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Share Your Feedback About [ACT]IVATED AML

What AML Mutations Are Associated With Adverse Outcomes?

February 1, 2023/in Acute Myeloid Leukemia, AML Activated, AML Activated Experts, AML Newly Diagnosed, AML Programs, AML Treatments and Clinical Trials, AML Video ND, AML Video TC /by Kara Rayburn

What AML Mutations Are Associated With Adverse Outcomes? from Patient Empowerment Network on Vimeo.

Which acute myeloid leukemia (AML) mutations are linked to adverse outcomes? Dr. Naval Daver from the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center shares insight..Learn about different mutations, treatment options, and the importance of testing.

[ACT]IVATION TIP from Dr. Daver: “Check for mutations to the frontline setting…absolutely, these include FLT3, IDH1, IDH2, TP53, and NPM1 MLL this list will likely continue to grow as we get more targeted therapies in immunotherapies and find benefit in particular subsets, but also in the relapse setting to not depend on the baseline molecular profile because the lipids actually can change. We do see AML as a multiclonal disease, and there can be emergence and escape of different clones, so to check again in the relapse for those same mutations and both in the frontline, the relapse setting.“

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Transcript:

Art:

Dr. Daver, what mutations are associated with adverse outcomes in AML? What are the best time points to check for these mutations, and what therapeutic options do you consider for patients or harboring these mutations?

Dr. Naval Daver:

This is very, very important, a mutational targeted therapy is probably the biggest overarching change that has occurred in acute myeloid leukemia in the last decade, and of course to implement those therapies. One has to know the mutational profile, the five big mutations that whenever I speak to my patients in clinic today that I talk about wanting to know before I embark on any therapy are FLT3 or FLD3, IDH1, IDH2, TP53, and now, more and more recently, NPM1 or MLL, actually six different mutations, cytogenetic operations, and the reason is that we do have targeted therapies for these mutations, some of these targeted therapies are already approved in the frontline setting like the FLT3 inhibitors, some of these are being evaluated in ongoing Phase III studies like the CD47 magrolimab for TP53.

As well as the menin inhibitors now in frontline setting in combinations of intensive chemo or HMA venetoclax (Venclexta), or MLL NPM1 but I think identifying these targets and getting the patients on the right clinical trial personalized to that target for them has historically shown significant improvements, 20 to 30 percent survival improvements in FLT3, IDH and potentially for the TP53 MLL NPM-1 so definitely on newly diagnosed, I would recommend getting that information and then going on to either standard of care the drugs already approved or clinical trial that incororates that targeted therapy or immunotherapy for a target in the relapse setting the two most important mutations today, or the three most important are FLT3, then IDH as well as MLL NPM1.

Three inhibitors like gilteritinib (Xospata) are already approved. Similarly, IDH inhibitors and combinations of gilteritinib or IDH with venetoclax are really showing very good outcomes, even in relapse three, which about 20 years ago was a very, very, very poor outcome. T

oday, we can get up to 80 percent of these patients to remission, half of them into transplant, and a good number may have long-term survival post-transplant, so it’s very important to not mislead to an IDH1, IDH2 to a relapse setting.

And then now with the menin inhibitors we’re also looking in all our patients for MLL rearrangement, NPM1 in relapse, because this could open the door for menin inhibitor-based therapy, which again can give up to 50 percent remission and a path to transplant. Now many patients at MD Anderson who have gone through too many inhibitors, transplant and are alive and ongoing at two and three years.

So the bottom line is, it’s important you check at my activation tip for this question is it’s important to check for mutations to the frontline setting…absolutely, these include FLT3, IDH1, IDH2, TP53, and NPM1 MLL this list will likely continue to grow as we get more targeted therapies in immunotherapies and find benefit in particular subsets, but also in the relapse setting to not depend on the baseline molecular profile because the lipids actually can change.

We do see AML as a multiclonal disease, and there can be emergence and escape of different clones, so to check again in the relapse for those same mutations and both in the frontline, the relapse setting.

To try to get on to a therapy, whether it’s approved or clinical trial that incorporates those targeted therapies, which has historically shown a significant improvement in both response and long-term survival.

