Background: The standard of care (SOC) treatment (Tx) in the curative setting for patients (pts) with relapsed/refractory (R/R) large B-cell lymphoma (LBCL) after 1st-line (1L) chemoimmunotherapy (CIT) is high-dose therapy with autologous stem cell rescue (HDT-ASCT) if responsive to 2L CIT; however, as many pts do not respond to or cannot tolerate 2L CIT, or are not intended for HDT-ASCT, outcomes remain poor. Axi-cel is an autologous anti-CD19 chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy approved for R/R LBCL after ≥2 prior systemic therapies. Since CAR T-cell therapy may benefit pts in earlier lines of therapy, we conducted ZUMA-7 (NCT03391466), a global, randomized, Phase 3 trial of axi-cel vs SOC in pts with 2L R/R LBCL, and report here the results of the primary analysis (PA).

Methods: Eligible pts were ≥18 y with LBCL, ECOG PS 0-1, R/R disease ≤12 mo of adequate 1L CIT (including anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody and an anthracycline), and intended to proceed to HDT-ASCT. Pts were randomized 1:1 to axi-cel or SOC, stratified by 1L Tx response and 2L age-adjusted IPI (sAAIPI). In the axi-cel arm, pts received a single infusion of 2×10 6 CAR T cells/kg after conditioning (3 d; cyclophosphamide 500 mg/m 2/day and fludarabine 30 mg/m 2/day). Optional bridging Tx was limited to corticosteroids (CIT was not allowed). In the SOC arm, pts received 2-3 cycles of an investigator-selected, protocol defined, platinum-based CIT regimen; pts with partial response or complete response (CR) proceeded to HDT-ASCT. Disease assessments by PET-CT per Lugano Classification occurred at timepoints specified from randomization. Although there was no planned trial crossover between arms, pts not responding to SOC could receive CAR T-cell therapy off protocol. Axi-cel was hypothesized to result in a 50% improvement in event-free survival (EFS: time to earliest date of disease progression, death from any cause, or new lymphoma Tx) vs SOC. The PA was event-driven, and the primary endpoint was EFS by blinded central review. Key secondary endpoints, tested hierarchically, were objective response rate (ORR) and overall survival (OS; interim analysis); safety was also a secondary endpoint. Level of CAR T cells was an exploratory endpoint.

Results: As of 3/18/21, 359 pts were enrolled globally. The median age was 59 y (range, 21-81; 30% ≥65 y). Overall, 74% of pts had primary refractory disease and 46% had high sAAIPI (2-3). Of 180 pts randomized to axi-cel, 170 (94%) were infused; of 179 pts randomized to SOC, 64 (36%) reached HDT-ASCT after 2L CIT. The primary endpoint of EFS was met (HR: 0.398; P<.0001). At 24.9 mo median follow-up, median EFS was significantly longer with axi-cel vs SOC (8.3 mo [95% CI: 4.5-15.8] vs 2 mo [95% CI: 1.6-2.8], respectively), and Kaplan-Meier estimates of the 24-mo EFS rates were significantly higher with axi-cel (41% vs 16%). Among randomized pts, ORR and CR rates were higher with axi-cel vs SOC (ORR: 83% vs 50%, odds ratio: 5.31 [95% CI: 3.1-8.9; P<.0001]; CR: 65% vs 32%). Median OS, evaluated as a preplanned interim analysis, favored axi-cel vs SOC, although it did not meet statistical significance (not reached vs 35.1 mo, respectively; HR: 0.730; P=.027). In the SOC arm, 100 (56%) received commercially available or investigational CAR T-cell therapy off protocol as subsequent Tx. Grade ≥3 treatment-emergent adverse events occurred in 155 (91%) and 140 (83%) pts, and Tx-related deaths occurred in 1 and 2 pts in the axi-cel and SOC arms, respectively. In pts treated with axi-cel, grade ≥3 cytokine release syndrome (CRS) occurred in 11 (6%) pts (median time to onset 3 d; median duration 7 d) and grade ≥3 neurologic events (NEs) occurred in 36 (21%) pts (median time to onset 7 d; median duration 8.5 d). No grade 5 CRS or NEs occurred. Median peak CAR T-cell level was 25.8 cells/µL; median time to peak was 7 d after infusion.

