Robust CD4⁺ CAR T cell expansion is associated with non-ICANS neurotoxicities after ciltacabtagene autoleucel in patients with multiple myeloma.

Abstract

Nonimmune effector cell-associated neurotoxicity syndrome neurotoxicities (NINTs) are serious, atypical toxicities associated with ciltacabtagene autoleucel (cilta-cel), a US Food and Drug Administration chimeric antigen receptor T cell (CAR T cell) therapy approved for relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma (RRMM). Risk factors contributing to the development of NINTs are poorly understood. In a cohort of 109 patients with RRMM treated with cilta-cel, we identify predisposing risk factors and propose strategies to mitigate NINTs. We show that high-peak absolute lymphocyte count is a strong NINT predictor, which directly correlates with flow cytometry-based peripheral blood CAR T cell quantitation. The observed CAR lymphocytosis was polyclonal with a bias toward CD4⁺ CAR T cells rich in memory marker expression. We then identified CAR lymphocytosis-associated CD4⁺ CAR T cell populations, which exhibited increased inflammatory pathway gene expression. Last, we characterize NINT-associated CD4⁺ CAR T cell populations, which are potential therapeutic targets for future exploration.