Share Your Feedback About [ACT]IVATED AML

BIPOC Patients Living With AML | Mortality Rate and Favorable Genetics

February 1, 2023/in Acute Myeloid Leukemia, AML Activated, AML Activated Experts, AML Newly Diagnosed, AML Programs, AML Treatments and Clinical Trials, AML Video ND, AML Video TC /by Kara Rayburn

BIPOC Patients Living With AML | Mortality Rate and Favorable Genetics from Patient Empowerment Network on Vimeo.

How can acute myeloid leukemia (AML) disparities be addressed in BIPOC groups? Dr. Naval Daver from the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center shares insight. Learn about disparities, molecular profile cytogenetics, and clinical trial benefits.

[ACT]IVATION TIP from Dr. Daver: “Clinical trials are usually developed to improve and move forward the standard of care to better outcomes, as well as knowing that there are many different approaches to getting financial support through different organizations, entities and even potentially through some of the clinical trials, as well as considering becoming volunteer donors for national marrow donor programs, so you can support potential transplant for patients from those communities, which will give them a potential curative option.”

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Transcript:

Art:

Dr. Daver, non-Hispanic Black and Hispanic patients with AML have higher mortality rates than non-Hispanic white patients despite more favorable genetics and younger age. How can we address disparities in AML among diverse patient populations?

Dr. Naval Daver:

This is a great question, and then something that I think we all need to spend more time with understanding, and now researchers started to look at the differences in molecular profile cytogenetics presentations among different ethnic backgrounds. It is definitely true that access to care has been more limited in some of these populations that you mentioned, including the Hispanic population and in the non-Hispanic Black population, and I think there are a number of things that may be causing this issue, so I think one there is definitely an economic divide, and especially for large academic centers where patients do have to travel, often stay locally for a period of time to go on the trial, this causes expense, and a lot of times,I think a number of these populations may not have had funding or they may not have the insurance that would cover that particular center.

And so this is one of the big hurdles… second, I think that there is among us communities, sometimes more suspicion or circumspect approach to clinical trials and large academic centers thing, that’s something that hopefully we will be able to change with programs such as the and many, many others that we all are working on, because I think we actually do want to have more inclusion in clinical trials. And we do want to have a more representation of the entire population rather than just a subset.

So hopefully the understanding that clinical trials are usually done with the intent to improve the current standard of care, and randomization includes the current standard of care, and then something that we think could be added to further improve that, and often that many of the clinical trials may even be able to provide some degree of financial support for travel stay.

These could all help maybe some of these populations to access and get on clinical trials, which is one of the big goals for MD Anderson and other large academic centers and investigators such as myself.

I think the third big hurdle, of course, is that even proven extensive transplant, which still remains the most effective long-term curative approach, we don’t have as many donors for the Black and the Hispanic community proportionately than we do for the Caucasian white population.

So I think this is another kind of call to voluntarily consider becoming a donor for the national marrow donor program, for others who are in that community, because we often do find challenges finding ideal donors, and this is a very simple procedure where it…here one, all you have to do is give us a saliva swab, mail it in.. You don’t even have to go to the clinics.

Nowadays, they log it in and if you’re ever called on, it’s just a blood collection, it’s like donating in blood, and you could save somebody’s life to be probably the easiest thing to save, somebody’s like that you will have the opportunity to do in your life.

So I think it’s really, really important that those communities also start signing up and becoming voluntary donors, so I think these are three of the kind of hurdles, of course, there are many, many others, but hopefully with the big push and impetus that’s happening across the world and across the country and across the large academic centers. In the next five to 10 years, we will see more inclusiveness and more representation of all populations proportionally in the ongoing trials and publications.

My activation tip for this is understanding that clinical trials are usually developed to improve and move forward the standard of care to better outcomes, as well as knowing that there are many different approaches to getting financial support through different organizations, entities and even potentially through some of the clinical trials, as well as considering becoming volunteer donors for national marrow donor programs, so you can support potential transplant for patients from those communities, which will give them a potential curative option.

