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Combination lenalidomide-rituximab immunotherapy activates anti-tumour immunity and induces tumour cell death by complementary mechanisms of action in follicular lymphoma.

ABSTRACT: Chemotherapy plus rituximab has been the mainstay of treatment for follicular lymphoma (FL) for two decades but is associated with immunosuppression and relapse. In phase 2 studies, lenalidomide combined with rituximab (R² ) has shown clinical synergy in front-line and relapsed/refractory FL. Here, we show that lenalidomide reactivated dysfunctional T and Natural Killer (NK) cells ex vivo from FL patients by enhancing proliferative capacity and T-helper cell type 1 (Th1) cytokine release. In combination with rituximab, lenalidomide improved antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity in sensitive and chemo-resistant FL cells, via a cereblon-dependent mechanism. While single-agent lenalidomide and rituximab increased formation of lytic NK cell immunological synapses with primary FL tumour cells, the combination was superior and correlated with enhanced cytotoxicity. Immunophenotyping of FL patient samples from a phase 3 trial revealed that R² treatment increased circulating T- and NK-cell counts, while R-chemotherapy was associated with reduced cell numbers. Finally, using an in vitro model of myeloid differentiation, we demonstrated that lenalidomide caused a reversible arrest in neutrophil maturation that was distinct from a cytotoxic chemotherapeutic agent, which may help explain the lower rates of neutropenia observed with R² versus R-chemotherapy. Taken together, we believe these data support a paradigm shift in the treatment of FL - moving from combination immunochemotherapy to chemotherapy-free immunotherapy.

SUBMITTER: Chiu H

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6594227 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Combination lenalidomide-rituximab immunotherapy activates anti-tumour immunity and induces tumour cell death by complementary mechanisms of action in follicular lymphoma.

Chiu Hsiling H Trisal Preeti P Bjorklund Chad C Carrancio Soraya S Toraño Estela G EG Guarinos Carla C Papazoglou Despoina D Hagner Patrick R PR Beldi-Ferchiou Asma A Tarte Karin K Delfau-Larue Marie-Hélène MH Morschhauser Franck F Ramsay Alan G AG Gandhi Anita K AK

British journal of haematology 20190214 2

Chemotherapy plus rituximab has been the mainstay of treatment for follicular lymphoma (FL) for two decades but is associated with immunosuppression and relapse. In phase 2 studies, lenalidomide combined with rituximab (R<sup>2</sup> ) has shown clinical synergy in front-line and relapsed/refractory FL. Here, we show that lenalidomide reactivated dysfunctional T and Natural Killer (NK) cells ex vivo from FL patients by enhancing proliferative capacity and T-helper cell type 1 (Th1) cytokine rele ...[more]

PMID: 30767211

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Project description:PurposeLenalidomide and rituximab (LR) are active agents in follicular lymphoma (FL). Combination regimens have not been previously assessed in randomized studies.Patients and methodsThe Cancer and Leukemia Group B (Alliance) 50401 trial is a randomized phase II trial studying rituximab (375 mg/m(2) weekly for 4 weeks), lenalidomide (15 mg per day on days 1 to 21, followed by 7 days of rest, in cycle 1 and then 20 mg per day on days 1 to 21, followed by 7 days of rest, in cycles 2 to 12), or LR. The rituximab-alone arm was discontinued as a result of poor accrual. Eligibility included recurrent FL and prior rituximab with time to progression of ≥ 6 months from last dose. Aspirin or heparin was recommended for patients at high thrombosis risk.ResultsNinety-one patients (lenalidomide, n = 45; LR, n = 46) received treatment; median age was 63 years (range, 34 to 89 years), and 58% were intermediate or high risk according to the Follicular Lymphoma International Prognostic Index. In the lenalidomide and LR arms, grade 3 to 4 adverse events occurred in 58% and 53% of patients, with 9% and 11% of patients experiencing grade 4 toxicity, respectively; grade 3 to 4 adverse events included neutropenia (16% v 20%, respectively), fatigue (9% v 13%, respectively), and thrombosis (16% [n = 7] v 4% [n = 2], respectively; P = .157). Thirty-six percent of lenalidomide patients and 63% of LR patients completed 12 cycles. Lenalidomide alone was associated with more treatment failures, with 22% of patients discontinuing treatment as a result of adverse events. Dose-intensity exceeded 80% in both arms. Overall response rate was 53% (20% complete response) and 76% (39% complete response) for lenalidomide alone and LR, respectively (P = .029). At the median follow-up of 2.5 years, median time to progression was 1.1 year for lenalidomide alone and 2 years for LR (P = .0023).ConclusionLR is more active than lenalidomide alone in recurrent FL with similar toxicity, warranting further study in B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma as a platform for addition of novel agents.

Project description:Background:This multicenter, phase II trial tested the tolerability and efficacy of lenalidomide plus rituximab in patients with previously untreated follicular lymphoma (FL). Patients and methods:Patients with grade 1-3a FL, stage 3-4 or bulky stage 2, FL international prognostic index (FLIPI) 0-2, and no prior therapy were eligible to receive rituximab 375?mg/m2 weekly during cycle 1 and day 1 of cycles 4, 6, 8, and 10, plus lenalidomide 20-25?mg on days 1-21 for twelve 28-day cycles. The primary objectives were to evaluate response rates [complete (CR) and overall] and time to progression. Secondary objectives included toxicity, response according to polymorphisms in FcgR2A and FcgR3A, and changes in circulating pro-angiogenic cells. Results:From October 2010 to September 2011, 66 patients were enrolled. Median age was 53?years, 34 were female, 15 had bulky disease, 21 were FLIPI 0-1, 43 FLIPI 2, and 2 FLIPI 3. One patient withdrew before receiving treatment. Fifty-one patients completed 12 cycles of lenalidomide. Reasons for discontinuation included withdrawal (n?=?6), adverse events (n?=?6), progression (n?=?2). Grade 3-4 hematologic toxicity included neutropenia (21%), lymphopenia (9%), and thrombocytopenia (2%), infection (11%), and rash (8%). Grade 1-2 toxicity included fatigue (78%), diarrhea (37%), rash (32%), and febrile neutropenia in one patient. The overall response rate was 95%; the CR rate was 72% (95% confidence interval, 60% to 83%). With a median follow-up of 5?years, the 2- and 5-year progression-free survival were 86% and 70%, respectively, and the 5-year overall survival was 100%. There was no association between CR rate or PFS and FLIPI, histological grade, bulky disease, FcgR2A/FcgR3A polymorphism, or change in circulating endothelial cell/hematopoietic progenitor cell. Conclusion:Lenalidomide plus rituximab was associated with low rates of grade 3-4 toxicity, yielded a CR rate and PFS similar to chemotherapy-based treatment and may represent a reasonable alternative to immunochemotherapy in previously untreated FL. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:NCT01145495.

Dataset Information

Combination lenalidomide-rituximab immunotherapy activates anti-tumour immunity and induces tumour cell death by complementary mechanisms of action in follicular lymphoma.

Publications

Combination lenalidomide-rituximab immunotherapy activates anti-tumour immunity and induces tumour cell death by complementary mechanisms of action in follicular lymphoma.

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