Hairy Cell Leukemia Foundation (HCLF) 2022 Conference: Sessions for Doctors and Investigators

Conference Overview: In 2008, patients with hairy cell leukemia approached clinicians and scientists working on this rare disease questioning whether or not there were areas for improvement that might be explored with international collaboration. Investigators from around the globe were convened at the Chicago airport for a discussion of the possibilities. Through the efforts of patients, the Hairy Cell Leukemia Foundation (HCLF) was reorganized to support basic and clinical research, address patient questions, and provide guidance for continued improvement in the care of these patients. This international group has had annual meetings to continue these discussions and collaborations. During the years of the COVID pandemic, the annual meetings were held virtually. This year, the annual meeting will again be held in-person in New York and supported by telecommunication for those unable to attend in person.

Conference Day One: Thursday, October 27, 2022 

Location: Jefferies Conference Center, 520 Madison Avenue, New York, NY

8:15 am to 9:00 am

Continental Breakfast: Check in before the first session, enjoy breakfast and network with other attendees.

Location: Jefferies Conference Center, 520 Madison Avenue, New York, NY

9:00 am to 9:30 am eastern

Opening Remarks from HCLF Leadership and Collaborative Partners

9:30 am to 10:15 am

Research Presentation and Q&A

Dr. Arons is a 2021/2022 HCL research grantee with Dr. Robert Kreitman

Presenters:

  • Dr. Evgeny Arons and Dr. Suraj Joshi, National Institutes of Health (NIH)

Presentation Title:

  • Characterization of Hairy Cell Leukemia Variant and Unmutated IGHV4-34+ Expressing Variant by Whole Exome Sequencing Expression Profiling

10:15 am to 11:00 am

Research Presentation and Q&A

Dr. Ritchie is a current HCL2025 grantee.

Presenter:

  • Dr. David Ritchie, Melbourne Health, Royal Melbourne Hospital-City Campus, Australia

Presentation Title:

  • Integration of Molecular and Immunology Signals for Prognostication in HCL

11:00 am to 11:10 am

Break

11:10 am to 11:55 am

Research Presentation and Q&A

Dr. Zent is a 2021/2022 HCL research grantee.

Presenter:

  • Dr. Clive Zent, University of Rochester James P. Wilmot Cancer Institute

Presentation Title:

  • Splenic B Cell Lymphomas: Analysis of Immune Microenvironment

11:55 am to 12:30 pm

Lunch

12:30 pm to 1:15 pm

Research Presentation and Q&A

Dr. Zenz is a current HCL2025 grantee.

Presenter:

  • Dr. Thorsten Zenz, University Hospital Zürich

Presentation Title:

  • Charting the Surfaceome to Eliminate Hairy Cell Leukemia

1:15 pm to 2:00 pm eastern

Research Presentation and Q&A

Dr. Seifert is a current HCL2025 grantee.

Presenter:

  • Dr. Marc Seifert, Institute of Cell Biology at the Medical School Essen, Germany

Presentation Title:

  • Exploiting Metabolic Dependencies, Tumor Plasticity and their Consequences for Drug Response of HCL

2:00 pm to 2:10 pm

Break

2:10 pm to 2:40 pm

Research Presentation and Q&A

Dr. Ruella is a current HCL2025 grantee.

Presenter:

  • Dr. Marco Ruella, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania

Presentation Title:

  • Precision Targeting of HCL using Chimeric Antigen Receptor T cells

2:45 pm to 4:15 pm

Session on COVID-19 and HCL Management

Moderator:

  • Dr. Bernhard Wörmann, The Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin

Presenters:

  • Dr. Alessandro Mancini, University of Perugia Institute of Hematology and Center for Hemato-Oncology Research

  • Dr. Sascha Dietrich, University Hospital of Heidelberg

  • Dr. Robert J. Kreitman, National Cancer Institute, NIH

  • Dr. Kerry Rogers, The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center

4:15 pm to 4:30 pm

Wrap-up and Overview of Day Two

5:00 pm to 7:00 pm

Dinner hosted by the Hairy Cell Leukemia Foundation

Location: Empellón, 510 Madison Avenue, New York, NY


Conference Day Two: Friday, October 28, 2022

Location: Jefferies, 520 Madison Avenue, New York, NY

8:30 am to 9:00 am

Continental Breakfast

Location: Jefferies, 520 Madison Avenue, New York, NY

9:00 am

Welcome back

9:15 am to 10:00 am

Research Presentation and Q&A

Dr. Parameswaran is a current HCL2025 grantee.

