Primary Analysis of ZUMA-2 Cohort 3: Brexucabtagene Autoleucel (Brexu-Cel) in Patients (Pts) with Relapsed/Refractory Mantle Cell Lymphoma (R/R MCL) Who Were Naive to Bruton Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors (BTKi)

Introduction: Brexu-cel is an autologous anti-CD19 CAR T-cell therapy approved for adults with R/R MCL in the US and EU (after ≥2 prior lines of therapy [LoT], including a BTKi in EU), based on results from Cohort 1 of ZUMA-2 (NCT02601313). Brexu-cel demonstrated an objective response rate (ORR) of 91%, a complete response (CR) rate of 68%, and a median overall survival (OS) of 46.4 mo (47.5 mo median follow-up) in 68 pts with R/R MCL with a median of 3 (range, 1-5) prior LoT, including a BTKi (Goy et al. ASH 2023). Despite improvements in outcomes with BTKi therapy, pts with high-risk R/R MCL have poor outcomes and brexu-cel may provide benefit in earlier LoT (Bond, et al. J Clin Med. 2021). Here we report the primary analysis of ZUMA-2, Cohort 3, a global Phase 2 study to assess the safety and efficacy of brexu-cel in pts with BTKi-naive R/R MCL (NCT04880434).

Methods: Pts (≥18 y) underwent leukapheresis, optional prespecified bridging therapy, lymphodepleting chemotherapy, and 1 infusion of brexu-cel (2×10⁶ anti-CD19 CAR T cells/kg). The primary endpoint was ORR (CR + partial response [PR]) per the Lugano Classification (Cheson et al. J Clin Oncol. 2014) by independent radiology review committee (IRRC) assessment. The primary analysis was conducted after 86 pts were assessed for response 6 mo after the first objective response and was powered ≥90% to distinguish between an active therapy with ≥75% ORR and a therapy with ORR ≤57% (historical control) at a one-sided alpha level of 0.025. Key secondary endpoints were duration of response (DOR), best objective response (BOR), progression-free survival (PFS), OS, and safety.

Results: As of November 26, 2023, 95 pts were enrolled, 86 (91%) of whom were treated with brexu-cel; median follow-up was 15.5 mo (range, 1.4-27.1). At baseline (N=86), median age was 64 y (range, 40-82), 78% were male, 67% EU, 33% US, 73% had high or intermediate s-MIPI score, 47% had Ki-67 ≥30%, and 45% assessed (15/33) had a TP53 mutation. Median prior LoT was 1 (range, 1-5). Prior anti-CD20, anthracycline, and bendamustine therapies were received by 100%, 79%, and 27% of pts, respectively; 48% had prior autologous stem cell transplantation, and 36% received bridging therapy.

The primary endpoint was met with an ORR of 91% (95% CI, 82.5-95.9; P<.0001) per IRRC assessment; 73% (95% CI, 62.6-82.2) of pts had a CR, 17% (95% CI, 10.1-27.1) had a PR, 3% (95% CI, 0.7-9.9) had stable disease, and 3% (95% CI, 0.7-9.9) had progressive disease (PD) as best response to brexu-cel (2 pts not assessed). With 15.5-mo median follow-up, median (95% CI) DOR, PFS, and OS were 26.2 (17.4-not estimable [NE]; n=78), 27.1 (18.3-NE; N=86), and 27.1 mo (NE-NE; N=86), respectively. The 12-mo (95% CI) DOR, PFS, and OS rates were 80% (69.1-87.9), 75% (64.5-83.4), and 90% (80.7-94.4), respectively. At data cutoff, 73 pts (85%) were alive and 13 (15%) had died (no deaths occurred ≤30 days after brexu-cel infusion), 7 due to adverse events (AEs; 4 deemed unrelated to brexu-cel), 4 due to PD, and 2 due to other causes (sepsis [n=1] and failure to thrive after hip fracture [n=1]).

