David J. Kuter

Background: Dyspnea is a prominent symptom in patients with warm autoimmune hemolytic anemia (wAIHA), yet its lived experience remain under-researched. Although clinically relevant, dyspnea is not routinely assessed in wAIHA trials, and no validated patient-reported outcome (PRO) measures exist for this population. This study explored patients’ experience of wAIHA-related dyspnea, identified its most bothersome impacts on daily life, and evaluated the content validity of the FACIT-Dyspnea 10-item Short Form (SF) in wAIHA. Methodology: Hybrid concept elicitation and cognitive debriefing interviews were conducted with 15 adults diagnosed with wAIHA in the US. Patients were recruited via recruitment vendors and a patient advocacy group. Interviews were conducted online, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using inductive and deductive coding. Results: All fifteen patients (aged 35–74; 80% female) reported experiencing dyspnea, primarily triggered by physical exertion and alleviated by rest. Twelve (80%) patients reported dyspnea and fatigue exacerbated each other. Most were in remission with three receiving treatment at interview. Thirty-three distinct dyspnea-related impacts were identified, predominantly affecting physical functioning (e.g., difficulty walking) and activities of daily living (ADLs). Emotional (e.g., anxiety) and occupational impacts were also reported. These findings highlight dyspnea’s substantial effect on health-related quality of life (HRQoL).

1. Much has changed in the treatment landscape for immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) since Paul Kaznelson first proposed in 1916 that splenectomy could induce long-term remission in this chronic autoim...

Resistance to B-cell–targeted therapies in immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) has been linked to persistence of autoantibody-producing CD38+ long-lived plasma cells. CD38 antibody daratumumab has been proposed as a potential therapy for ITP. This multicenter, open-label, phase 2 study evaluated safety and efficacy of daratumumab in 21 patients with previously treated ITP. Following a safety run-in, 2 dosing cohorts received 8 and 10 subcutaneous injections of 1800 mg daratumumab weekly, respectively. Primary end points were safety and response (2 consecutive platelet counts ≥50 × 109/L at week 12 for the safety run-in/cohort 1, and at week 16 for cohort 2). At baseline, median platelet count was 17 × 109/L, median number of prior therapies was 4. Most treatment-emergent adverse events were transient grade 1 to 2, most commonly infections (38%). Two patients (4.7%) experienced grade 3 adverse events, 1 infusion-related reaction, and 1 severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection with acute renal failure. Ten patients (48%) met the primary efficacy end point. Sustained response (2 consecutive platelet counts ≥50 × 109/L at week 24) was achieved in 8 patients (38%), of whom 2 later relapsed. Response and relapse rates did not differ between cohorts. Patient-reported quality of life measured by 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey improved in responding patients. Daratumumab decreased immunoglobulin levels in all patients, and substantially reduced CD38+ cells in peripheral blood and bone marrow. There was no significant difference in antiplatelet antibodies between responders and nonresponders. This study confirms CD38 as an important target in ITP. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as #NCT04703621, and at the European Clinical Trial Register (EudraCT #2019-004683-22).

Complement factor 5 (C5) inhibitors for paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH) may cause iron overload due to residual intravascular hemolysis (IVH) and emergent extravascular hemolysis (EVH). In PEGASUS (phase 3; NCT03500549), adults with PNH with residual anemia (hemoglobin concentration < 10.5 g/dL) after ≥3 months of eculizumab received eculizumab and pegcetacoplan for 4 weeks and were then randomized (1:1) to eculizumab or pegcetacoplan monotherapy for 16 weeks; in the following 32-week, open-label period, patients either continued pegcetacoplan or switched from eculizumab to pegcetacoplan. This post hoc analysis reports PEGASUS transfusion-related data and iron-related biomarkers to evaluate pegcetacoplan’s effects on iron regulation. Of 80 patients randomized in PEGASUS, 27 (33.8%) had baseline iron overload (serum transferrin saturation ≥ 50%). Iron overload resolved within 52 weeks of pegcetacoplan treatment in 16 of 22 patients (72.7%) with baseline and postbaseline data; 10 experienced resolution after 20 weeks. With pegcetacoplan, transfusion numbers decreased for patients with and without iron overload, hepcidin concentrations increased, and absolute reticulocyte counts (ARCs) decreased to normal range. Mean ferritin concentrations were above normal throughout the study, regardless of iron overload status. Pegcetacoplan improves iron overload-related biomarkers, including increased hepcidin concentrations and decreased ARCs, by blocking IVH and EVH and preventing anemia.

There is an unmet need for newer treatment options in immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) that address its underlying complex immune dysregulation, induce durable platelet responses, are well tolerated, and improve fatigue and overall quality of life. Rilzabrutinib, an oral, reversible covalent Bruton tyrosine kinase (BTK) inhibitor, is effective through its multi-immune modulation mechanisms by inhibiting B-cell activation, possibly decreasing autoantibody production, preventing FcγR-mediated phagocytosis in the spleen and liver, and reducing chronic inflammation.Preclinical studies of rilzabrutinib in immune-mediated disease settings demonstrated high selectivity, full reversibility, and durable BTK occupancy. Oral rilzabrutinib 400 mg BID demonstrated rapid, durable platelet count increases in patients with persistent/chronic ITP in the phase 2 LUNA2 study and significantly improved durable platelet response vs placebo in the pivotal phase 3 LUNA3 trial. Additionally, rilzabrutinib improved multiple disease aspects including fatigue and bleeding with a well-tolerated safety profile.Through multi-immune modulation, rilzabrutinib achieves rapid and durable platelet response, improves fatigue, and decreases bleeding in ITP patients. It is well tolerated with an acceptable safety profile. Efficacy may be increased if administered earlier in the course of disease. Longer-term studies, and investigations in pediatric patients and other immune-mediated diseases are underway.

Rilzabrutinib is a covalent, reversible Bruton tyrosine kinase inhibitor targeting multiple immune thrombocytopenia (ITP)-related mechanisms. The phase 3 LUNA3 study in previously treated adults with persistent/chronic ITP evaluated oral rilzabrutinib 400 mg twice daily (n = 133) vs placebo (n = 69) for 24 weeks. At baseline overall, median age was 47 years, 63% female, 7.7 year median ITP duration, and 28% prior splenectomy. Overall (N = 202), 85 (64%) rilzabrutinib and 22 (32%) placebo patients achieved platelet response (≥50 × 109/L or 30 × 109/L to <50 × 109/L and doubled from baseline) during the first 12 weeks and were eligible to continue. The primary end point, durable platelet response (platelet count ≥50 × 109/L for ≥two-thirds of ≥8 of the last 12 of 24 weeks without rescue therapy), was observed in 31 (23%) rilzabrutinib vs 0 placebo patients (P < .0001). All secondary efficacy end points were significantly superior for rilzabrutinib (P < .05). Median time to first platelet response was 15 days in rilzabrutinib responders. Rilzabrutinib significantly reduced rescue therapy use by 52% (P = .0007) and improved week 25 bleeding scores (P = .0006). Improved physical fatigue was sustained from week 13 (P = .01) through 25 (P = .0003). Treatment-related adverse events were mainly grade 1/2. One rilzabrutinib patient with multiple risk factors had serious treatment-related grade 3 peripheral embolism (lower left leg), and another died from unrelated pneumonia. Rilzabrutinib in patients who failed multiple previous ITP therapies showed rapid and durable platelet response, reduced rescue medication and bleeding, improved physical fatigue, and favorable safety. Trial registration: www.clinicaltrials.gov (#NCT04562766) and www.clinicaltrialsregister.eu (#2020-002063-60).