Robust CD4+ CAR T cell Expansion Is Associated with Non-ICANS Neurotoxicities Following Ciltacabtagene Autoleucel
Jurgens, E. M.; Bready, B.; Derkach, A.; Hosszu, K.; McAvoy, D.; Firestone, R.; Rajeeve, S.; Lesokhin, A.; Korde, N.; Tan, C.; Hashmi, H.; Hassoun, H.; Shah, U.; Hultcrantz, M.; Merz, M.; Maura, F.; Giralt, S.; Shah, G.; Landau, H.; Scordo, M.; Perica, K.; Santomasso, B.; Park, J.; Leslie, C.; Usmani, S.; Mailankody, S.; Mitra, S.; Herrera, K.; Nemirovsky, D.; Maclachlan, K.
Show abstract
Non-ICANS neurotoxicities (NINTs) are serious, atypical toxicities associated with ciltacabtagene autoleucel, a commercial chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy approved for relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma. Risk factors contributing to the development of NINTs are poorly understood. In a cohort of 109 patients, we identify predisposing risk factors and propose strategies to mitigate NINTs. We show that high peak absolute lymphocyte count is a strong NINT predictor which directly correlates with flow cytometry-based peripheral blood CAR T cell quantitation. The observed CAR lymphocytosis was polyclonal with a bias towards CD4+ CAR T cells rich in memory marker expression. We then identified CAR lymphocytosis associated CD4+ CAR T cell populations which exhibited increased inflammatory pathway gene expression. Finally, we characterize NINT associated CD4+ CAR T cell populations which are potential therapeutic targets for future exploration. One Sentence SummaryCiltacabtagene autoleucel associated non-ICANS neurotoxicities are driven by high CD4+ CAR T cell expansion exhibiting memory marker expression and upregulated inflammatory gene signaling pathways.
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