Share Your Feedback About [ACT]IVATED AML

Challenges in Treating TP53-Mutated AML, Hope on the Horizon

February 1, 2023/in Acute Myeloid Leukemia, AML Activated, AML Activated Experts, AML Newly Diagnosed, AML Programs, AML Treatments and Clinical Trials, AML Video ND, AML Video TC /by Kara Rayburn

Challenges in Treating TP53-Mutated AML, Hope on the Horizon from Patient Empowerment Network on Vimeo.

TP53-mutated acute myeloid leukemia (AML) treatment has some challenges. Dr. Naval Daver from the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center shares his perspective. Learn about promising treatments on the horizon for this AML subgroup.

[ACT]IVATION TIP from Dr. Daver: “The TP53 mutation remains the most difficult subset of acute myeloid leukemia, there is hope on the horizon with new treatments such as CD47 antibodies and targeted therapies like APR that are being looked at, and also a strong consideration for allogeneic transplant in TP53, because this seems to be the only modality associated with a good chance of cure after achieving remission with one of the frontline therapies.”

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Transcript:

Art:

Dr. Daver, what have we learned about TP53-mutated AML? And what is the takeaway for these patients?

Dr. Naval Daver:

TP53-mutated AML remains the most difficult molecular subset of all acute myeloid leukemia. Patients who have this mutation, unfortunately, do not respond well to any of the established standard care therapies, including intensive chemotherapy, the HMA alone, such as azacitidine (Onureg or Vidaza), decitabine (Dacogen) alone, or even HMA venetoclax (Venclexta) with all of these, we do see responses, especially with HMA venetoclax or intensive chemotherapy, we can see 15 to 55 percent remission rate, but the remission, very short lived, early relapses and the median overall survival across all of these currently available standards of cares are between six to 10 months.

So there has been an intense effort in the last six, seven years to develop TP53-directed therapies or therapies that will work regardless of TP53 mutation, and there are two drugs this time that are very promising and being evaluated as ongoing Phase II and Phase III studies.

One of them is an immunotherapy drug called magrolimab which seems to have very similar activity and probability with good response rates in TP53-mutated AML. This has been completed in a single arm phase 1B study in front line TP53-mutated AML where we saw close to 50 percent CR, CRI complete permission rates. And median survival was above 11 months in older unfit TP53, which is better than any survival we have seen in the past in this population.

The other study was with the oral care targeted therapy towards TP53, called APR, and this therapy was specifically designed to target the TP53 mutation, and this is being evaluated in the frontline setting in combination with a society in venetoclax. We hope that these regimens are these novel therapies, one or both of them will be able to at least incrementally improve their current outcomes in TP53.

The other area where we have really been doing a lot of research, and I think the data is suggesting, is that allogeneic transplant may work for separate, and we are routinely considering transplant in these patients in the frontline setting, once they are able to achieve remission.

My activation tip is the TP53 mutation remains the most difficult subset of acute myeloid leukemia, there is hope on the horizon with new treatments such as CD47 antibodies and targeted therapies like APR that are being looked at, and also a strong consideration for allogeneic transplant in TP53, because this seems to be the only modality associated with a good chance of cure after achieving remission with one of the frontline therapies.

Share Your Feedback About [ACT]IVATED AML

A Look at Ongoing Acute Myeloid Leukemia Phase III Trials

February 1, 2023/in Acute Myeloid Leukemia, AML Activated, AML Activated Experts, AML Newly Diagnosed, AML Programs, AML Treatments and Clinical Trials, AML Video ND, AML Video TC /by Kara Rayburn

A Look at Ongoing Acute Myeloid Leukemia Phase III Trials from Patient Empowerment Network on Vimeo.

What are the acute myeloid leukemia (AML) Phase III clinical trials that are ongoing? Dr. Naval Daver from the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center shares his perspective about encouraging trials. Learn about the MORPHO Study and others.

[ACT]IVATION TIP from Dr. Daver: “The maintenance with gilteritinib and the MORPHO Study, as well as the relapsed refractory study as well as the use of a e-selectin inhibitor called uproleselan, and hopefully this will lead to approval of the next batch of three or four drugs, which will further improve outcomes for frontline as well as relapsed AML.”

