Menarini Group Announces Collaboration with VisualDx to Aid in Identifying People Who May Have Blastic Plasmacytoid Dendritic Cell Neoplasm (BPDCN)
- BPDCN is an aggressive hematologic malignancy with a historically poor prognosis
- VisualDx is a clinical decision support system used by more than 2,300 hospitals, clinics, and medical schools around the world
- VisualDx's system seeks to enhance identification of people who may have BPDCN, leveraging actual images of BPDCN skin lesions and artificial intelligence/machine learning (AI/ML) technologies incorporated into the VisualDx platform
FLORENCE, Italy and NEW YORK, March 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Menarini Group ("Menarini"), a leading international pharmaceutical and diagnostics company, and Stemline Therapeutics, Inc. ("Stemline"), a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Menarini Group focused on bringing transformational oncology treatments to cancer patients, today announced that they are collaborating with VisualDx to enhance identification of people who may have BPDCN. This is an example of innovative companies working together to bring artificial intelligence/machine learning (AI/ML) tools to help identify BPDCN as a possible early differential diagnosis. The project includes leveraging actual images of BPDCN skin lesions and AI/ML technologies incorporated into the VisualDx platform. The AI model is now live within VisualDx.
VisualDx is a physician-led company committed to improving medical decision-making, medical education and research. The VisualDx tool is a clinical decision support system used by more than 2,300 hospitals, clinics, and medical schools around the world. The software includes a comprehensive database of clinical images, submitted through partnerships with learning institutions and others, and vetted by clinicians, to assist healthcare professionals to identify skin concerns across all skin types. Through the AI image search, clinicians can better understand different skin conditions with the goal of supporting patients to get more accurate diagnoses throughout their care journeys.
BPDCN is an aggressive orphan hematologic malignancy with a historically poor prognosis (approximately 8.7 to 14 months post diagnosis[1]) that typically presents skin lesions and can also involve the bone marrow, blood, central nervous system, lymph nodes and viscera. Dermatologists may be the first to recognize the signs of BPDCN and biopsy suspicious lesions. Pathologists can then test for BPDCN by testing for certain biomarkers which are highly expressed on BPDCN cells. Tagraxofusp-erzs is the only approved treatment for patients with BPDCN, and the first and only approved CD123-targeted therapy, in the United States, Europe and other global regions.
"BPDCN is a rare and clinically aggressive hematologic malignancy, often presenting with cutaneous lesions. Due to its aggressive nature and the immature cell involvement, the prognosis can be poor if not treated promptly," said Marina Konopleva, MD, Phd, Professor, Molecular Pharmacology, Director, Leukemia Program and Co-Director, Blood Cancer Institute, at Montefiore Einstein. "Early diagnosis plays a critical role in improving patient outcomes, and emerging AI/ML technologies may offer valuable support in the differential diagnosis and early identification of BPDCN."
"BPDCN often first presents as a skin lesion and usually has a poor prognosis. There is a dire need for early diagnosis so that patients may access appropriate treatment options," said Elcin Barker Ergun, CEO of the Menarini Group. "We are delighted to collaborate with VisualDx to provide healthcare teams with a tool using the latest artificial intelligence/machine learning (AI/ML) technology to help interpret challenging skin lesions."
VisualDx does not store any images uploaded by clinicians taking a picture of their patients' skin exams. This helps maintain the patient's privacy.
About BPDCN
BPDCN, formerly blastic NK-cell lymphoma, is an aggressive, orphan hematologic malignancy, often with cutaneous manifestations, with historically poor outcomes. BPDCN typically presents skin lesions and may also involve bone marrow, blood, central nervous system, lymph nodes and viscera. The BPDCN cell of origin is the plasmacytoid dendritic cell (pDC) precursor. The diagnosis of BPDCN is based on the immunophenotypic diagnostic triad of CD123, CD4, and CD56, as well as other markers. The World Health Organization (WHO) termed this disease "BPDCN" in 2008; previous names included blastic NK cell lymphoma and CD4+/CD56+ hematodermic neoplasm.
About ELZONRIS® (Tagraxofusp-erzs)
U.S. Indication: ELZONRIS is a prescription medicine used to treat blastic plasmacytoid dendritic cell neoplasm (BPDCN) in adults and pediatric patients 2 years and older.
Full prescribing information for the U.S. can be found at www.elzonris.com
IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION, ELZONRIS®
Boxed WARNING: CAPILLARY LEAK SYNDROME
- Capillary Leak Syndrome (CLS) which may be life-threatening or fatal, can occur in patients receiving ELZONRIS. Monitor for signs and symptoms of CLS and take actions as recommended.
