Human Anti-CD19 Chimeric Antigen Receptor T Cells for the Treatment of Relapsed or Refractory Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma, Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia and Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia
This phase I study finds out the best dose, possible benefits and side effects of human anti-CD19 chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells in treating patients with non-Hodgkin lymphoma, acute lymphoblastic leukemia and chronic lymphocytic leukemia that has come back (relapsed) or does not respond to treatment (refractory). T cells are a type of white blood cell that helps the body fight infections. This treatment uses T cells already present within the body that have been modified outside of the body by a lentivirus and then returned to the patient by an infusion to target the cancer. Lentivirus is a family of viruses that can be used by scientists to alter cells, which then could be used to change the course of a disease. This type of treatment is sometimes referred to as adoptive cell transfer. In this study the specific type of cells that are used are called human CAR-T cells. The CAR-T cells will be reinfused to the body and modified using a lentivirus that is no longer active.
Inclusion Criteria
- Subjects must have relapsed or refractory non-Hodgkin lymphoma (Group A - NHL/CLL), chronic lymphocytic leukemia (Group A – NHL/CLL) or acute lymphoblastic leukemia (Group B – ALL) treated with at least two lines of therapy. Disease must have either progressed after the last regimen or presented failure to achieve complete remission with the last regimen
- The patient’s malignancy is CD19 positive, either by immunohistochemistry or flow cytometry analysis on the last biopsy available or peripheral blood for circulating disease
- Age >= 18 years
- Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status =< 2
- Total bilirubin =< 1.5 times the institutional upper limit of normal unless bilirubin rise is due to Gilbert’s syndrome (maximum 2 time normal) or of non-hepatic origin
- Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) (serum glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase [SGOT]) =< 3 times the institutional upper limit of normal
- Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) (serum glutamate pyruvate transaminase [SGPT]) =< 3 times the institutional upper limit of normal
- Serum creatinine < 2 times the institutional upper limit of normal and creatinine clearance >= 30 mL/min (calculated or measured)
- Subjects must have adequate pulmonary function as defined as pulse oximetry >= 92% on room air
- Subjects must have adequate cardiac function as defined as left ventricular ejection fraction >= 40% in the most recent echocardiogram
- Absolute lymphocyte count > 100/uL
- Subjects (or legal guardians) must have the ability to understand and the willingness to sign a written informed consent document
- For women of childbearing potential: agreement to remain abstinent (refrain from heterosexual intercourse) or use a contraceptive method with a failure rate of < 1% per year during the treatment period and for at least 90 days after the human anti-CD19 CAR-T cell infusion. A woman is considered to be of childbearing potential if she is postmenarcheal, has not reached a postmenopausal state (< 12 continuous months of amenorrhea with no identified cause other than menopause), and has not undergone surgical sterilization (removal of ovaries and/or uterus). Examples of contraceptive methods with a failure rate of < 1% per year include bilateral tubal ligation, male sterilization, hormonal contraceptives that inhibit ovulation, hormone-releasing intrauterine devices, and copper intrauterine devices. The reliability of sexual abstinence should be evaluated in relation to the duration of the clinical trial and the preferred and usual lifestyle of the patient. Periodic abstinence (e.g., calendar, ovulation, symptothermal, or postovulation methods) and withdrawal are not acceptable methods of contraception
- For men: agreement to remain abstinent (refrain from heterosexual intercourse) or use contraceptive measures, and agreement to refrain from donating sperm, as defined below: * With female partners of childbearing potential, men must remain abstinent or use a condom plus an additional contraceptive method that together result in a failure rate of < 1% per year during the treatment period and for at least 6 months after the human anti-CD19 CAR-T cell infusion. Men must refrain from donating sperm during this same period * With pregnant female partners, men must remain abstinent or use a condom during the treatment period and for at least 6 months after the human anti- CD19 CAR-T cell infusion to avoid potential embryonal or fetal exposure. The reliability of sexual abstinence should be evaluated in relation to the duration of the clinical trial and the preferred and usual lifestyle of the patient. Periodic abstinence (e.g., calendar, ovulation, symptothermal, or postovulation methods) and withdrawal are not acceptable methods of contraception
Exclusion Criteria
- Autologous transplant within 6 weeks of planned CAR-T cell infusion
- Allogeneic stem cell transplant within 3 months of planned CAR-T cell infusion and patients must be off immunosuppressive agents
- Active graft versus host disease
- Active central nervous system or meningeal involvement by lymphoma or leukemia. Subjects with untreated brain metastases/central nervous system (CNS) disease will be excluded from this clinical trial because of their poor prognosis and because they often develop progressive neurologic dysfunction that would confound the evaluation of neurologic and other adverse events. Patients with a history of CNS or meningeal involvement must be in a documented remission by cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) evaluation and contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) imaging for at least 90 days prior to registration
- Second active malignancy, other than non-melanoma skin cancer or carcinoma in situ (e.g. cervix, bladder, breast)
- A minimum of 28 days must have elapsed between prior treatment with investigational agent(s) and the day of lymphocyte collection
- Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) seropositivity
- Subjects with uncontrolled intercurrent illness including, but not limited to ongoing or active infection, symptomatic congestive heart failure, unstable angina pectoris, cardiac arrhythmia, pulmonary abnormalities or psychiatric illness/social situations that would limit compliance with study requirements
- Pregnant or breastfeeding women are excluded from this study because CAR-T cell therapy may be associated with the potential for teratogenic or abortifacient effects. Women of childbearing potential must have a negative serum pregnancy test. Because there is an unknown, but potential risk for adverse events in nursing infants secondary to treatment of the mother with CAR-T cells, breastfeeding should be discontinued. These potential risks may also apply to other agents used in this study
- Evidence of myelodysplasia or cytogenetic abnormality indicative of myelodysplasia on screening bone marrow biopsy
- Serologic status reflecting active hepatitis B or C infection. Patients that are positive for hepatitis B core antibody, hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), or hepatitis C antibody must have a negative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) prior to enrollment. (PCR positive patients will be excluded.)
