Itacitinib, Tacrolimus, and Sirolimus for the Prevention of GVHD in Patients With Acute Leukemia, Myelodysplastic Syndrome, or Myelofibrosis Undergoing Reduced Intensity Conditioning Donor Stem Cell Transplantation

PRIMARY OBJECTIVE:

I. Following a patient safety lead-in, estimate graft-versus-host disease free relapse free (GRFS) survival at 1- year post allogeneic stem cell transplantation (alloHCT).

SECONDARY OBJECTIVES:

I. Estimate the cumulative incidence of acute graft-versus-host disease (aGVHD) and non-relapse mortality (NRM) at 100-days post-transplant.

II. Estimate the cumulative incidence of chronic GVHD at 1- and 2-years post-transplant.

III. Estimate the probabilities of overall and progression-free survival (OS/PFS) at 1- and 2-years post-transplant.

IV. Estimate rate of infection and development of second malignancies including lymphoproliferative disorders at 1- and 2-years post-transplant.

V. Assess patients' quality of life (QOL) at day 100 and 1 year post alloHCT.

EXPLORATORY OBJECTIVES:

I. Characterize and evaluate hematologic recovery, donor cell engraftment and immune reconstitution by cell count and flow cytometry of lymphocyte subsets.

II. Characterize changes in aGVHD biomarkers (Reg-3alpha, TNF-RI, and ST2) and a composite biomarker panel (IL2Ralpha, TNF-R1, IL-8, and hepatocyte growth factor), JAK-regulated pro-inflammatory cytokines (i.e., IL-6, TNFalpha, CRP, Beta2 Microglobulin, and IFNgamma) and STAT3 phosphorylation (downstream of JAK signaling) over time and by aGVHD status/grade.

OUTLINE:

REDUCED INTENSITY CONDITIONING (RIC): Patients receive fludarabine via infusion on days -9 to -5 and melphalan on day -4 in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity.

ALLOGENEIC HEMATOPOIETIC STEM CELL TRANSPLANT (HSCT): Patients undergo HSCT on day 0.

GVHD PROPHYLAXIS: Patients receive itacitinib orally (PO) once daily (QD) beginning on day -3 and continuing until day 100 in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Patients also receive tacrolimus intravenously (IV) or PO and sirolimus PO beginning day -3 and continuing until day 100 with a taper in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity.

After completion of study treatment, patients are followed up at 30 days, then periodically for up to 2 years post- transplantation.

Inclusion criteria

• Documented informed consent of the participant and/or legally authorized representative

• Assent, when appropriate, will be obtained per institutional guidelines
• Agreement to allow the use of archival tissue from diagnostic tumor biopsies

• If unavailable, exceptions may be granted with study principal investigator (PI) approval
• Performance status: Karnofsky >= 70%
• Patients with neoplastic hematologic disorders with indication of allogeneic transplant according to the standard guidelines as follows:

• Acute leukemia (AL) in first complete response (CR1) or subsequent complete response (CR) or active disease with bone marrow (BM) blast of < 5%
• Myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) with intermediate-2 or high risk per International Prognostic Scoring System (IPSS) or
• Myelofibrosis; primary or secondary if intermediate-2 or high risk per Dynamic International Prognostic Scoring System (DIPPS)
• All candidates for this study must have a matched related donor (MRD) who is willing to donate BM or peripheral blood stem cells or an 8/8 allele matched unrelated donor (MUD)
• Total bilirubin =< 1.5 X upper limit of normal (ULN) (unless has Gilbert's disease) (performed within 28 days prior to day 1 of protocol therapy unless otherwise stated. In case of active disease, evaluation should be done within 15 days)
• Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) =< 2.5 x ULN (performed within 28 days prior to day 1 of protocol therapy unless otherwise stated. In case of active disease, evaluation should be done within 15 days)
• Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) =< 2.5 x ULN (performed within 28 days prior to day 1 of protocol therapy unless otherwise stated. In case of active disease, evaluation should be done within 15 days)
• Creatinine clearance of >= 60 mL/min per 24 hour urine test or the Cockcroft-Gault formula (performed within 28 days prior to day 1 of protocol therapy unless otherwise stated. In case of active disease, evaluation should be done within 15 days)
• Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) >= 50%

• Note: To be performed within 28 days prior to day 1 of protocol therapy
• If able to perform pulmonary function tests: forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1), forced vital capacity (FVC) and diffusion capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide (DLCO) (diffusion capacity) >= 50% of predicted (corrected for hemoglobin). If unable to perform pulmonary function tests: oxygen (O2) saturation > 92% on room air.

• Note To be performed within 28 days prior to day 1 of protocol therapy
• Seronegative for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) antigen (Ag)/antibody (Ab) combination (combo), hepatitis C virus (HCV), active hepatitis B virus (HBV) (surface antigen negative), and syphilis (rapid plasma reagin measurement [RPR])

• If HCV positive, hepatitis C ribonucleic acid (RNA) quantitation must be performed
• Meets other institutional and federal requirements for infectious disease titer requirements

• Note Infectious disease testing to be performed within 28 days prior to day 1 of protocol therapy
• Women of childbearing potential (WOCBP): negative urine or serum pregnancy test. If the urine test is positive or cannot be confirmed as negative, a serum pregnancy test will be required
• Agreement by females and males of childbearing potential to use an effective method of birth control or abstain from heterosexual activity for the course of the study through at least 6 months after the last dose of protocol therapy

• Childbearing potential defined as not being surgically sterilized (men and women) or have not been free from menses for > 1 year (women only)

Exclusion criteria

• Chemotherapy, radiation therapy, biological therapy, and/or immunotherapy within 21 days prior to day 1 of protocol therapy

• Note: Conditioning regimen within 21 days prior to day 1 of protocol therapy is not considered as an exclusion criterion
• History of allergic reactions attributed to compounds of similar chemical or biologic composition to study agent
• Psychological issues, no appropriate caregivers identified, or non-compliant to medication
• Uncontrolled medical or psychiatric disorders which may preclude patients to undergo clinical studies (Discretion of the attending physician)
• Active diarrhea due to inflammatory bowel disease or malabsorption syndrome
• Clinically significant uncontrolled illness
• Active, uncontrolled systemic infection (bacterial, viral, or fungal) requiring antibiotics
• Known history of immunodeficiency virus (HIV) or hepatitis B or hepatitis C infection
• Diagnosis of Gilbert's disease
• Other active malignancy
• Females only: Pregnant or breastfeeding
• Any other condition that would, in the investigator's judgment, contraindicate the patient's participation in the clinical study due to safety concerns with clinical study procedures
• Prospective participants who, in the opinion of the investigator, may not be able to comply with all study procedures (including compliance issues related to feasibility/logistics)