Most pts had at least 1 Grade (Gr) ≥3 brexu-cel-related AE (88%), 3 of which were Gr 5 AEs (due to JC virus PML on Day 303, polymicrobial infection on Day 69, and septic shock on Day 46). Gr ≥3 cytokine release syndrome (CRS), immune effector cell-associated neurotoxicity syndrome, and neurological events occurred in 5 (6%), 18 (21%), and 23 pts (27%), respectively. Median (range) time to onset and duration of CRS events was 4 (1-12) and 6 days (1-36; n=82), respectively. Median (range) time to onset and duration of neurological events was 7 (1-373) and 8 days (1-179; n=67), respectively.

Median peak and area under the curve CAR T-cell levels were 77.2 cells/µL and 1021.2 cells/µL × days, respectively, and were positively correlated with Gr ≥3 neurologic events but not Gr ≥3 CRS.

Conclusions: In Cohort 3, brexu-cel demonstrated a high ORR (91%) and CR rate (73%) in pts with R/R MCL who were naive to BTKi, consistent with Cohort 1 of ZUMA-2 (BTKi-exposed pts). Efficacy was durable, with extended median DOR, PFS, and OS that translated to a 12-mo OS rate of 90%. Additionally, no new safety signals were detected, with a low rate of Gr ≥3 CRS and an expected rate of Gr ≥3 neurological events. These results support the continued use of brexu-cel in the R/R MCL setting, including pts naive to BTKi therapy.