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Transcript:

Art:

Dr. Daver, can you speak to some of the ongoing Phase III trials in AML, what are you most excited about?

Dr. Naval Daver:

This time there are numerous ongoing phase three in acute myeloid leukemia, some in the frontline, some in the relapse setting. In the frontline setting, the ones that I’m most excited about are trials incorporating a novel immunotherapeutic pathway called the CD47 antibody that works to activation of macrophages, these are looking at a very high-risk molecular group of acute myeloid leukemia, the TP53 in adverse cytogenetics, and there are two randomized phase threes with this agent, one focused on TP53 mutated AML looking at the azacitidine and magrolimab versus the current standard of care FDA-approved azacitidine-venetoclax (Onureg or Vidaza-Venclexta) in TP53 mutated.

The other is actually looking at all older unfit AML so trying to improve on azacitidine venetoclax doublet with a triplet, so this is looking at azacitidine venetoclax magrolimab versus azacitidine-venetoclax placebo so if both of these trials are positive, then this will lead to incorporation of immunotherapy in the frontline setting in AML, which is exciting and something we’ve been working towards for the last 10, 15 years.

The other Phase III trials in the frontline setting or in the maintenance setting really that I’m excited about is called the MORPHO Study…this is using a FLT3 inhibitor gilteritinib (Xospata) as a maintenance post-transplant, so we know FLT3-mutated patients respond well, when they receive intensive induction FLT3 inhibitor, we still need to take them to transplant because even though the initial response is good, many can relapse.

So we actually try to give to the cycles of intensive induction for the move to transplant, and then if we start there, we still see at about 40 percent of these patients can relapse in the next three years, so this has led to efforts to add a maintenance FLT3 inhibitor gilteritinib single agent post-transplant as a maintenance for one to two years versus placebo observation, which has historically been a standard of care, and so this is being looked at a large multi-center called the MORPHO Study that we hope to get data from in the near future.

Another study in the similar design that’s being done by the UK cooperative group is looking at maintenance with the oral azacitidine, post-transplant for non-FLT3, so similarly, can we overall improved outcomes not just for FLT3, but the general patient population is going to transplant by using the maintenance oral azacitidine post-transplant versus placebo.

And in the relapse setting, there is a very novel unique oral therapy drug called uproleselan, which is an e-selectin inhibitor, and this agent is now being combined with traditional salvaged chemotherapy such as FLAG-Ida mec versus the placebo mec plus FLAG-Ida or mec in the relapse setting.

And that’s what he’s actually been completed to enrollment, and we’re hoping to hear data from that in the near future. So these are the major randomized studies focusing on TP53, FLT3, and relapsed refractory AML that we’re looking for in the near future and hopefully could lead to two or three more new approvals in the AML space.

My activation tip for this question is that there are ongoing numerous frontline Phase III as well as relapsed refractory Phase III, targeted immunotherapy approaches, specifically among these we’re excited about the CD47 antibodies. The maintenance with gilteritinib and the MORPHO Study, as well as the relapsed refractory study as well as the use of a e-selectin inhibitor called uproleselan, and hopefully this will lead to approval of the next batch of three or four drugs, which will further improve outcomes for frontline as well as relapsed AML.

Share Your Feedback About [ACT]IVATED AML

What Does Triplet Therapy in AML Mean for the Future?

February 1, 2023/in Acute Myeloid Leukemia, AML Activated, AML Activated Experts, AML Newly Diagnosed, AML Programs, AML Treatments and Clinical Trials, AML Video ND, AML Video TC /by Kara Rayburn

What Does Triplet Therapy in AML Mean for the Future? from Patient Empowerment Network on Vimeo.

What do acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients need to know about triplet therapy? Dr. Naval Daver from the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center shares his perspective. Learn about the meaning, progress, and outlook for triplet therapy.

[ACT]IVATION TIP from Dr. Daver: “Some of the early data with the FLT3 inhibitor as well as the CD47 antibody triplets are showing very, very promising activity and are now moving into larger multi-center and randomized studies.”

