‘BEST OF ASH24’: Perspectives from the Scientific Program Co-Chairs

The 66th ASH Annual Meeting and Exposition 2024 in San Diego saw approximately 30,000 visitors, 8,000 abstracts and 275 exhibitors. With so much exciting new data and scientific breakthroughs presented, touchHAEMATOLOGY is excited to break this down and bring you some of the highlights. Keep your eyes peeled on our website and Conference Hub to hear from the experts who presented their research at the conference, their highlights and key news pieces.

We eagerly anticipate the ‘Highlights of ASH’ sessions in January 2025, where experts will provide an overview of the most significant haematology research shared at the annual meeting.

Here, we look at the ‘Best of ASH’ session, presented by the 2024 Scientific Program Co-Chairs Prof Jennifer Trowbridge (The Jackson Laboratory, Bar Harbor, ME, USA) and Prof Sant-Rayn Pasricha (Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville VIC, Australia). Prof Trowbridge commented ‘The content throughout the ASH annual meeting should interest and excite each of our hematology communities, whether PhDs, MDs, MDs/PhDs, or trainees, in our broad scientific disciplines.’ Prof Pasricha said, ‘We also wanted to ensure that the program represented the exciting science being done by scientists worldwide and showcased the work of highly established and emerging leaders. We especially sought to ensure that science was cutting edge, using some of the most exciting new techniques.’¹

Abstracts selected by Prof Trowbridge

• Abstract #188 In Vivo barcoded CRISPR-Cas9 Screen Identifies Ncoa4-mediated Ferritinophagy As a Dependence in Tet2-Deficient Hemopoiesis, Justin C.T. Loke, MD, PhD
• Abstract #25 Dnmt3a Controls Hematopoietic Stem Cells via DNA Methylation-Independent Regulation of Telomeres, Infencia Xavier Raj, BS, MS
• Abstract #443 Engineered Telomerase RNA Component (eTERC), A Potential LncRNA Medicine to Extend Replicative Lifespan and Telomere Length in Dyskeratosis Congenita Patient Stem Cells, Neha Nagpal, PhD
• Abstract #953 Targeted Protein Degradation Reveals a Repressive Role of MECOM at the CEBPA Locus to Prevent Differentiation in High-Risk Acute Myeloid Leukemia, Travis Fleming, BS
• Abstract #871 Development of a First-in-Class CAR-T Therapy Against Calreticulin-Mutant Neoplasms and Evaluation in the Relevant Human Tissue Environment, Alexandros Rampotas, MBBS, MRCP
• Abstract #773 Phase 3 Randomized Study of Daratumumab Monotherapy Versus Active Monitoring in Patients with High-Risk Smoldering Multiple Myeloma: Primary Results of the AQUILA Study, Meletios-Athanasios Dimopoulos, MD
• Abstract #1009 Fixed-Duration Acalabrutinib Plus Venetoclax with or without Obinutuzumab Versus Chemoimmunotherapy for First-Line Treatment of Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia: Interim Analysis of the Multicenter, Open-Label, Randomized, Phase 3 AMPLIFY Trial, Jennifer R. Brown, MD, PhD
• Abstract #235 Ibrutinib-Rituximab is Superior to Rituximab-Chemotherapy in Previously Untreated Older Mantle Cell Lymphoma Patients: Results from the International Randomised Controlled Trial, ENRICH, David John Lewis, MD
• Abstract #524 Real-World Outcomes of CD19 CAR-T Cell Therapy in Adult Patients with Relapsed Refractory Transformed Indolent Lymphoma, Swetha Kambhampati Thiruvengadam, MD

Abstracts selected by Prof Sant-Rayn Pasricha

• Abstract #553 A Randomized, Placebo-Controlled, Multicenter Study of VAD044 in Adults with Hereditary Hemorrhagic Telangiectasia, Hanny Al-Samkari, MD
• Abstract #17 Leveraging Population-Scale Multiomic Datasets to Elucidate the Risk of Thrombosis Associated with Protein S (PROS1) Deficiency, Sharjeel A Chaudhry, MD
• Abstract #18 Use of Large-Scale Genomic Datasets to Identify Additional Modifiers of Thrombosis Risk Among 26,436 Carriers of the Factor V Leiden and Prothrombin G20210A Mutations, Justine Ryu, MD
• Abstract #133 Coagulation Factor XII (F12) Haploinsufficiency is Protective Against Venous Thromboembolism, Amelia K Haj, MD, PhD
• Abstract #1053 Efficacy and Safety of Giroctocogene Fitelparvovec in Adults With Moderately Severe to Severe Hemophilia A: Primary Analysis Results From the Phase 3 AFFINE Gene Therapy Trial, Andrew D. Leavitt, MD
• Abstract #412 A Novel Genome-Scale CRISPR-Cas12a Screen Identifies Ptpa As a Fetal Hemoglobin Regulator Via BCL11A, Elizabeth A. Traxler, MD, PhD
• Abstract #512 Durable Clinical Benefits with Exagamglogene Autotemcel for Transfusion-Dependent β-Thalassemia, Franco Locatelli, MD
• Abstract #4954 Durable Clinical Benefits with Exagamglogene Autotemcel for Severe Sickle Cell Disease, Haydar Frangoul, MD (Poster)
• Abstract #513 Initial Results from the BEACON Clinical Study: A Phase 1/2 Study Evaluating the Safety and Efficacy of a Single Dose of Autologous CD34+ Base Edited Hematopoietic Stem Cells (BEAM-101) in Patients with Sickle Cell Disease with Severe Vaso-Occlusive Crises, Matthew M. Heeney, MD
• Abstract #409 ENERGIZE-T: A Global, Phase 3, Double-Blind, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Study of Mitapivat in Adults with Transfusion-Dependent Alpha- or Beta-Thalassemia, Maria Domenica Cappellini, MD
• Abstract #179 Etavopivat Reduces Incidence of Vaso-Occlusive Crises in Patients with Sickle Cell Disease: HIBISCUS Trial Phase 2 Results Through 52 Weeks, Sophia Delicou

For more information and society news, visit the #ASH24 congress website.

About the American Society of Hematology

The American Society of Hematology (ASH) is the world’s leading professional organization uniting clinicians and scientists committed to advancing the fight against blood disorders. Since its establishment in 1958, ASH has been at the forefront of shaping haematology as a discipline, driving progress in research, patient care, education, training and advocacy.

Disclosure: This article was created by the touchHAEMATOLOGY team utilizing AI as an editorial tool (ChatGPT (GPT-4o) [Large language model]. https://chat.openai.com/chat.) The content was developed and edited by human editors. No funding was received in the publication of this article.

References

1. ASH Clinical News. Scientific Program to Present Sessions on Cutting-Edge Topics, Research Advances. Available at: https://ashpublications.org/ashclinicalnews/news/8148/Scientific-Program-to-Present-Sessions-on-Cutting (Accessed date: 12 December 2024)