van Meerten:Jansen: Consultancy; Eli Lilly: Consultancy; Genentech: Research Funding; Kite, a Gilead Company: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; BMS/Celgene: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Siemens: Research Funding. Kersten:Adicet Bio: Consultancy, Honoraria; BMS/Celgene: Consultancy, Honoraria; Kite, a Gilead Company: Consultancy, Honoraria; Miltenyi Biotech: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: Travel Support; Novartis: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: Travel support; Roche: Consultancy, Other: Travel support, Research Funding; Kite, a Gilead Company: Other: Travel support, Research Funding. Iacoboni:BMS: Consultancy, Honoraria; AbbVie, AstraZeneca, Autolus, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Kite/Gilead, Miltenyi, Novartis, Lilly and Sandoz: Honoraria; Autolus, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Kite/Gilead, Miltenyi, Novartis: Consultancy; Novartis: Honoraria; Miltenyi: Consultancy, Honoraria; AstraZeneca: Honoraria, Other: Travel support; AbbVie: Honoraria, Other: Travel Support; Kite, a Gilead Company: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: Travel support; Autolus: Consultancy; AbbVie, AstraZeneca, Kite/Gilead, Miltenyi: Other: Travel support. Hess:Roche: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: Travel support; MSD: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: Travel support; Miltenyie: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: Travel support; Lilly: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: Travel support, Research Funding; Janssen: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: Travel support, Research Funding; Incyte: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: Travel support, Research Funding; BMS: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: Travel support; BeiGene: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: Travel support; AbbVie, ADC, AstraZeneca, BMS, Incyte, Janssen, Lilly, Miltenyie, Novartis, PiereFabre, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd, Sobi: Consultancy, Honoraria; AstraZeneca: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: Travel Support; Abbvie: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: Travel support, Research Funding; Incyte, AbbVie, Gilead/Kite, Janssen, Lilly, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd: Research Funding. Martín García-Sancho:Miltenyi Biotec: Consultancy, Honoraria; Novartis: Consultancy; Lilly: Consultancy, Honoraria; GSK: Consultancy, Honoraria; Genmab: Consultancy, Honoraria; AstraZeneca: Consultancy, Honoraria; AbbVie: Consultancy, Honoraria; Takeda: Honoraria; Sobi: Consultancy, Honoraria; Roche: Honoraria, Other: Travel and Accommodation Support; Janssen: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: Travel and Accommodation Support; Kyowa Kirin: Consultancy, Honoraria; Incyte: Consultancy, Honoraria; IDEOGEN: Consultancy, Honoraria; Gilead/Kite: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: Travel and Accommodation Support; EUSA Pharma: Honoraria; Bristol Myers Squibb: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: Travel and Accommodation Support; BeiGene: Consultancy, Honoraria. Gine:Astra-Zeneca: Honoraria; Lilly: Honoraria, Research Funding; Roche: Honoraria; Janssen: Honoraria, Research Funding; Gilead/Kite: Honoraria. Hill:Genentech: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; AstraZeneca: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Abbvie: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; BMS: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Pharmacyclics: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Beigene: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding. Weng:Dren Bio: Other: Member of Data and Safety Monitoring Board . Dreyling:AbbVie, Bayer, BMS/Celgene, Gilead/Kite, Janssen, Lilly, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd.: Research Funding; AstraZeneca, Beigene, Gilead/Kite, Janssen, Lilly, Novartis, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd.: Honoraria; AbbVie, AstraZeneca, Beigene, BMS/Celgene, Gilead/Kite, Janssen, Lilly/Loxo, Novartis, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd.: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Reagan:Caribou Biosciences: Consultancy; Seagen: Research Funding; Genentech: Research Funding; Kite, a Gilead Company: Consultancy, Honoraria. Patel:AstraZeneca: Consultancy, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; ADC Therapeutics: Consultancy; BeiGene: Consultancy; BMS: Consultancy, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Caribou: Consultancy; Fate Therapeutics: Consultancy, Research Funding; Genentech: Consultancy, Research Funding; Janssen: Consultancy; Kite, a Gilead Company: Consultancy, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Loxo: Consultancy, Research Funding; Nurix: Consultancy, Research Funding; Pfizer: Consultancy, Research Funding; Sana: Consultancy; Xencor: Consultancy, Research Funding; Century: Research Funding; CRISPR: Research Funding; Curis: Research Funding; Pharmacyclics: Research Funding. Galal:Incyte: Honoraria; Kite, a Gilead Company: Honoraria, Speakers Bureau; Incyte: Speakers Bureau; Pfizer: Speakers Bureau. Herbaux:Takeda: Consultancy, Honoraria; Janssen: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: Travel support, Research Funding; Kite, a Gilead Company: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: Travel support, Research Funding; BMS: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: Travel Support; Roche/Genentech: Consultancy, Honoraria; Abbvie: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: Travel support. Sanderson:Kite, a Gilead Company: Honoraria, Other: Travel support, Speakers Bureau; Novartis: Honoraria, Other: Travel support, Speakers Bureau; Astra Zeneca: Other: travel grant. Zheng:Kite, a Gilead Company: Current Employment, Current equity holder in publicly-traded company, Honoraria, Other: Travel support. Kanska:Kite, a Gilead Company: Current Employment, Other: Travel support; Gilead Sciences: Current equity holder in publicly-traded company. Zhang:Kite, a Gilead Company: Current Employment. Damico Khalid:Kite, a Gilead Company: Current Employment, Current equity holder in publicly-traded company, Other: Travel Support. Kloos:Kite, a Gilead Company: Current Employment. Wang:Pepromene Oncology: Consultancy; Praxel: Consultancy; Pharmacyclics: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; NIH: Honoraria; Nurix: Honoraria; Merck: Consultancy, Honoraria; Physicians Education Resources: Honoraria; MSC National Research Institute of Oncology: Honoraria; Scripps: Honoraria; Research to Practice: Honoraria; WedMD: Honoraria; bE Biopharma: Consultancy; Deciphera: Consultancy; Miltenyi Biomedicine: Consultancy; Janssen: Consultancy, Research Funding; Lilly: Consultancy, Research Funding; ADC Therapeutics: Consultancy; Dava Oncology: Honoraria; Oncternal: Consultancy, Research Funding; Amphista Therapeutics Limited: Consultancy; South African Clinical Hematology Society: Honoraria; Studio ER Congressi: Honoraria; Catamount Medical Education: Honoraria; Juno Therapeutics: Research Funding; Genentech: Consultancy, Research Funding; Genmab: Honoraria, Research Funding; MJH Life Sciences: Honoraria; Kite, a Gilead Company: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Janssen: Honoraria; BioInvent: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; BMS/Celgene: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; CAHON: Honoraria; InnoCare: Consultancy, Research Funding; BeiGene: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; AstraZeneca: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Acerta Pharma: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Abbvie: Consultancy, Honoraria.