Conclusions: ZUMA-7, the first randomized, global, multicenter Phase 3 study of axi-cel vs 2L SOC in R/R LBCL, demonstrated a statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvement in EFS. Axi-cel showed superiority over SOC with >4-fold greater median EFS, 2.5-fold greater EFS at 2 y, double the CR rate, and more than double the percentage of pts receiving definitive Tx. Safety of axi-cel was manageable and at least consistent with 3L axi-cel therapy. Axi-cel may replace CIT/HDT-ASCT as the SOC for 2L R/R LBCL.

These data are reported on behalf of all ZUMA-7 investigators and contributing Kite members.

Disclosures

Locke: Novartis: Consultancy, Other, Research Funding; Janssen: Consultancy, Other: Scientific Advisory Role; Kite, a Gilead Company: Consultancy, Other: Scientific Advisory Role, Research Funding; Iovance Biotherapeutics: Consultancy, Other: Scientific Advisory Role; GammaDelta Therapeutics: Consultancy, Other: Scientific Advisory Role; Umoja: Consultancy, Other; Wugen: Consultancy, Other; Takeda: Consultancy, Other; Legend Biotech: Consultancy, Other; EcoR1: Consultancy; Emerging Therapy Solutions: Consultancy; Gerson Lehrman Group: Consultancy; Cowen: Consultancy; Calibr: Consultancy, Other: Scientific Advisory Role; Moffitt Cancer Center: Patents & Royalties: field of cellular immunotherapy; Cellular Biomedicine Group: Consultancy, Other: Scientific Advisory Role; BMS/Celgene: Consultancy, Other: Scientific Advisory Role; Bluebird Bio: Consultancy, Other: Scientific Advisory Role; Amgen: Consultancy, Other: Scientific Advisory Role; Allogene Therapeutics: Consultancy, Other: Scientific Advisory Role, Research Funding. Miklos: Pharmacyclics, Amgen, Kite, a Gilead Company, Novartis, Roche, Genentech, Becton Dickinson, Isoplexis, Miltenyi, Juno-Celgene-Bristol Myers Squibb, Allogene, Precision Biosciences, Adicet, Adaptive Biotechnologies: Research Funding; Adaptive Biotechnologies, Novartis, Juno/Celgene-BMS, Kite, a Gilead Company, Pharmacyclics-AbbVie, Janssen, Pharmacyclics, AlloGene, Precision Bioscience, Miltenyi Biotech, Adicet, Takeda: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Kite, a Gilead Company, Amgen, Atara, Wugen, Celgene, Novartis, Juno-Celgene-Bristol Myers Squibb, Allogene, Precision Bioscience, Adicet, Pharmacyclics, Janssen, Takeda, Adaptive Biotechnologies and Miltenyi Biotechnologies: Consultancy; Pharmacyclics: Patents & Royalties. Jacobson: Kite, a Gilead Company: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: Travel support; Lonza: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: Travel support; Precision Biosciences: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: Travel support; Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: Travel support; Nkarta: Consultancy, Honoraria; AbbVie: Consultancy, Honoraria; Pfizer: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: Travel support, Research Funding; Celgene: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: Travel support; Humanigen: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: Travel support; Axis: Speakers Bureau; Clinical Care Options: Speakers Bureau. Perales: Cidara: Honoraria; Omeros: Honoraria; Merck: Honoraria; Servier: Honoraria; Medigene: Honoraria; Takeda: Honoraria; Miltenyi Biotec: Honoraria, Other; Sellas Life Sciences: Honoraria; Kite/Gilead: Honoraria, Other; Novartis: Honoraria, Other; Incyte: Honoraria, Other; Equilium: Honoraria; Karyopharm: Honoraria; NexImmune: Honoraria; Celgene: Honoraria; Nektar Therapeutics: Honoraria, Other; MorphoSys: Honoraria; Bristol-Myers Squibb: Honoraria. Kersten: Novartis: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: Travel support; Kite, a Gilead Company: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: Travel support, Research Funding; Roche: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: Travel support, Research Funding; BMS/Celgene: Consultancy, Honoraria; Takeda: Research Funding; Celgene: Research Funding; Miltenyi Biotec: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: Travel support. Oluwole: Janssen: Consultancy; Kite, a Gilead Company: Consultancy, Research Funding; Pfizer: Consultancy; Curio Science: Consultancy. Ghobadi: Amgen: Consultancy, Research Funding; Kite, a Gilead Company: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Atara Biotherapeutics: Consultancy; Wugen: Consultancy; Celgene: Consultancy. McGuirk: Juno Therapeutics: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Kite/ Gilead: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: travel accommodations, expense, Kite a Gilead company, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Novartis: Research Funding; Gamida Cell: Research Funding; Pluristem Therapeutics: Research Funding; Bellicum Pharmaceuticals: Research Funding; Allovir: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Magenta Therapeutics: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; EcoR1 Capital: Consultancy; Novartis: Research Funding; Fresenius Biotech: Research Funding; Astelllas Pharma: Research Funding. Pagel: Incyte/MorphoSys: Consultancy; Gilead: Consultancy; AstraZeneca: Consultancy; Actinium Pharmaceuticals: Consultancy; Pharmacyclics/AbbVie: Consultancy; BeiGene: Consultancy; Epizyme: Consultancy; MEI Pharma: Consultancy; Kite, a Gilead Company: Consultancy. Muñoz: Targeted Oncology, OncView, Kyowa, Physicians' Education Resource, and Seagen: Honoraria; Pharmacyclics, Abbvie, Bayer, Kite, a Gilead Company, Pfizer, Janssen, Juno/Celgene, Bristol Myers Squibb, Kyowa, Alexion, Beigene, Fosun Kite, Innovent, Seagen, Debiopharm, Karyopharm, Genmab, ADC Therapeutics, Epizyme, Beigene, and Servier: Consultancy; Kite, a Gilead Company, Kyowa, Bayer, Pharmacyclics, Janssen, Seagen, Acrotech, Aurobindo, Beigene, Verastem, AstraZeneca, Celgene/Bristol Myers Squibb, Genentech, and Roche: Speakers Bureau; Bayer, Kite, a Gilead Company, Celgene, Merck, Portola, Incyte, Genentech, Pharmacyclics, Seagen, and Janssen, Millennium: Research Funding; OncView: Honoraria; Kyowa Kirin: Honoraria; Physicians' Education Resource: Honoraria. Farooq: Kite, a Gilead Company: Honoraria. Van Meerten: Kite, a Gilead Company: Honoraria; Janssen: Consultancy. Reagan: Genentech: Research Funding; Kite, a Gilead Company: Consultancy; Curis: Consultancy; Seagen: Research Funding. Sureda: Kite, a Gilead Company: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Speakers Bureau; Janssen: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Speakers Bureau; Amgen: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Speakers Bureau; Sanofi: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Speakers Bureau; GSK: Consultancy, Honoraria, Speakers Bureau; Roche: Other: Support for attending meetings and/or travel; Bluebird: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Mundipharma: Consultancy; BMS/Celgene: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Other: Support for attending meetings and/or travel, Speakers Bureau; Novartis: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Speakers Bureau; MSD: Consultancy, Honoraria, Speakers Bureau; Takeda: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Other: Support for attending meetings and/or travel, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau. Flinn: Loxo: Other: All research funding payments made to Sarah Cannon Research Institute, Research Funding; AbbVie: Consultancy, Other: All Consultancy and Research Funding payments made to Sarah Cannon Research Institute, Research Funding; Gilead Sciences: Consultancy, Other: All consultancy and research funding payments made to Sarah Cannon Research Institute, Research Funding; Forma Therapeutics: Other: All research funding payments made to Sarah Cannon Research Institute, Research Funding; Pfizer: Other: All research funding payments made to Sarah Cannon Research Institute, Research Funding; Takeda: Consultancy, Other: All consultancy and research funding payments made to Sarah Cannon Research Institute, Research Funding; Kite, a Gilead Company: Consultancy, Other: All consultancy and research funding payments made to Sarah Cannon Research Institute, Research Funding; Calithera Biosciences: Other: All research funding payments made to Sarah Cannon Research Institute, Research Funding; Juno Therapeutics: Consultancy, Other: All consultancy and research funding payments made to Sarah Cannon Research Institute, Research Funding; ArQule: Other: All research funding payments made to Sarah Cannon Research Institute, Research Funding; Karyopharm Therapeutics: Other: All research funding payments made to Sarah Cannon Research Institute, Research Funding; Nurix Therapeutics: Consultancy, Other: All consultancy payments made to Sarah Cannon Research Institute; Great Point Partners: Consultancy, Other: All consultancy payments made to Sarah Cannon Research Institute; BeiGene: Consultancy, Other: All consultancy and research funding payments made to Sarah