Children’s Oncology Group AALL1331: Phase III Trial of Blinatumomab in Children, Adolescents, and Young Adults With Low-Risk B-Cell ALL in First Relapse

Hogan LE, Brown PA, Ji L, Xu X, Devidas M, Bhatla T, Borowitz MJ, Raetz EA, Carroll A, Heerema NA, Zugmaier G, Sharon E, Bernhardt MB, Terezakis SA, Gore L, Whitlock JA, Hunger SP, Loh ML. Children’s Oncology Group AALL1331: Phase III Trial of Blinatumomab in Children, Adolescents, and Young Adults With Low-Risk B-Cell ALL in First Relapse. J Clin Oncol. 2023 Sep 1;41(25):4118-4129. doi: 10.1200/JCO.22.02200. Epub 2023 May 31. PubMed PMID: 37257143; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC10852366.

Blinatumomab, a bispecific T-cell engager immunotherapy, is efficacious in relapsed/refractory B-cell ALL (B-ALL) and has a favorable toxicity profile. One aim of the Children’s Oncology Group AALL1331 study was to compare survival of patients with low-risk (LR) first relapse of B-ALL treated with chemotherapy alone or chemotherapy plus blinatumomab. After block 1 reinduction, patients age 1-30 years with LR first relapse of B-ALL were randomly assigned to block 2/block 3/two continuation chemotherapy cycles/maintenance (arm C) or block 2/two cycles of continuation chemotherapy intercalated with three blinatumomab blocks/maintenance (arm D). Patients with CNS leukemia received 18 Gy cranial radiation during maintenance and intensified intrathecal chemotherapy. The primary and secondary end points were disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS).