High Grade B Cell Lymphoma with MYC and BCL2 and/or BCL6 Rearrangements Treated with DA-EPOCH-R Induction and Nivolumab Consolidation Treatment: Interim Results of the HOVON-152 Phase II Trial

Introduction

Patients with high grade B cell lymphoma that harbor a MYC rearrangement with concomitant BCL2 and/or BCL6 rearrangements (double hit and triple hit (HGBL-DH/TH)) face a poor prognosis upon standard treatment with R-CHOP [Rosenwald, JCO 2019]. DA-EPOCH-R might yield higher complete metabolic remission (CMR) rates and longer disease free survival (DFS) as compared to R-CHOP, but improvement of overall survival (OS) has not been demonstrated [Dunleavy, Lancet Haematol 2018]. Tumors with MYC overexpression may be susceptible for immune checkpoint inhibition (CI) [Casey, Science 2016], providing a rationale for CI after reaching CMR to improve tumor immune surveillance for minimal residual disease (MRD) positive disease.

Here, we present data of the planned interim analysis of 33/97 patients included in the HOVON-152 trial (NCT03620578).

Methods

HOVON-152 is a prospective, multi-center, single arm phase II trial. Inclusion criteria are newly diagnosed HGBL-DH/TH; age ≥ 18 year; WHO performance status 0-3; Ann Arbor stage II-IV. During the screening period for rearrangements patients receive 1 cycle of R-CHOP followed by 5 cycles of DA-EPOCH-R induction treatment. All patients receive intrathecal prophylaxis. All diagnostic lymphoma samples are centrally reviewed. PET-CT scans are performed at diagnosis, midterm and end-of-induction. Patients in CMR after induction treatment (Deauville 1-3 or a negative lymphoma biopsy in case of Deauville 4) proceed with Nivolumab consolidation (480 mg iv every 4 weeks) for one year.

The primary objective is to improve 12 months DFS with Nivolumab consolidation from 70% to 85% in patients in CMR after induction treatment. Secondary objectives include evaluation of CMR rates, OS and safety.

Exploratory side studies investigate blood-based biomarkers for response prediction by immune profiling using multicolor flow cytometry after 1 cycle of R-CHOP and molecular circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) analyses using ClonoSEQ (Adaptive Biotechnologies, Seattle) after 1 cycle of R-CHOP and at midterm.

Results

From August 2018 to June 2021, 69 of planned 97 patients have been enrolled. Baseline characteristics of the first 33 patients included in the interim analysis are shown in Table 1.

Dose adjustments of EPOCH (according to protocol) resulted in 48% of patients receiving dose level ≤1 and 52% dose level ≥ 2 at the last cycle. After induction, 20/33 patients (61%; 95% CI 42%-77%) reached CMR. 11/33 patients (33%) did not reach CMR and 2/33 (6%) patients went off protocol (due to progression).

During DA-EPOCH-R, one patient (3%) experienced grade 5 AE (sepsis), 9 patients (27%) experienced a grade 4 AE, and 9 (27%) patients grade 3. Neurotoxicity led to dose adjustments or discontinuation of vincristine in 52% of the patients. In an amendment the vincristine dose was capped at 2 mg/cycle.

Twenty patients received 6 cycles of Nivolumab consolidation. One patient had a grade 4 AE (neutropenia); 2 patients had a grade 3 AE (one lung infection and one colitis (reason for going off protocol)). The Data Safety Monitoring Board recommended to continue the trial.

Exploratory biomarker analyses show that patients achieving CMR after DA-EPOCH-R (data available for 19/20 patients) have higher percentages of T cells (p=0.04) after 1 cycle of R-CHOP than patients that do not achieve CMR (data available for 12/13 patients).

ctDNA analysis was possible in 16/28 patients (in 12/28 patients no clone could be detected for monitoring). 10/16 patients achieved CMR, of which 9/10 were negative for minimal residual disease (MRD) at midterm. The patient that was MRD positive at midterm relapsed shortly after CMR. 4/5 patients that did not achieve CMR were MRD positive at midterm.

Conclusions

Interim analysis of the HOVON-152 trial demonstrates that 61% (95% CI 42%-77%) of the patients with HGBL-DH/TH achieve CMR after induction with DA-EPOCH-R. Toxicity of DA-EPOCH-R consists mainly of neurotoxicity leading to a protocol amendment (dose cap of vincristine). Nivolumab consolidation is safe with only one patient going off protocol due to colitis.

Biomarkers for CMR after induction with DA-EPOCH-R point out to ctDNA-based MRD negativity at midterm and to higher T percentages after 1 cycle of R-CHOP, supporting the hypothesis of contributive immune surveillance for response in patients with HGBL-DH/TH. The trial is ongoing.

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