Warnings and Precautions
Capillary Leak Syndrome
Capillary leak syndrome (CLS), including life-threatening and fatal cases, has been reported among patients treated with ELZONRIS. In patients receiving ELZONRIS in clinical trials, the overall incidence of CLS was 53% (65/122), including Grade 1 or 2 in 43% (52/122) of patients, Grade 3 in 7% (8/122) of patients, Grade 4 in 1% (1/122) of patients, and four fatalities (3%). The median time to onset was 4 days (range - 1 to 46 days), and all but 5 patients experienced an event in Cycle 1.
Before initiating therapy with ELZONRIS, ensure that the patient has adequate cardiac function and serum albumin is greater than or equal to 3.2 g/dL. During treatment with ELZONRIS, monitor serum albumin levels prior to the initiation of each dose of ELZONRIS and as indicated clinically thereafter, and assess patients for other signs or symptoms of CLS, including weight gain, new onset or worsening edema, including pulmonary edema, hypotension or hemodynamic instability.
Hypersensitivity Reactions
ELZONRIS can cause severe hypersensitivity reactions. In patients receiving ELZONRIS in clinical trials, hypersensitivity reactions were reported in 43% (53/122) of patients treated with ELZONRIS and were Grade ≥ 3 in 7% (9/122). Manifestations of hypersensitivity reported in ≥ 5% of patients include rash, pruritus, and stomatitis. Monitor patients for hypersensitivity reactions during treatment with ELZONRIS. Interrupt ELZONRIS infusion and provide supportive care as needed if a hypersensitivity reaction should occur.
Hepatotoxicity
Treatment with ELZONRIS was associated with elevations in liver enzymes. In patients receiving ELZONRIS in clinical trials, elevations in ALT occurred in 79% (96/122) and elevations in AST occurred in 76% (93/122). Grade 3 ALT elevations were reported in 26% (32/122) of patients. Grade 3 AST elevations were reported in 30% (36/122) and Grade 4 AST elevations were reported in 3% (4/122) of patients. Elevated liver enzymes occurred in the majority of patients in Cycle 1 and were reversible following dose interruption.
Monitor alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) prior to each infusion with ELZONRIS. Withhold ELZONRIS temporarily if the transaminases rise to greater than 5 times the upper limit of normal and resume treatment upon normalization or when resolved.
Adverse Reactions
Most common adverse reactions (incidence ≥ 30%) are capillary leak syndrome, nausea, fatigue, pyrexia, peripheral edema, and weight increase. Most common laboratory abnormalities (incidence ≥ 50%) are decreases in albumin, platelets, hemoglobin, calcium, and sodium, and increases in glucose, ALT and AST.
Please see full Prescribing Information, including Boxed WARNING.
To report SUSPECTED ADVERSE REACTIONS, contact Stemline Therapeutics, Inc. at 1-877-332-7961 or contact the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch.
About The Menarini Group
The Menarini Group is a leading international pharmaceutical and diagnostics company, with a turnover of over $4.7 billion and over 17,000 employees. Menarini is focused on therapeutic areas with high unmet needs with products for cardiology, oncology, pneumology, gastroenterology, infectious diseases, diabetology, inflammation, and analgesia. With 18 production sites and 9 Research and Development centers, Menarini's products are available in 140 countries worldwide. For further information, please visit menarini.com.
About Stemline Therapeutics Inc.
Stemline Therapeutics, Inc. ("Stemline"), a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Menarini Group, is a commercial-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on bringing transformational oncology treatments to patients. Stemline commercializes elacestrant, an oral endocrine therapy indicated for the treatment of postmenopausal women or adult men with estrogen receptor (ER)-positive, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-negative, ESR1-mutated advanced or metastatic breast cancer with disease progression following at least one line of endocrine therapy, in the U.S., Europe, and other global regions. Stemline also commercializes tagraxofusp-erzs, a novel targeted therapy directed to CD123, for patients with blastic plasmacytoid dendritic cell neoplasm (BPDCN), an aggressive hematologic cancer, in the United States, Europe, and other global regions. In addition, Stemline commercializes selinexor, an XPO1 inhibitor for multiple myeloma, in Europe. The company is also conducting multiple label-expansion studies with elacestrant and tagraxofusp in breast and hematologic cancer indications, respectively, and has an extensive clinical pipeline of additional drug candidates in various stages of development for a host of solid and hematologic cancers.
About VisualDx
VisualDx is a company dedicated to improving medical decisions through augmented thinking and timely visualization. It is committed to reducing disparities in medicine and believes technology can bridge gaps in knowledge to bring about more equitable care. VisualDx has become the standard professional resource at more than 2,300 hospitals, clinics and medical schools worldwide by combining problem oriented clinical search with the world's best curated medical image library, plus medical knowledge from experts and sophisticated machine learning algorithms to help with differential diagnosis, variation, treatment, and patient communication. Learn more at www.visualdx.com
[1] Pagano L, et al Haematological. 2013;98 (2): 239-246 and Pemmaraju N Curr Hematol Malig Rep. 2017; 12(6): 510-512
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SOURCE Menarini Industrie Farmaceutiche Riunite
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