Faculty Bibliography

Background: Standard of care (SOC) regimens may contribute to immunosuppression by elevating intratumoral levels of adenosine, which activates the A2a and A2b receptors (R) on immune cells. Extracellular adenosine is primarily produced by the enzyme CD73. In prostate cancer, the activity of the highly expressed protein, prostatic acid phosphatase, produces additional adenosine. AB928, which is the first clinical-stage small molecule dual antagonist of both A2aR and A2bR, is highly potent, pharmacodynamically active, and well tolerated in dose escalation studies in combination with chemo/immunotherapy. Targeting the adenosine axis in combination with SOC regimens or immunotherapy may have a more profound effect on activating and inducing sustained antitumor immunity in patients (pts) with metastatic castrate-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). Trial design: This is a phase (Ph) 1b/2, open-label, multicenter platform trial to evaluate the antitumor activity and safety of AB928-based combination therapy in pts with mCRPC. Eligibility for a specific treatment arm will be informed by prior anticancer therapy. Treatment arms will independently evaluate AB928 + zimberelimab (AB122; anti-PD-1 antibody) alone or in combination with an SOC backbone (enzalutamide or docetaxel) in earlier-line pts or AB928 + AB680 (CD73 inhibitor) +/- zimberelimab in later-line pts. Treatment arms will be conducted in 2 stages: Stage 1 (Ph1b) and Stage 2 (Ph2). In Ph1b, up to 15 pts will receive investigational product(s) at the single agent recommended dose with SOC per label guidance. Provided safety and futility stopping criteria are not met, further accrual in the earlier-line arms will involve randomization to SOC alone; in the later-line arms, upfront randomization to the all-experimental regimens will continue in Ph2. Investigator-assessed antitumor response (radiologic, prostate specific antigen [PSA]) will follow PCWG3 criteria. New treatment arms may be added via protocol amendment. ARC-6 is actively recruiting in the United States, and results will be shared in upcoming scientific conferences (NCT04381832). Clinical trial identification: NCT04381832. Legal entity responsible for the study: Arcus Biosciences.
Funding(s): Arcus Biosciences. Disclosure: S.K. Subudhi: Advisory/Consultancy, Research grant/Funding (self): Janssen Oncology; Advisory/Consultancy: Polaris; Advisory/Consultancy: Dendreon; Advisory/Consultancy, Shareholder/Stockholder/Stock options: Apricity Health; Advisory/Consultancy: Amgen; Advisory/Consultancy: Bayer; Advisory/Consultancy: Exelixis; Advisory/Consultancy, Research grant/Funding (self): AstraZeneca; Advisory/Consultancy: Bristol-Myers Squibb; Advisory/Consultancy: Dava Oncology; Advisory/Consultancy: Cancer Now; Advisory/Consultancy: MEDACorp; Honoraria (self): Parker Institute of Cancer Immunotherapy; Honoraria (self): SITC. D. Wise: Advisory/Consultancy: ScientiaCME; Advisory/Consultancy: OncLIve; Advisory/Consultancy: Foundation Medicine; Honoraria (self), Advisory/Consultancy: Best Doctors; Advisory/Consultancy: Leap Therapeutics; Advisory/Consultancy: Guidepoint Consulting; Advisory/Consultancy: GLG Consulting; Advisory/Consultancy: Silverlight; Advisory/Consultancy: Alphasights; Advisory/Consultancy: Pfizer. S.T. Liu: Advisory/Consultancy: Merck; Advisory/Consultancy: Exelixis; Advisory/Consultancy: Esai; Advisory/Consultancy: Seattle Genetics. A. Chaudhry: Speaker Bureau/Expert testimony, Research grant/Funding (institution): Bayer; Advisory/Consultancy, Research grant/Funding (institution): Exelixis; Advisory/Consultancy: Astellas Pharma; Shareholder/Stockholder/Stock options: Novartis; Research grant/Funding (institution): Arcus Biosciences; Research grant/Funding (institution): Merck; Research grant/Funding (institution): Abbvie; Research grant/Funding (institution): AstraZeneca; Research grant/Funding (institution): BMS; Research grant/Funding (institution): Eli Lilly; Research grant/Funding (institution): Pfizer; Research grant/Funding (institution): Beigene; Research grant/Funding (institution): BerGenBio; Research grant/Funding (institution): Blueprint; Research grant/Funding (institution): Alkermes; Research grant/Funding (institution): Genentech; Research grant/Funding (institution): Gilead; Research grant/Funding (institution): Janssen; Research grant/Funding (institution): Millennium; Research grant/Funding (institution): Basilea; Research grant/Funding (institution): IunoCare; Research grant/Funding (institution): Amgen; Research grant/Funding (institution): Novartis. J. Kim: Advisory/Consultancy: Sanofi; Advisory/Consultancy: EMD Serono; Advisory/Consultancy: Voluntis; Research grant/Funding (self): Immune Design. O. Gardner: Shareholder/Stockholder/Stock options, Full/Part-time employment: Arcus Biosciences; Shareholder/Stockholder/Stock options, Full/Part-time employment: Bellicum Pharmaceuticals; Full/Part-time employment: Aduro Biotech; Shareholder/Stockholder/Stock options, Full/Part-time employment: Janssen. H. Gilbert: Shareholder/Stockholder/Stock options, Full/Part-time employment: Arcus Biosciences; Advisory/Consultancy, Full/Part-time employment: Bellicum; Shareholder/Stockholder/Stock options, Full/Part-time employment: Roche/Genentech; Shareholder/Stockholder/Stock options: Denali; Shareholder/Stockholder/Stock options: Celgene; Shareholder/Stockholder/Stock options: BMS. M. Grady: Shareholder/Stockholder/Stock options, Full/Part-time employment: Arcus Biosciences; Full/Part-time employment: Bellicum; Full/Part-time employment: Biothera. M. Paoloni: Leadership role, Shareholder/Stockholder/Stock options, Full/Part-time employment: Arcus Biosciences; Advisory/Consultancy: Eli Lilly; Advisory/Consultancy: Janssen Oncology; Advisory/Consultancy: Amgen. K. Krishnan: Leadership role, Shareholder/Stockholder/Stock options, Full/Part-time employment: Arcus Biosciences; Full/Part-time employment: Astex; Full/Part-time employment: Roche/Genentech; Full/Part-time employment: Five Prime. M. Carducci: Advisory/Consultancy, Research grant/Funding (institution): Pfizer; Advisory/Consultancy: Medivation; Advisory/Consultancy: Astellas; Advisory/Consultancy: Roche; Advisory/Consultancy: Abbvie; Advisory/Consultancy: Foundation Medicine; Advisory/Consultancy: Merck; Research grant/Funding (institution): EMD Serono; Research grant/Funding (institution): Exelixis; Research grant/Funding (institution): Gilead; Research grant/Funding (institution): Effector; Non-remunerated activity/ies: ECOG-ACRIN.
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BACKGROUND:Patients with aortic stenosis are nearly twice as likely to have a diagnosis of gout compared with individuals without aortic valve disease. METHODS:, and/or decrease in left ventricular ejection fraction due to aortic stenosis. RESULTS:/year [-0.16, -0.01], p=0.09); annualized change in peak velocity and mean gradient did not differ between groups. CONCLUSIONS:Progression to severe aortic stenosis was more frequent in patients with gout versus those without gout supporting the hypothesis that gout is a risk factor for aortic stenosis.

