2016 American Society of Hematology Annual Meeting*

Look for these important studies at the coming Hematology meeting in San Diego. Be sure to also check our Web site frequently for downloadable PowerPoint slides featuring key presented data.

John M. Burke, MD Jeff P. Sharman, MD Released: December 1, 2016

Results from a phase Ib trial combining vadastuximab talirine to 7 + 3 induction therapy suggests deeper and more rapid remissions, without added nonhematologic toxicity, for patients with newly diagnosed AML.

Phase II trial suggests durable, MRD-negative CR in 82% of patients after infusion of CTL019 CAR T-cells.

In this subanalysis of the phase III TOWER study, blinatumomab demonstrated superior health-related QoL vs standard-of-care chemotherapy in patients with R/R Ph- B-Precursor ALL.

The combination of inotuzumab ozogamicin with lower-intensity mini-HCVD chemotherapy in older patients with ALL resulted in a high ORR and low early mortality.

In this phase I trial, vadastuximab talirine plus HMA was active in higher-risk patient subsets, including patients with advanced secondary AML and those older than 75 years of age.

ABL001 showed early indications of clinical activity in chronic-phase CML patients both with and without TKI resistance mutations.

In this phase II open-label study, the combination of ponatinib with hyper-CVAD resulted in high complete cytogenetic and molecular response rates in patients with Ph+ ALL.

Factors associated with MRFS after TKI cessation included longer durations of imatinib therapy, MR4, and pretreatment IFN.

In this phase III trial, idarubicin plus high-dose cytarabine with or without vorinostat did not show superiority to 7 + 3 regimen in untreated AML patients 60 years of age or younger.

In this text module and accompanying downloadable slideset, experts review the most clinically relevant study results presented at Hematology 2016 in acute myeloid leukemia, acute lymphoblastic leukemia, and chronic myeloid leukemia.

Elias Jabbour, MD Farhad Ravandi, MD Physicians: maximum of 1.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ Released: February 13, 2017 Expired: No longer available for credit

In this downloadable slideset, Elias Jabbour, MD, and Farhad Ravandi, MD, review key studies and data presented at the 2016 American Society of Hematology annual meeting relevant to the management of patients with acute or chronic leukemias.

KRd for 8 cycles of induction and consolidation therapy in patients with MM was highly effective but resulted in some cardiovascular adverse events.

Weekly carfilzomib with pomalidomide and low-dose dexamethasone appears effective with better tolerability in relapsed/refractory MM.

This open-label, multicenter, dose-finding phase Ib trial suggests that subcutaneous daratumumab plus rHuPH20 is safe and effective in patients with relapsed/refractory MM.

Response-adapted use of sequential IMiD- and PI-based induction therapy improves response depth and PFS in newly diagnosed multiple myeloma.

Addition of daratumumab to either Rd or Vd significantly increased MRD-negative responses even in high-risk patients with relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma.

Venetoclax was safe and tolerable in heavily pretreated patients with myeloma with an ORR of 40% in patients with t(11;14) translocation.

Combination treatment with pembrolizumab plus pomalidomide/dexamethasone showed an ORR of 65% in relapsed/refractory MM.

First-in-class XPO1 inhibitor selinexor, in combination with low-dose dexamethasone, shows encouraging activity in heavily pretreated patients with MM refractory to multiple immunomodulatory agents, proteasome inhibitors, and anti-CD-38 monoclonal antibodies, according to the phase II STORM trial data.

Combination daratumumab/pomalidomide/dexamethasone produced deep responses and long PFS in patients with R/R MM, including those refractory to IMiDs and proteasome inhibitors.

In this Expert Analysis, Sagar Lonial, MD, and Shaji Kumar, MD, discuss the clinical applicability of new, key findings in multiple myeloma presented at Hematology 2016.

Shaji K. Kumar, MD Sagar Lonial, MD Physicians: maximum of 1.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ Released: March 1, 2017 Expired: No longer available for credit

After current standard-of-care induction therapy for newly diagnosed MM, similar survival outcomes seen with single ASCT and maintenance lenalidomide with or without additional RVD consolidation or tandem ASCT even in patients with high-risk disease.

In this downloadable slideset, Shaji Kumar, MD, and Sagar Lonial, MD, highlight the key data presented at Hematology 2016.

At a median follow-up of 3.5 years, rituximab plus lenalidomide demonstrated durable CR/CRu and prolonged PFS vs rituximab alone in previously untreated in follicular lymphoma.

Fixed-dose pembrolizumab achieved an ORR of 69% in heavily pretreated patients with R/R cHL with most responses ongoing for at least 6 months.

Ibrutinib demonstrated an ORR of 48% across patients with 3 different subtypes of relapsed/refractory marginal zone lymphoma.

Maintenance rituximab after ASCT prolongs EFS, PFS, and OS for younger patients with mantle cell lymphoma vs observation only.

Rituximab biosimilar GP2013 plus CVP demonstrated equivalent ORR and comparable safety profile vs rituximab plus CVP as initial therapy for advanced follicular lymphoma.

Brentuximab vedotin provided durable objective response and significantly improved CR rates and PFS in patients with CD30+ CTCL.

In this study, median PFS with ibrutinib was similar in the clinical trial and real-world settings, although more patients discontinued for treatment-related adverse events in the real-world setting.

Median PFS is improved with FCR vs BR in fit younger patients with CLL, although BR remains an option for fit elderly patients with a lower risk of second primary malignancies.

Phase III study showed similar EFS and OS with both regimens and increased rate of adverse events with DA-EPOCH-R in DLBCL.

Lenalidomide maintenance therapy in elderly patients with DLBCL significantly improved PFS compared with placebo.

Obinutuzumab-based therapy reduced the risk of progression or death by 34% compared with rituximab-based therapy in patients with untreated follicular lymphoma.

Venetoclax associated with high response rates and durable responses in patients with CLL who progressed on ibrutinib, idelalisib, or both.

In this expert analysis, John M. Burke, MD, and Jeff P. Sharman, MD, review key data from the most clinically relevant studies on the management of lymphomas and CLL presented at the Hematology 2016 annual meeting.

John M. Burke, MD Jeff P. Sharman, MD Physicians: maximum of 2.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™ Released: February 8, 2017 Expired: No longer available for credit

Interim analysis reported significantly higher ORR and markedly greater CR with KTE-C19 vs historical rates in chemorefractory patients with DLBCL.

In this downloadable slideset, John M. Burke, MD, and Jeff P. Sharman, MD, highlight key data presented at Hematology 2016.

Overall reduction of splenomegaly by > 50% occurred in 79% of MF patients on combination ruxolitinib plus azacitidine.

Lenalidomide can restore epoetin alfa sensitivity in lower-risk MDS patients refractory or unresponsive to erythropoiesis stimulating agents.

ORR 60% among patients with lower-risk MDS treated with low-dose azacitidine or decitabine.

Daily oral enasidenib monotherapy shows activity in a small cohort of patients with predominately high-risk mIDH2 MDS, including some who failed prior HMA treatment.

Preliminary phase II data suggest promising activity of single-agent ipilimumab and nivolumab plus azacitidine in a molecularly high-risk population of MDS patients.

Results from the phase III trial showed fewer treatment-related AEs, dose reductions, and secondary malignancies in patients receiving ropeginterferon α-2b compared with those receiving hydroxyurea.

Sotatercept well tolerated with response observed in 36% of evaluable patients.

Results from interim analysis of phase III trial found no difference in CR at 12 months between therapies, and grade ≥ 3 AEs occurred more frequently in patients receiving pegIFN α-2a.

In this Expert Analysis, Jamile Shammo, MD, FASCP, FACP, and Rami S. Komrokji, MD, discuss the clinical applicability of new, key findings in myelodysplastic syndromes and myeloproliferative neoplasms presented at Hematology 2016.

Rami S. Komrokji, MD Jamile Shammo, MD, FASCP, FACP Physicians: maximum of 1.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ Released: January 24, 2017 Expired: No longer available for credit

In this downloadable slideset, Rami S. Komrokji, MD, and Jamile Shammo, MD, FASCP, FACP, highlight the key data presented at the 2016 Hematology annual meeting.