Phase I Study of Ex Vivo Expanded/Activated Gamma Delta T-cell Infusion Following Haploidentical Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation and Post-transplant Cyclophosphamide
Gamma delta T-cells are part of the innate immune system with the ability to recognize malignant cells and kill them. This study uses gamma delta T-cells to maximize the anti-tumor response and minimize graft versus host disease (GVHD) in leukemic and myelodysplastic patients who have had a partially mismatched bone marrow transplant (haploidentical).
∙ The following criteria are used to enroll patients in the study before transplant.
• Patients with neoplastic hematological disorders with indication of allogeneic transplant according to the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) or other standard guidelines as follows:
‣ Acute myeloid leukemia \[AML\] in morphologic complete remission with intermediate/high-risk features (per NCCN criteria) or relapsed disease
⁃ Chronic myeloid leukemia \[CML\] in any chronic phase.
⁃ Myelodysplastic syndrome \[MDS\] with intermediate/high risk features or refractory disease (with bone marrow blast count \<10%).
⁃ Acute lymphoblastic leukemia \[ALL\] in morphologic complete remission with high-risk features or relapsed disease.
• Negative test for donor-specific antibody within 28 days of starting conditioning regimen.
• Age Criteria: 19-65 years.
• Organ Function Criteria: The following organ function testing should be done within 35 days before study registration.
‣ Cardiac: Normal left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) (50% or above) as measured by MUGA or Echocardiogram.
⁃ Pulmonary: FVC, FEV1 and DLCO (corrected) should be 50% or above of expected.
⁃ Renal: serum creatinine level to be \<2 mg/dl AND estimated (Cockcroft-Gault formula) or measured (takes priority if done) creatinine clearance (CrCl) must be equal or greater than 70 mL/min/1.73 m2.
⁃ Hepatic: serum bilirubin 1.5 upper limit of normal (ULN), Aspartate transaminase (AST)/alanine transaminase (ALT) 2.5 ULN, and alkaline phosphatase 2.5 ULN.
• Performance status: Karnofsky performance score (KPS) or Lansky score: ≥80.
• Hematopoietic cell transplant comorbidity index (HCT-CI) \<3. Exception may be made on individual cases after discussion with the primary investigator.
• Consent: All patients must be informed of the investigational nature of this study and given written informed consent in accordance with institutional and federal guidelines.
∙ The following criteria are required within 48 hours prior to infusion of the EAGD T cell product.
• Absence of uncontrolled infection with sepsis syndrome (e.g persistent positive blood culture).
• NO hemodynamic instability (due to sepsis or organ dysfunction) or circulatory volume overload.
• NO clinically significant organ toxicity that are defined as follows:
‣ Heart failure with subnormal LVEF or clinical fluid overload.
⁃ Elevated serum creatinine or subnormal creatinine clearance (either estimated or measured).
⁃ Elevated total bilirubin ≥1.5 upper normal level (unless indirect hyperbilirubinemia attributed to non-hepatic pathology), or elevated liver enzymes (ALT, AST, ALP) \>5 x ULN.
⁃ Hypoxemia requiring oxygen therapy
• NO acute graft versus host disease (any grade).
• Neutrophil engraftment.