To assess the impact of allopurinol on diabetes in a retrospective cohort of Veterans' Affairs patients with gout.The New York Harbor VA computerized patient record system was searched to identify patients with an ICD-9 code for gout meeting at least 4 modified 1977 American Rheumatology Association gout diagnostic criteria. Patients were divided into subgroups based on >30 continuous days of allopurinol, versus no allopurinol. New diagnoses of diabetes, defined according to American Diabetes Association diagnostic criteria or clinical documentation explicitly stating a new diagnosis of diabetes, were identified during an observation period from January 1, 2000 through December 31, 2015.Six hundred six gout patients used allopurinol >30 continuous days, and 478 patients never used allopurinol. Over an average 7.9 ± 4.8 years of follow-up, there was no significant difference in diabetes incidence between the allopurinol and non-allopurinol groups (11.7/1000 person-years vs 10.0/1000 person-years, P = .27). A lower diabetes incidence in the longest versus shortest quartiles of allopurinol use (6.3 per 1000 person-years vs 19.4 per 1000 person-years, P<.0001) was attributable to longer duration of medical follow-up.In this study, allopurinol use was not associated with decreased diabetes incidence. Prospective studies may further elucidate the relationship between hyperuricemia, gout, xanthine oxidase activity, and diabetes, and the potential impact of gout treatments on diabetes incidence.