Cannon Research Institute, Research Funding; Seagen: Consultancy, Other: All consultancy and research funding payments made to Sarah Cannon Research Institute, Research Funding; MorphoSys: Consultancy, Other: All consultancy and research funding payments made to Sarah Cannon Research Institute, Research Funding; Trillium Therapeutics: Other: All research funding payments made to Sarah Cannon Research Institute, Research Funding; Constellation Pharmaceuticals: Other: All research funding payments made to Sarah Cannon Research Institute, Research Funding; Unum Therapeutics: Consultancy, Other: All consultancy and research funding payments made to Sarah Cannon Research Institute, Research Funding; Janssen: Consultancy, Other: All consultancy and research funding payments made to Sarah Cannon Research Institute, Research Funding; Genentech: Consultancy, Other: All consultancy and research funding payments made to Sarah Cannon Research Institute, Research Funding; Yingli Pharmaceuticals: Consultancy, Other: All consultancy payments made to Sarah Cannon Research Institute; Curis: Other: All research funding payments made to Sarah Cannon Research Institute, Research Funding; Celgene: Other: All research funding payments made to Sarah Cannon Research Institute, Research Funding; Novartis: Consultancy, Other: All consultancy and research funding payments made to Sarah Cannon Research Institute, Research Funding; AstraZeneca: Consultancy, Other: All consultancy and research funding payments made to Sarah Cannon Research Institute, Research Funding; Roche: Consultancy, Other: All consultancy and research funding payments made to Sarah Cannon Research Institute, Research Funding; IGM Biosciences: Other: All research funding payments made to Sarah Cannon Research Institute, Research Funding; Iksuda Therapeutics: Consultancy, Other: All consultancy payments made to Sarah Cannon Research Institute; Verastem: Consultancy, Other: All consultancy and research funding payments made to Sarah Cannon Research Institute, Research Funding; Portola Pharmaceuticals: Other: All research funding payments made to Sarah Cannon Research Institute, Research Funding; Infinity Pharmaceuticals: Other: All research funding payments made to Sarah Cannon Research Institute, Research Funding; Rhizen Pharmaceuticals: Other: All research funding payments made to Sarah Cannon Research Institute, Research Funding; Forty Seven: Other: All research funding payments made to Sarah Cannon Research Institute, Research Funding; Incyte: Other: All research funding payments made to Sarah Cannon Research Institute, Research Funding; Agios: Other: All research funding payments made to Sarah Cannon Research Institute, Research Funding; Teva: Other: All research funding payments made to Sarah Cannon Research Institute, Research Funding; TG Therapeutics: Consultancy, Other: All consultancy and research funding payments made to Sarah Cannon Research Institute, Research Funding; Merck: Other: All research funding payments made to Sarah Cannon Research Institute, Research Funding; Pharmacyclics LLC, an AbbVie Company: Consultancy, Other: All consultancy and research funding payments made to Sarah Cannon Research Institute, Research Funding; Acerta Pharma: Other: All research funding payments made to Sarah Cannon Research Institute, Research Funding; Triphase Research & Development Corp.: Other: All research funding payments made to Sarah Cannon Research Institute, Research Funding; Century Therapeutics: Consultancy, Other: All consultancy payments made to Sarah Cannon Research Institute; Hutchison MediPharma: Consultancy, Other: All consultancy payments made to Sarah Cannon Research Institute; Vincerx Pharma: Consultancy, Other: All consultancy payments made to Sarah Cannon Research Institute; Sarah Cannon Research Institute: Current Employment; Servier Pharmaceuticals: Consultancy, Other: All consultancy payments made to Sarah Cannon Research Institute; Yingli Pharmaceuticals: Consultancy, Other: All consultancy payments made to Sarah Cannon Research Institute; Seagen: Consultancy, Other: All consultancy payments made to Sarah Cannon Research Institute; Servier Pharmaceuticals: Consultancy, Other: All consultancy payments made to Sarah Cannon Research Institute; Unum Therapeutics: Consultancy, Other: All consultancy payments made to Sarah Cannon Research Institute, Research Funding; Johnson & Johnson: Current holder of individual stocks in a privately-held company; Seattle Genetics: Research Funding. Vandenberghe: Bristol Myers Squibb/Celgene: Consultancy; Pfizer: Research Funding; Gilead Sciences: Consultancy, Other: Travel support; Miltenyi Biotec: Consultancy; Novartis: Consultancy; Janssen: Consultancy, Research Funding; Kite, a Gilead Company: Consultancy. Song: GlaxoSmithKline: Honoraria; Takeda: Consultancy, Honoraria; Amgen: Consultancy, Honoraria; Janssen: Honoraria, Research Funding; Celgene: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Bristol Myers Squibb: Honoraria; Kite, a Gilead Company: Honoraria; Sanofi: Honoraria. Dickinson: Novartis: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Takeda: Research Funding; Bristol-Myers Squibb: Consultancy, Honoraria; Celgene: Research Funding; Amgen: Honoraria; Roche: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: travel, accommodation, expenses, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Gilead Sciences: Consultancy, Honoraria, Speakers Bureau; MSD: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Janssen: Consultancy, Honoraria. Minnema: Janssen: Consultancy; Alnylam: Consultancy; Kite/Gilead: Consultancy; Cilag: Consultancy; Celgene: Other: Travel expenses; BMS: Consultancy. Riedell: Kite/Gilead: Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Novartis: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; BeiGene: Consultancy; Takeda: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Janssen: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Celgene/BMS: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Bayer: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Karyopharm: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Calibr: Research Funding; Tessa Therapeutics: Research Funding; Xencor: Research Funding; MorphoSys: Research Funding. Leslie: Karyopharm Therapeutics: Honoraria, Speakers Bureau; BeiGene: Consultancy, Honoraria, Speakers Bureau; Celgene/BMS: Consultancy, Honoraria, Speakers Bureau; Merck: Consultancy; Abbvie: Consultancy, Honoraria; Kite, a Gilead Company: Consultancy, Honoraria, Speakers Bureau; TG Therapeutics: Consultancy, Honoraria, Speakers Bureau; AstraZeneca: Consultancy, Honoraria, Speakers Bureau; Pharmacyclics: Consultancy, Honoraria, Speakers Bureau; ADC Therapeutics: Consultancy; Epizyme: Consultancy, Honoraria, Speakers Bureau; PCYC/Janssen: Consultancy, Honoraria, Speakers Bureau; Seagen: Consultancy, Honoraria, Speakers Bureau; Janssen: Consultancy, Speakers Bureau. Chaganti: Kite, a Gilead Company: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: Travel support, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Novartis: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: Travel support, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Takeda: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: travel support, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Celgene-BMS: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: Travel support; Atara Bio: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Janssen: Research Funding; Incyte: Honoraria, Speakers Bureau. Yang: Kite, a Gilead Company: Current Employment. Filosto: Tusk Therapeutics: Patents & Royalties: or other intellecular property; Gilead Sciences: Other: stock or other ownership ; Kite, a Gilead Company: Current Employment. Schupp: Gilead Sciences: Current equity holder in publicly-traded company; Kite, a Gilead Company: Current Employment, Honoraria, Other: Travel support. To: NantWorks: Ended employment in the past 24 months; Kite, a Gilead Company: Current Employment, Other: stock or other ownership . Cheng: Kite, a Gilead Company: Current Employment, Other: Travel support; Gilead Sciences: Other: stock or other ownership . Gordon: Bristol Myers Squibb: Honoraria, Research Funding; Zylem Biosciences: Patents & Royalties: Patents, No royalties. Westin: Genentech: Consultancy, Research Funding; Bristol Myers Squibb: Consultancy, Research Funding; Novartis: Consultancy, Research Funding; Kite, a Gilead Company: Consultancy, Research Funding; Curis: Research Funding; Iksuda Therapeutics: Consultancy; Umoja: Consultancy; ADC Therapeutics: Consultancy, Research Funding; AstraZeneca: Consultancy, Research Funding; MorphoSys: Consultancy, Research Funding; Morphosys: Research Funding; 47 Inc: Research Funding.

Author notes

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© 2021 by The American Society of Hematology
2021
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