Blinatumomab Maintenance After Allogeneic Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation for B-lineage Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia

Abstract

Patients with B-lineage acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) are at high-risk for relapse after allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT). We conducted a single center phase II study evaluating the feasibility of 4 cycles of blinatumomab administered every 3 months during the first year after HCT in an effort to mitigate relapse in high-risk ALL patients. Twenty-one of 23 enrolled patients received at least one cycle of blinatumomab and were included in the analysis. The median time from HCT to the first cycle of blinatumomab was 78 days (range, 44-105). Twelve patients (57%) completed all 4 treatment cycles. Neutropenia was the only grade 4 adverse event (19%). Rates of cytokine release (5% G1) and neurotoxicity (5% G2) were minimal. The cumulative incidence of acute GVHD grades 2-4 and 3-4 were 33% and 5%, respectively; two cases of mild (10%) and one case of moderate (5%) chronic GVHD were noted. With a median follow-up of 14.3 months, the 1-year overall survival, progression-free survival, and non-relapse mortality rates were 85%, 71%, and 0%, respectively. In a matched-analysis with a contemporary cohort of 57 patients, we found no significant difference between groups regarding blinatumomab's efficacy. Correlative studies of baseline and post-treatment samples identified patients with specific T-cell profiles as "responders" or "non-responders" to therapy. Responders had higher proportions of effector memory CD8 T-cell subsets. Non-responders were T-cell deficient and expressed more inhibitory checkpoint molecules, including TIM3. We found that blinatumomab post-allogeneic HCT is feasible, and its benefit is dependent on the immune milieu at time of treatment.