A first-ever inhibitor of a cancer gene found in some lung, colorectal and other cancers and the effectiveness of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy for patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia are just some of the research topics that City of Hope physicians and scientists will present at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) 2019 annual meeting May 31 – June 4 in Chicago’s McCormick Place.
More than 38,000 oncology professionals and others will attend the conference to learn about the latest scientific research on cancer treatment, detection and prevention.
“ASCO brings together doctors, nurses and other medical professionals with the important goal of discussing and sharing the latest cancer research and treatment,” said Michael Caligiuri, M.D., president of City of Hope National Medical Center and Deana and Steve Campbell Physician-in-Chief Distinguished Chair. “The annual meeting contributes to City of Hope’s deep commitment to developing and implementing the most effective and innovative therapies. City of Hope patients ultimately benefit from the knowledge shared at ASCO.”
City of Hope doctors and scientists will present oral and poster presentations on a wide array of topics. They include:
First clinical trial testing KRAS G12C inhibitor in lung, colorectal and other cancers
Abstract No: 3003
Monday, June 3, 8-11 a.m.
McCormick Place, S406
Marwan Fakih, M.D., professor of City of Hope’s Department of Medical Oncology & Therapeutics Research and medical director of Judy & Bernard Briskin Center for Clinical Research, will present a study on the first in-human trial targeting the KRAS G12C oncogene (a gene that when mutated drives tumor growth), which is found in up to 15% of lung cancer patients and 3% of colorectal cancer patients. City of Hope is one of the leading centers evaluating AMG 510, a targeted therapy that, when taken orally on a daily basis, inhibits the growth of KRAS G12C tumors.
The study examined the safety and efficacy of AMG 510 in 20 patients who continue to take the therapy. Most of the patients had advanced cancer and had taken three or more prior lines of treatment; the majority also had colorectal cancer.
Initial results show that two patients with nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC) had partial remissions and six patients (two with NSCLC and four with colorectal cancer) had cancer that had stop growing.
Results so far have demonstrated that the disease is safe for use in patients and very well-tolerated with minimal side effects.
“This is the first-ever KRAS inhibitor that shows anti-tumor activity,” Fakih said. “That is quite significant and depending on future results, it has the potential to be life-changing for patients with KRAS G12C.”
Fakih will discuss updated clinical results during his ASCO presentation.
CAR T therapy for chronic lymphocytic lymphoma
Abstract No: 7501
Tuesday, June 4, 9:45 a.m. - 12:45 p.m.
McCormick Place, E451
Tanya Siddiqi, M.D., associate clinical professor of hematology and director of the chronic lymphocytic lymphoma program within City of Hope’s Toni Stephenson Lymphoma Center, will present an oral abstract on a CAR T cell therapy for chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). Lisocabtagene maraleucel, also known as liso-cel and JCAR017, targets CD19-positive cancer cells. There is not a lot of current data on CAR T cell therapies for CLL, which is an incurable but slow, growing chronic cancer.
“At some point, CLL can become more aggressive and resistant to even the new targeted therapies,” Siddiqi said. “Therefore, novel therapeutics are needed, especially for patients with high risk disease (having markers like deletion 17p, complex cytogenetics, unmutated IGVH) or those who have not responded to other therapies.”
The phase 1 study had 15 evaluable patients who had all received prior therapies, including ibrutinib (a multikinase inhibitor), and whose cancer had returned. Initial data shows that there was no minimal residual disease, or traces of cancer, in about 70% of patients as early as 30 days after receiving the CAR T cells. Seven patients also achieved complete remission. The overall response rate (patients who showed a response to the therapy) at six months was 83%.
Patients also had manageable toxicities, or side effects caused by the treatment; these included low grade cytokine release syndrome and neurotoxicity.
“Our study brings additional information showing that the product is efficacious with manageable toxicities in patients who have progressed after ibrutinib,” Siddiqi said.
Siddiqi will also present updated study results at the ASCO presentation.
In addition, City of Hope doctors will also speak at plenary and education sessions. They include: Saro Armenian, D.O., M.P.H., a City of Hope pediatric hematologist/oncologist, will discuss pediatric oncology abstracts on Sunday, June 2; Tanya Dorff, M.D., associate clinical professor in City of Hope’s Department of Medical Oncology & Therapeutics Research, will discuss prostate cancer abstracts on Sunday, June 2, and will also speak at an education session on diagnostics and therapeutics for prostate cancer on Friday, May 31; Karen Reckamp, M.D., M.S., co-director of City of Hope’s Lung Cancer and Thoracic Oncology Program, will discuss lung cancer abstracts on Monday, June 3; Alex Herrera, M.D., assistant professor in City of Hope’s Department of Hematology & Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation, will discuss relapsed Hodgkin lymphoma at an education session on Monday, June 3; Kim Margolin, M.D., clinical professor in City of Hope’s Department of Medical Oncology & Therapeutics Research, will discuss immunotherapy for brain metastases at an education session on Tuesday, June 4; and Jasmine Zain, M.D., director of City of Hope’s T cell Lymphoma Program, will discuss non-Hodgkin lymphoma abstracts on Tuesday, June 4.
About City of Hope
City of Hope is an independent biomedical research and treatment center for cancer, diabetes and other life-threatening diseases. Founded in 1913, City of Hope is a leader in bone marrow transplantation and immunotherapy such as CAR T cell therapy. City of Hope’s translational research and personalized treatment protocols advance care throughout the world. Human synthetic insulin and numerous breakthrough cancer drugs are based on technology developed at the institution. A National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center and a founding member of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network, City of Hope is ranked one of America’s “Best Hospitals” in cancer by U.S. News & World Report. Its main campus is located near Los Angeles, with additional locations throughout Southern California. For more information about City of Hope, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube or Instagram.
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