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Transcript:

Art:

Dr. Daver, what does triplet therapy in AML mean for the future?

Dr. Naval Daver:

So when we say triplet therapy, what we’re really thinking about is building on the existing FDA-approved combination of HMA venetoclax (Venclexta), so as a background venetoclax, showed a CR, CRI which is a complete remission rate of about 70 to 75 percent with the median survival in 15 months.

This was in older patients, about 75 years in age, those who were not considered fit for intensive chemotherapy, although this was a major step forward in comparison to what we have seen with traditional low intensities with azacitidine (Onureg or Vidaza), decitabine (Dacogen) alone, we do see the three-year survival is about 25 to 30 percent.

So this is progress compared to 10 percent long-term survival, we used to get a decade ago, but, of course, we want to improve on that. Also, a molecular analysis of data has shown that there are certain molecular subsets that don’t respond as well to azacitidine, venetoclax or if they respond they relapse quickly these include FLT3 mutated and the TP53 mutated as well as potentially MLL rearranged.

And so here we have started incorporating the targeted therapies like inhibitors like the menin inhibitors like CD47 antibodies to target those specific high-risk or bad molecular cytogenetic groups, and we are seeing that with the combinations of these three drugs, especially for those particular molecular subsets.

So azacitidine and venetoclax for FLT3 inhibitor for FLT3 mutator, azacitidine, and venetoclax, magrolimab for TP53 mutated, the response rates that we’re getting, as well as the depth of response and the early trends towards survival are looking very, very promising compared to what we have seen with azacitidine venetoclax alone.

So we believe, and I personally believe that these three drug combinations, the so-called triplets will actually be eventually the way to go forward now, that means that one has to realize that when you add a third drug, there is a cumulative myelosuppression, azacitidine-venetoclax is already a myelosuppressive regimen.

Yes, it’s manageable, but it is myelosuppressive. And the third drug, this can become more cumulative, so we have been working for the last three, four years and continue to work on those optimization because since we are seeing true synergy but pre-clinically and what we think in the clinic, we are not needing to give full doses and we’re doing reduced durations of venetoclax and those with FLT3 inhibitor, and now we feel that some of those triplets are actually giving very, very, very good efficacy.

There’s a lot of discussion in the community of whether we need to combine all two drugs up front or can be sequence these drugs or can we introduce a targeted therapy based on a molecular escape, and I think a lot of these will have to be evaluated and many of these are being looked at in various trials, but I do think the bottom line is that bringing in your targeted therapy or immunotherapies early on in the frontline setting and some way or the other is probably where you’re going to get the most bang for the buck and the most benefit in curing patients long-term rather than trying to reserve them for the salvage, because in salvage AML historically, nothing has really been able to improve the long-term cure rate significantly.

So the activation tip for this question is that now with the identification of certain molecular subsets that have poorer outcomes with the HMA venetoclax, we have started incorporating targeted and immunotherapies in the earlier settings, either up front in the three drug combination or an early sequential approach.

And we believe that with such combinations, we may be able to achieve deeper remission and longer responses. Some of the early data with the FLT3 inhibitor as well as the CD47 antibody triplets are showing very, very promising activity and are now moving into larger multi-center and randomized studies.

Share Your Feedback About [ACT]IVATED AML

A Look at Lower Intensity Chemotherapy in Untreated AML

February 1, 2023/in Acute Myeloid Leukemia, AML Activated, AML Activated Experts, AML Newly Diagnosed, AML Programs, AML Treatments and Clinical Trials, AML Video ND, AML Video TC /by Kara Rayburn

A Look at Lower Intensity Chemotherapy in Untreated AML from Patient Empowerment Network on Vimeo.

Dr. Naval Daver from the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center discusses whether untreated acute myeloid leukemia (AML) can be treated with lower intensity chemotherapy.

[ACT]IVATION TIP from Dr. Daver: “Ask your physician and your oncologist when you’re talking with them about what all the newest therapies are and what would be specifically the best treatment for their specific leukemia with respect to the different mutations.”