydroxyurea in the 7 days prior to enrollment does not affect eligibility
* All patients and/or their parents or legal guardians must sign a written informed consent
* All institutional, Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and National Cancer Institute (NCI) requirements for human studies must be met

Primary outcomes:
measure: Incidence of dose-limiting toxicities (DLTs) (safety phase)
timeFrame: For the duration of the induction + venetoclax cycle
measure: Incidence of DLTs (expansion phase)
timeFrame: During the induction, consolidation, and MARMA cycles of Arm B
measure: Minimal residual disease (MRD)-negative remission rate
timeFrame: At the end of induction
Secondary outcomes:
measure: MRD-negative remission rate
timeFrame: At the end of induction
measure: Event free survival (EFS) rates of infants with KMT2A-R ALL
timeFrame: From date of randomization to treatment failure, first documented relapse following achievement of remission-1, occurrence of a second or secondary malignant neoplasm, or death, assessed up to 3 years
measure: 3-year EFS of infants with KMT2A-R ALL
timeFrame: From date of randomization to treatment failure, first documented relapse following achievement of remission-1, occurrence of a second or secondary malignant neoplasm, or death, assessed up to 3 years
measure: Proportion of KMT2A-germline (G) patients in Arm C who are able to receive all treatment cycles before maintenance
timeFrame: Up to interim maintenance 2
measure: 3-year EFS of infants with KMT2A-G ALL treated on Arm C
timeFrame: From date of enrollment to treatment failure, first documented relapse following achievement of remission-1, occurrence of a second or secondary malignant neoplasm, or death, assessed up to 3 years
measure: Pharmacokinetics (PK) of venetoclax in infants
timeFrame: On days 7, 10, and 14 of induction
Other outcomes:
measure: 3-year EFS of infants with KMT2A-R ALL treated on Arm B
timeFrame: From date of randomization to treatment failure, first documented relapse following achievement of remission-1, occurrence of a second or secondary malignant neoplasm, or death, assessed up to 3 years
measure: Use of high-throughput sequencing (HTS) for MRD detection in infant ALL compared to centralized flow cytometry
timeFrame: Up to 3 years
measure: PK of calaspargase pegol in infants with ALL
timeFrame: At completion of the trial, up to 3 years
measure: Incidence of CD19-negative relapse and myeloid switch relapse with protocol therapy
timeFrame: At the time of relapse, up to 3 years
measure: Impact of venetoclax in combination with chemotherapy on T-cell subsets and function
timeFrame: Prior to and following the first course of venetoclax
measure: Feasibility of T-cell collection and success of T-cell manufacturing for infants with KMT2A-R ALL who receive chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy
timeFrame: After coming off protocol therapy
measure: Predictors of response and resistance to venetoclax and overall protocol therapy
timeFrame: Before and after venetoclax exposure, up to 3 years
measure: Impact of subsequent anti-cancer therapy on overall survival
timeFrame: After coming off protocol therapy
Locations:
city: Oakland
country: United States
facility: Kaiser Permanente-Oakland
state: California
city: Wilmington
country: United States
facility: Alfred I duPont Hospital for Children
state: Delaware
city: Jacksonville
country: United States
facility: Nemours Children's Clinic-Jacksonville
state: Florida
city: Orlando
country: United States
facility: Nemours Children's Hospital
state: Florida
city: Chicago
country: United States
facility: Lurie Children's Hospital-Chicago
state: Illinois
city: Omaha
country: United States
facility: Children's Hospital and Medical Center of Omaha
state: Nebraska
city: New Brunswick
country: United States
facility: Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey-Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital
state: New Jersey
city: Albany
country: United States
facility: Albany Medical Center
state: New York
city: Cincinnati
country: United States
facility: Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center
state: Ohio
city: Toledo
country: United States
facility: ProMedica Toledo Hospital/Russell J Ebeid Children's Hospital
state: Ohio
city: Columbia
country: United States
facility: Prisma Health Richland Hospital
state: South Carolina
city: Greenville
country: United States
facility: BI-LO Charities Children's Cancer Center
state: South Carolina
city: Nashville
country: United States
facility: The Children's Hospital at TriStar Centennial
state: Tennessee
city: Austin
country: United States
facility: Dell Children's Medical Center of Central Texas
state: Texas
city: San Antonio
country: United States
facility: Children's Hospital of San Antonio
state: Texas
city: Charlottesville
country: United States
facility: University of Virginia Cancer Center
state: Virginia
city: Seattle
country: United States
facility: Seattle Children's Hospital
state: Washington
city: Green Bay
country: United States
facility: Saint Vincent Hospital Cancer Center Green Bay
state: Wisconsin
Study officials:
affiliation: Children's Oncology Group
name: Erin H Breese
role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
References: