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542 Risk Profiling of Patients with Previously Untreated Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma (DLBCL) By Measuring Circulating Tumor DNA (ctDNA): Results from the POLARIX Study

Program: Oral and Poster Abstracts
Type: Oral
Session: 621. Lymphomas: Translational—Molecular and Genetic: ctDNA and Prognostication
Hematology Disease Topics & Pathways:
clinical trials, Research, Lymphomas, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, B Cell lymphoma, Clinical Research, Combination therapy, Diseases, aggressive lymphoma, Therapies, Lymphoid Malignancies, Technology and Procedures, Study Population, Human, molecular testing
Sunday, December 11, 2022: 12:15 PM

Alex F. Herrera, MD1, Ronald McCord, PhD2*, Patrick Kimes, PhD2*, Fabrice Jardin, MD, PhD3*, Georg Lenz, MD, Prof.4, Marek Trneny, MD5, Christopher R. Flowers, MD6, Laurie H. Sehn, MD, MPH7, Gilles Salles, MD, PhD8, Jeff P. Sharman, MD9, Hervé Tilly, MD, PhD3, Jonathan W. Friedberg, MD, MMSc10, Charles Herbaux11, Matthew J. Matasar, MD, MS8, Corinne Haioun, MD, PhD12, Samuel Tracy, PhD2*, Jamie Hirata, PharmD2, Calvin Lee, MD2, Yanwen Jiang, PhD2* and Franck Morschhauser, MD, PhD13*

1City of Hope, Duarte, CA
2Genentech, Inc., South San Francisco, CA
3Centre Henri-Becquerel and University of Rouen, Rouen, France
4University Hospital Münster, Münster, Germany
5Charles University, General Hospital, Prague, Czech Republic
6M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
7BC Cancer Centre for Lymphoid Cancer and University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
8Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY
9Willamette Valley Cancer Institute and Research Center, Florence, OR
10University of Rochester, Rochester, NY
11University of Montpellier, Montpellier, France
12Groupe Hospitalier Henri Mondor-Chenevier, Créteil, France
13University of Lille, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Lille, Lille, France

Background: Retrospective studies suggest that change in ctDNA levels after 1–2 cycles of induction therapy in patients (pts) with previously untreated DLBCL is associated with event-free survival and overall survival (OS), using a log-fold change (LFC) cutoff in ctDNA levels of 2.0 (Kurtz DM, et al. J Clin Oncol 2018). The prognostic value of ctDNA has not been prospectively validated; this is a prespecified exploratory analysis of the prognostic value of ctDNA in the POLARIX study (NCT03274492).

Methods: Pts in POLARIX had previously untreated DLBCL and were randomized to receive Pola-R-CHP or R-CHOP (Tilly H, et al. N Engl J Med 2022). Plasma ctDNA levels were measured at baseline and Cycle 2 Day 1 (C2D1) using the AVENIO NHL CAPP-Seq assay and are reported as mean mutant molecules per mL (MMPM; Herrera AF, et al. Blood Adv 2022). Plasma-depleted whole blood at baseline was used as a source of germline DNA to filter non-tumor-specific variants. Change in ctDNA levels was characterized as the log10 ratio between baseline and C2D1 MMPM (LFC); a LFC cutoff of 2.0 was used in this analysis. ctDNA clearance was determined with a detection cutoff of p=0.005 (Scherer F, et al. Sci Transl Med 2016). Univariate and multivariate Cox regression were used to identify relationships between ctDNA and progression-free survival (PFS) and OS. Hazard ratios (HR) are reported with 95% confidence intervals.

Results: Results for paired ctDNA samples at baseline and C2D1 were available for 319/440 (72.5%; Pola-R-CHP) and 299/439 (68.1%; R-CHOP) pts. A median 135 (range: 1–644) variants were detected per pt. Baseline ctDNA levels were not statistically different between the two arms (median MMPM: Pola-R-CHP, 356; R-CHOP, 237; p=0.2); high baseline MMPM was associated with high baseline IPI score (p<0.001), ABC DLBCL (p<0.001), ECOG performance status >1 (p<0.001), and presence of bulky disease (>7.5cm; p<0.001). In both arms, pts with baseline ctDNA levels above the median MMPM had shorter PFS (Pola-R-CHP: HR, 1.96 [1.21–3.18]; R-CHOP: HR, 1.43 [0.92–2.20]) and OS (Pola-R-CHP: HR, 2.17 [1.07–4.37]; R-CHOP: HR, 2.10 [1.05–4.21]) than pts with baseline ctDNA levels below the median MMPM. Change in ctDNA levels from baseline to C2 as a continuous fold-change value was associated with PFS (HR, 0.75 [0.65–0.87]) and OS (HR, 0.78 [0.63–0.96]) in both arms. Pts with greater reductions in ctDNA levels after one treatment cycle had longer PFS and OS than pts with lower ctDNA reductions after one cycle.

LFC ≥2.0 or undetectable ctDNA at C2D1 were achieved by 66.8% (213/319) of Pola-R-CHP-treated pts and 65.6% (196/299) of R-CHOP-treated pts. Stratifying pts at this LFC threshold was strongly prognostic of survival outcomes by arm (LFC <2.0 vs LFC ≥2.0, PFS HR: Pola-R-CHP 1.86 [1.18–2.92], R-CHOP 2.21 [1.43–3.41], OS HR: Pola-R-CHP 1.48 [0.77–2.81], R-CHOP 2.67 [1.34–5.30]). To define an optimal risk cutoff for pts receiving Pola-R-CHP, pts were grouped into training and validation cohorts. A LFC threshold of 2.5 (LFC ≥2.5 Pola-R-CHP: 54.2% [173/319]; R-CHOP: 54.8% [164/299]) was better able to identify pts at risk of poorer outcomes (LFC <2.5 vs LFC ≥2.5, PFS HR 2.89 [1.78–4.69], 24-month estimates 65.7% [58.3–74.0] vs 87.0% [82.0–92.2]; OS HR 1.87 [0.98–3.58], 24-month estimates 86.2% [80.8–92.0] vs 91.8% [87.7–96.0]; Figure A). In the Pola-R-CHP arm, pts with ctDNA clearance at C2D1 had superior outcomes vs pts with detectable ctDNA at C2D1 (not cleared vs cleared, PFS HR 2.98 [1.53–5.80]; OS HR 2.74 [1.07–7.02]). LFC 2.5 and ctDNA clearance were evaluated in separate multivariate analyses; it was found that both LFC 2.5 and ctDNA clearance are prognostic for PFS and OS in Pola-R-CHP treated pts, independent of key baseline risk factors (Figure B). LFC 2.5 and ctDNA clearance were also prognostic in R-CHOP-treated pts. Lastly, the top five commonly mutated genes identified in baseline ctDNA were HIST1H variants, TP53, PIM1, MYD88, and BCL2; analysis of clonal change on- and post-treatment is ongoing.

Conclusions: Based on this prespecified exploratory analysis from the POLARIX study, ctDNA analysis has prognostic value for pts with previously untreated DLBCL. Pts who did not achieve ≥2.5 LFC and/or did not have ctDNA clearance following one cycle of Pola-R-CHP had inferior outcomes than those who did. Early changes in ctDNA levels may be of use in risk-adapted trial designs to identify pts in need of alternative treatment.

Disclosures: Herrera: Takeda: Consultancy; Bristol-Myers Squibb: Consultancy, Research Funding; Pfizer: Consultancy; Seattle Genetics: Consultancy, Research Funding; ADC Therapeutics: Consultancy, Research Funding; Genmab: Consultancy; KiTE Pharma: Research Funding; Tubulis: Consultancy; AstraZeneca: Consultancy, Research Funding; Adicet Bio: Consultancy; Caribou: Consultancy; Merck: Consultancy, Research Funding; Genentech: Consultancy, Research Funding; Regeneron: Consultancy; Gilead: Research Funding; Karyopharm: Consultancy. McCord: Genentech: Current Employment, Current equity holder in publicly-traded company. Kimes: Genentech/Roche: Current Employment; Dana-Farber Cancer Institute: Ended employment in the past 24 months. Lenz: ADC Therapeutics: Consultancy, Honoraria; Constellation: Consultancy, Honoraria; Karyopharm: Consultancy, Honoraria; Genmab: Consultancy, Honoraria; Morphosys: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Incyte: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Speakers Bureau; Abbvie: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Speakers Bureau; AstraZeneca: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Novartis: Consultancy, Honoraria, Speakers Bureau; Bayer: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; BMS: Consultancy, Honoraria, Speakers Bureau; Janssen: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Gilead: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Takeda: Honoraria, Speakers Bureau; Miltenyi: Consultancy, Honoraria; Roche: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; University Hospital Münster: Current Employment. Trneny: Novartis: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; MorphoSys: Consultancy, Honoraria; Janssen: Consultancy, Honoraria; Gilead Sciences: Consultancy, Honoraria; Roche: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Amgen: Consultancy, Honoraria; Abbvie: Consultancy, Honoraria; Incyte: Consultancy, Honoraria; Bristol-Myers Squibb: Consultancy, Honoraria; Takeda: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Zentiva: Consultancy, Honoraria. Flowers: Celgene: Consultancy, Research Funding; Acerta: Research Funding; Foresight Diagnostics: Consultancy, Current holder of stock options in a privately-held company; Denovo Biopharma: Consultancy; Xencor: Research Funding; Ziopharm: Research Funding; SeaGen: Consultancy; Pfizer: Research Funding; Pharmacyclics: Research Funding; Sanofi: Research Funding; TG Therapeutics: Research Funding; Cellectis: Research Funding; Spectrum: Consultancy; Burroughs Wellcome Fund: Research Funding; Allogene: Research Funding; Pharmacyclics/Janssen: Consultancy; NPower: Current holder of stock options in a privately-held company; EMD: Research Funding; 4D: Research Funding; Gilead: Consultancy, Research Funding; Kite: Research Funding; Amgen: Research Funding; Bayer: Consultancy, Research Funding; Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group: Research Funding; Karyopharm: Consultancy; Guardant: Research Funding; Genentech/Roche: Consultancy, Research Funding; Genmab: Consultancy; BeiGene: Consultancy; Iovance: Research Funding; Adaptimmune: Research Funding; Janssen Pharmaceutical: Research Funding; Abbvie: Consultancy, Research Funding; Morphosys: Research Funding; Takeda: Research Funding; National Cancer Institute: Research Funding; V Foundation, Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas: CPRIT Scholar in Cancer Research: Research Funding. Sehn: Teva, Roche/Genentech: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Chugai: Consultancy, Honoraria; AbbVie, Acerta, Amgen, Apobiologix, AstraZeneca, BMS/Celgene, Gilead, Incyte, Janssen, Kite, Karyopharm, Lundbeck, Merck, Morphosys, Sandoz, Seattle Genetics, Servier, Takeda, TG Therapeutics, Verastem: Honoraria; AbbVie, Acerta, Amgen, Apobiologix, AstraZeneca, BMS/Celgene, Debiopharm, Genmab, Gilead, Incyte, Janssen, Kite, Karyopharm, Lundbeck, Merck, Morphosys, Novartis, Sandoz, Seattle Genetics, Servier, Takeda, TG Therapeutics, Verastem: Consultancy. Salles: AbbVie, BeiGene, Bristol Myers Squibb, Celgene, Debiopharm, Epizyme, Genentech/Roche, Genmab, Incyte, Kite, a Gilead Company, Miltenyi, MorphoSys, Takeda, and VelosBio: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Roche/Genentech, Janssen, Celgene, Gilead Sciences, Novartis, AbbVie, MorphoSys AG, Amgen, Bayer, Epizyme, Regeneron, Kite, a Gilead Company: Honoraria; Roche/Genentech, Gilead Sciences, Janssen, Celgene, Novartis, MorphoSys AG, Epizyme, Alimera Sciences, Genmab, Debiopharm Group, Velosbio, Bristol Myers Squibb, BeiGene, Incyte, Miltenyi Biotec, Ipsen, Kite, a Gilead Company, Loxo, Rapt: Consultancy. Sharman: Beigene: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; AbbVie: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; AstraZeneca: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; ADC Therapeutics: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Lilly: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Araris Biotech AG: Consultancy, Current holder of stock options in a privately-held company, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; TG Therapeutics: Consultancy, Research Funding; Merck: Consultancy; Genentech: Consultancy; Pharmacyclics LLC, an AbbVie Company: Honoraria; BMS: Consultancy, Research Funding. Tilly: Incyte: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; BMS: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; ADC Therapeutics: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Roche: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding. Herbaux: Abbvie: Honoraria, Research Funding; MSD: Research Funding; Roche: Honoraria; Janssen: Honoraria; Gilead: Honoraria; Kite: Honoraria; Takeda: Honoraria, Research Funding. Matasar: Seattle Genetics: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Merck: Consultancy, Current equity holder in private company; Rocket Medical: Consultancy, Research Funding; Takeda: Consultancy, Honoraria; Teva: Consultancy; GlaxoSmithKline: Honoraria, Research Funding; ADC Therapeutics: Consultancy, Honoraria; Daiichi Sankyo: Consultancy; F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd.: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Bayer: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Genentech, Inc.: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; AstraZeneca: Consultancy; Juno Therapeutics: Consultancy; ImmunoVaccine Technologies: Honoraria, Research Funding; Pharmacyclics: Honoraria, Research Funding; Janssen: Honoraria, Research Funding; IGM Biosciences: Research Funding; TG Therapeutics: Consultancy; Karyopharm: Consultancy; IMV Therapeutics: Consultancy, Honoraria; Epizyme: Consultancy, Honoraria. Haioun: BMS: Honoraria; Novartis: Honoraria; Amgen: Honoraria; Miltenyi Biotec: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Roche: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Abbvie: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Gilead: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; ADC Therapeutics: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Tracy: F. Hoffmann-La Roche: Current equity holder in publicly-traded company; Genentech, Inc.: Current Employment. Hirata: Roche: Current holder of stock options in a privately-held company; Genentech, Inc.: Current Employment. Lee: Roche: Current equity holder in publicly-traded company; Genentech: Current Employment. Jiang: Roche: Current equity holder in publicly-traded company; Roche/Genentech: Current Employment. Morschhauser: Miltenyi: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Janssen: Speakers Bureau; Genentech: Consultancy; Genmab: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Speakers Bureau; Epizyme: 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; Novartis: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Bristol Myers Squibb: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Gilead Sciences: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Roche: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Speakers Bureau; Allogene therapeutics: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; AstraZeneca: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees.

OffLabel Disclosure: Polatuzumab vedotin (Polivy) is a CD79b-directed antibody-drug conjugate indicated in combination with bendamustine and a rituximab product for the treatment of adult pts with relapsed or refractory DLBCL, not otherwise specified, after at least two prior therapies.Rituximab (Rituxan) is a CD20-directed cytolytic antibody indicated for the treatment of adult pts with: relapsed or refractory, low grade or follicular, CD20-positive, B-cell NHL as a single agent; previously untreated follicular, CD20-positive, B-cell NHL in combination with first-line chemotherapy (chemo) and, in pts achieving a CR or PR to a rituximab product in combination with chemo, as single-agent maintenance therapy; non-progressing (including stable disease), low-grade, CD20-positive, B-cell NHL as a single agent after first-line CVP chemo; previously untreated diffuse large B-cell, CD20-positive, NHL in combination with CHOP or other anthracycline-based chemo regimens; previously untreated and previously treated CD20-positive CLL in combination with fludarabine and cyclophosphamide.

*signifies non-member of ASH