- Patients with history of clinically relevant CNS pathology such as epilepsy, seizure disorders, paresis, aphasia, uncontrolled cerebrovascular disease, severe brain injuries, dementia and Parkinson’s disease
- History of autoimmune disease (i.e. rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus) with requirement of immunosuppressive medication within 6 months
Additional locations may be listed on ClinicalTrials.gov for NCT04732845.
See trial information on ClinicalTrials.gov for a list of participating sites.
PRIMARY OBJECTIVE:
I. To determine the safety of the treatment of relapsed/refractory B cell lymphomas, relapsed/refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia and relapsed/refractory acute lymphoblastic leukemia with chimeric antigen receptor T cells targeting CD19 and to find the recommended phase II dose for this cellular therapy.
SECONDARY OBJECTIVES:
I. To describe the safety profile of the infusion of fully human CAR-T cells targeting CD19 in relapsed/refractory B cell lymphomas, relapsed/refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia and in relapsed/refractory acute lymphoblastic leukemia.
II. To describe the toxicities related to infusion of fully human CAR-T cells targeting CD19.
III. To describe the overall response rate and complete response rate of relapsed B cell malignancies treated with fully human CAR-T cells targeting CD19.
IV. To describe the overall and progression free survival of patients with relapsed lymphoma, chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) treated with human anti-CD19 CAR-T cells.
CORRELATIVE OBJECTIVES:
I. To describe the persistence of fully human anti-CD19 CAR-T cells, measured by flow cytometry and quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR).
II. To describe the T cell subpopulations of the fully human anti-CD19 CAR-T cell product before infusion.
III. To describe the changes in fully human anti-CD19 CAR-T cells after infusion and their correlation with disease response and adverse events.
IV. To investigate the correlation between changes in cytokine plasma concentrations and changes in fully human anti-CD19 CAR-T cell subpopulations over time.
V. To investigate proteomic changes in fully human anti-CD19 CAR-T cell subpopulations over time.
OUTLINE: This is a dose-escalation study of anti-CD19 CAR T cells. Patients are assigned to 1 of 2 groups.
GROUP A (NON-HODGKIN [NHL]/CLL): Patients undergo collection of blood samples and/or apheresis for production of the autologous Anti-CD19 CAR-expressing T lymphocytes. Patients receive cyclophosphamide intravenously (IV) over 2 hours on day -6 and fludarabine IV over 30 minutes on days -5 to -3. Patients then receive autologous Anti-CD19 CAR-expressing T lymphocytes IV over 5-30 minutes on day 0. Additionally, patients undergo collection of blood samples and bone marrow aspiration and biopsy and positron emission tomography (PET)/computed tomography (CT) throughout the study.
GROUP B (ALL): Patients undergo collection of blood samples and/or apheresis for production of the autologous Anti-CD19 CAR-expressing T lymphocytes. Patients receive cyclophosphamide IV over 2 hours on day -6 and fludarabine IV over 30 minutes on days -5 to -3. Patients then receive autologous Anti-CD19 CAR-expressing T lymphocytes IV over 5-30 minutes on days 0 and 7. Additionally, patients undergo collection of blood samples and bone marrow aspiration and biopsy and PET/CT throughout the study.
After completion of study treatment, patients are followed up at 30, 60, 90 days, 6 and 12 months then yearly till 15 years.
Trial PhasePhase I
Trial Typetreatment
Lead OrganizationCase Comprehensive Cancer Center
Principal InvestigatorBenjamin Kent Tomlinson
- Primary IDCASE2419
- Secondary IDsNCI-2021-02260
- ClinicalTrials.gov IDNCT04732845