Presenter:

  • Dr. Reshmi Parameswaran, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine

Presentation Title:

  • A Ligand-based CAR-T Therapy for B-cell Cancers

10:02 am to 10:47 am

Research Presentation and Q&A

Dr. Park and Dr. Omar Abdel-Wahab are current HCL2025 grantees.

Presenter:

  • Dr. Jae Park, Sloan Kettering Institute for Cancer Research

Presentation title:

  • Developing Novel Therapeutic Approaches for Classical and Variant HCL

10:47 am to 10:57 am

Break

11:00 am to 11:30 am

Research Presentation and Q&A

Dr. Kipps is a current HCL2025 grantee.

Presenter:

  • Dr. Thomas J. Kipps, The University of California, San Diego

Presentation Title:

  • Targeting Oncoembryonic Antigens For Therapy of Patients with Hairy Cell Leukemia

11:30 am to 12:00 pm

Research Presentation and Q&A

Dr. Oakes was a 2017 and 2020 HCL research grantee.

Presenter:

  • Dr. Christopher Oakes, The Ohio State University

Presentation Title:

  • The Hairy Cell Leukemia Variant is Composed of Biologically Distinct Subtypes

12:00 pm to 12:15 pm

World Health Organization (WHO) New Classification of HCL variant

Overview and Case Presentation

  • Dr. Michael Grever, The Ohio State University

Group Discussion

12:15 pm to 12:45 pm

Lunch

12:45 pm to 1:15 pm

Case Presentation and Q&A

Presenter:

  • Dr. Francesco Forconi, University of Southampton

Presentation title:

  • Targeting apoptosis in HCL: Rationale from a clinical case

1:17 pm to 1:47 pm eastern

Case Presentation and Q&A

Presenter:

  • Dr. Alessandro Broccoli, Institute of Hematology University of Bologna

Presentation Title:

  • Rituximab as an Effective Salvage Therapy in Pretreated HCL Patients: the Bologna Experience

1:47 pm to 3:15 pm

Session on Relapse in Hairy Cell Leukemia

Session Overview:

Enormous progress has been made in the treatment of hairy cell leukemia. While the introduction of purine nucleosides changed the natural history of this disease in patients over 30 years ago, the overall survival has markedly improved.  Despite those major advances with purine analogs alone, the progression-free-survival shows a frequent pattern of relapse. In the past decade, significant progress has been made with strategic combinations including the addition of targeted therapy. Efforts have been made to better define prognostic disease parameters as well as a focus on the achievement of elimination of minimal residual disease. We have defined a general therapeutic approach to disease management with specific recommendations for patients with classic hairy cell leukemia.

Several effective therapeutic regimens have been explored by many investigators in this conference. Successful management of patients who have relapsed or refractory disease will be the focus of this group discussion. Three investigators will present updates on the specific regimens that have been utilized in a relapsed setting. We will have adequate time for these updates including a discussion on recommendations of when these regimens should be introduced. Are there specific clinical settings where “relapsed” regimens  can be most effectively used in  therapy of hairy cell leukemia

We have published specific recommendations outlining the selection and timing of initial therapy with classic hairy cell leukemia; can we now discuss recommendations of how to approach the patient with relapsed/refractory disease?  Finally, the therapy for patients with the variant of hairy cell leukemia will be discussed with an attempt to outline a strategy for initial treatment as well as treatment at the time of relapsed or refractory disease. Opportunities remain to study the most effective combinations of new agents in the setting of relapsed/refractory disease including a commitment to continue our search for effective novel agents. This session will lead into a subsequent general discussion of the need to update our published guidelines from 2017.

Session Moderator:

  • Dr. Michael Grever, The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center

Presenters:

  • Dr. Enrico Tiacci, University of Perugia Institute of Hematology and Center for Hemato-Oncology Research

  • Dr. Robert Kreitman, National Cancer Institute, NIH

  • Dr. Kerry Rogers, The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center

3:15 pm to 3:30 pm

Group Discussion: Updating 2017 HCL Consensus Guidelines

Potential questions for discussion:

  • What should be included in an update to the guidelines (i.e., emphasis on relapse or refractory disease as well as HCL variant)?

  • What new advances since 2017 should be included (e.g., moxetumomab pasudotox, BRAF inhibitors - alone or in combination, ibrutinib, etc.)?

  • Who should be on committee to update the guidelines (i.e., Who will co-lead drafting the revisions? Who will review and offer edits)?

3:30 pm to 4:00 pm

Conference Wrap-up and Announcements