The American Society of Hematology meeting took place in Orlando this month, with excellent representation from studies coordinated by the CTC.
The UKALL 14 trial had two talks and two poster presentations. Prof Adele Fielding presented the first analysis of the B-cell randomisation [
1] and Prof Anthony Moorman also presented data on the prognostic impact of chromosomal abnormalities and copy number alterations [
2]. The two posters also looked at genetic data from UKALL 14; one with some initial whole genome results [
3] and the second looking at the genetic characteristics of older adults in UKALL 14 and UKALL 60+ [
4].
The CTC advanced therapy trials group had 4 oral presentations (2 for CARPALL, and 1 for ALLCAR19 and CARD each) and a poster for ICAT. CARPALL and ALLCAR19 are 2 trials testing the same CAR T construct in children (CARPALL) or adults (ALLCAR19) with high risk/ relapsed ALL. Dr Claire Roddie presented the initial results from ALLCAR19 which show a favourable safety profile of this CAR even in adults with high disease burden, as well as continuing CAR T persistence 1 year after the infusion [
5].
Dr Sara Ghorashian presented an updated analysis of CARPALL showing ongoing persistence of the CAR T-cells even at 3 years after the infusion. The preliminary results for cohort 2, where the manufacture of the CAR T cells was changed to the use of a semiautomated Prodigy system, were also presented [6].
Dr Luca Biasco presented a detailed characterisation of the CAR T cells by tracking the fate of the infused cells from two CARPALL patients for 3 years after infusion [7].
Dr Claire Roddie presented the initial results from CARD: another CTC trial for adult relapsed/high risk ALL where a different CAR construct is used and the CAR T-cells are manufactured not from the patient but from the transplant donor. The study shows that manufacturing CAR T-cells from donors is feasible and safe as none of the patients developed GvHD [8].
The ICAT trial recently completed recruitment and the results from the initial analysis of the study were shown as a poster presentation by Prof Persis Amrolia [9].
Finally, results of the preliminary analysis of the efficacy and safety data for the induction stage of Cardamon were announced in an oral presentation by Prof Kwee Yong [10].
Image: Dr Claire Roddie presents at the ASH meeting (credit: Bilyana Popova)