Objectives While the need to address patients' social determinants of health (SDoH) is widely recognized, less is known about physicians' actual clinical problem-solving when it comes to SDoH. Do physicians include SDoH in their assessment strategy? Are SDoH incorporated into their diagnostic thinking and if so, do they document as part of their clinical reasoning? And do physicians directly address SDoH in their "solution" (treatment plan)? Methods We used Unannounced Standardized Patients (USPs) to assess internal medicine residents' clinical problem solving in response to a patient with asthma exacerbation and concern that her moldy apartment is contributing to symptoms - a case designed to represent a clear and direct link between a social determinant and patient health. Residents' clinical practices were assessed through a post-visit checklist and systematic chart review. Patterns of clinical problem solving were identified and then explored, in depth, through review of USP comments and history of present illness (HPI) and treatment plan documentation. Results Residents fell into three groups when it came to clinical problem-solving around a housing trigger for asthma: those who failed to ask about housing and therefore did not uncover mold as a potential trigger (neglectors - 21%; 14/68); those who asked about housing in negative ways that prevented disclosure and response (negative elicitors - 24%, 16/68); and those who elicited and explored the mold issue (full elicitors - 56%; 28/68). Of the full elicitors 53% took no further action, 26% only documented the mold; and 21% provided resources/referral. In-depth review of USP comments/explanations and residents' notes (HPI, treatment plan) revealed possible influences on clinical problem solving. Failure to ask about housing was associated with both contextual factors (rushed visit) and interpersonal skills (not fully engaging with patient) and with possible differences in attention ("known" vs. unknown/new triggers, usual symptoms vs. changes, not attending to relocation, etc.,). Use of close-ended questions often made it difficult for the patient to share mold concerns. Negative responses to sharing of housing information led to missing mold entirely or to the patient not realizing that the physician agreed with her concerns about mold. Residents who fully elicited the mold situation but did not take action seemed to either lack knowledge or feel that action on SDoH was outside their realm of responsibility. Those that took direct action to help the patient address mold appeared to be motivated by an enhanced sense of urgency. Conclusions Findings provide unique insight into residents' problem solving processes including external influences (e.g., time, distractions), the role of core communication and interpersonal skills (eliciting information, creating opportunities for patients to voice concerns, sharing clinical thinking with patients), how traditional cognitive biases operate in practice (premature closure, tunneling, and ascertainment bias), and the ways in which beliefs about expectancies and scope of practice may color clinical problem-solving strategies for addressing SDoH.

Ceftazidime-avibactam is a potent antibiotic combination against Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemase (KPC)-producing Enterobacteriaceae Here, we describe a unique ceftazidime-avibactam-resistant and carbapenem-susceptible K. pneumoniae strain harboring a novel bla_KPC-14 variant. This strain was isolated from a New York City patient in 2003, which predates the introduction of avibactam. Despite resistance to ceftazidime-avibactam, the strain was susceptible to imipenem-relebactam and meropenem-vaborbactam. Comprehensive genomic sequencing revealed that bla_KPC-14 is harbored on an ST6 IncN plasmid associated with the early spread of bla_KPCIMPORTANCE KPC is currently the most common carbapenemase identified in the United States. More than 40 KPC variants have been described, of which KPC-2 and KPC-3 are the most frequent clinical variants. However, our understanding of the genetic structures and β-lactam resistance profiles of other novel KPC variants remains incomplete. Here, we report a novel bla_KPC variant (bla_KPC-14) and the complete genome sequence of bla_KPC-14-harboring K. pneumoniae strain BK13048, which is susceptible to carbapenems but resistant to ceftazidime-avibactam. To the best of our knowledge, this is one of the earliest KPC-producing K. pneumoniae strains exhibiting resistance to ceftazidime-avibactam.

Although novel agents (NAs) have improved outcomes for patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), a subset will progress through all available NAs. Understanding outcomes for potentially curative modalities including allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (alloHCT) following NA therapy is critical while devising treatment sequences aimed at long-term disease control. In this multicenter, retrospective cohort study, we examined 65 patients with CLL who underwent alloHCT following exposure to ≥1 NA, including baseline disease and transplant characteristics, treatment preceding alloHCT, transplant outcomes, treatment following alloHCT, and survival outcomes. Univariable and multivariable analyses evaluated associations between pre-alloHCT factors and progression-free survival (PFS). Twenty-four-month PFS, overall survival (OS), nonrelapse mortality, and relapse incidence were 63%, 81%, 13%, and 27% among patients transplanted for CLL. Day +100 cumulative incidence of grade III-IV acute graft-vs-host disease (GVHD) was 24%; moderate-severe GVHD developed in 27%. Poor-risk disease characteristics, prior NA exposure, complete vs partial remission, and transplant characteristics were not independently associated with PFS. Hematopoietic cell transplantation-specific comorbidity index independently predicts PFS. PFS and OS were not impacted by having received NAs vs both NAs and chemoimmunotherapy, 1 vs ≥2 NAs, or ibrutinib vs venetoclax as the line of therapy immediately pre-alloHCT. AlloHCT remains a viable long-term disease control strategy that overcomes adverse CLL characteristics. Prior NAs do not appear to impact the safety of alloHCT, and survival outcomes are similar regardless of number of NAs received, prior chemoimmunotherapy exposure, or NA immediately preceding alloHCT. Decisions about proceeding to alloHCT should consider comorbidities and anticipated response to remaining therapeutic options.

OBJECTIVE:<0.001). Rates of adverse events increased with the magnitude of D-dimer elevation; individuals with presenting D-dimer >2000 ng/mL had the highest risk of critical illness (66%), thrombotic event (37.8%), acute kidney injury (58.3%), and death (47%). CONCLUSIONS:Abnormal D-dimer was frequently observed at admission with COVID-19 and was associated with higher incidence of critical illness, thrombotic events, acute kidney injury, and death. The optimal management of patients with elevated D-dimer in COVID-19 requires further study.

Combating plasmid-mediated carbapenem resistance is essential to control and prevent the dissemination of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE). Here we conducted a proof-of-concept study to demonstrate CRISPR/Cas9-mediated resistance gene and plasmid curing can effectively re-sensitize CRE to carbapenems. A novel CRISPR/Cas9-mediated plasmid-curing system (pCasCure) was developed and electrotransferred into various clinical CRE isolates. The results showed that pCasCure can effectively cure bla_KPC, bla_NDM and bla_OXA-48 in various Enterobacteriaceae species of Klebsiella pneumoniae, Escherichia coli, Enterobacter hormaechei, E. xiangfangensis and Serratia marcescens clinical isolates, with > 94% curing efficiency. In addition, we also demonstrated that pCasCure can efficiently eliminate several epidemic carbapenem-resistant plasmids, including the bla_KPC-harboring IncFIIK-pKpQIL and IncN pKp58_N, bla_OXA-48-harboring pOXA-48-like, bla_NDM-harboring IncX3 plasmids, by targeting their replication and partitioning (parA in pKpQIL) genes. However, curing bla_OXA-48 gene failed to eliminate its corresponding pOXA-48-like plasmid in a clinical K. pneumoniae isolate 49210, while further next generation sequencing revealed that it was due to IS1R mediated recombination outside the CRISPR/Cas9 cleavage site, resulting in bla_OXA-48 truncation and therefor escaped plasmid curing. Nevertheless, the curing of carbapenemase genes or plasmids, including the truncation of bla_OXA-48 in 49210, successfully restore their susceptibility to carbapenems, with > 8-fold reduction of minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values in all tested isolates. Taken together, our study confirmed the concept of using CRISPR/Cas9-mediated carbapenemase genes and plasmids curing to re-sensitize CRE to carbapenems. Further work is needed to integrate pCasCure in an optimal delivery system to make it applicable for clinical intervention.

BACKGROUND:Ileal pouch-anal anastomosis (IPAA) is the mainstay of surgical treatment for patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) but is associated with an increased risk of infertility. We developed a simulation model examining the impact of initial surgical procedure on quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) and fertility end points. METHODS:A patient-level state transition model was used to analyze outcomes by surgical approach strategy for females of childbearing age. Initial surgical options included IPAA, rectal-sparing colectomy with end ileostomy (RCEI), and ileorectal anastomosis (IRA). The primary outcome examined was QALYs, whereas secondary outcomes included UC and fertility-associated end points. RESULTS:IPAA resulted in higher QALYs for patients aged 20-30 years, as compared with RCEI. For patients aged 35 years, RCEI resulted in higher QALYs (7.54 RCEI vs 7.53 IPAA) and was associated with a 28% higher rate of childbirth, a 14-month decrease in time to childbirth, and a 77% reduction in in vitro fertilization utilization. When accounting for the decreased infertility risk associated with laparoscopic IPAA, IPAA resulted in higher QALYs (7.57) even for patients aged 35 years. CONCLUSIONS:Despite an increased risk of infertility, our model results suggest that IPAA may be the optimal surgical strategy for female UC patients aged 20-30 years who desire children. For patients aged 35 years, RCEI should additionally be considered, as QALYs for RCEI and IPAA were similar. These quantitative data can be used by patients and providers to help develop an individualized approach to surgical management choice.