Why some cancers and infections come back after T‑cell therapies

Defining the Mechanisms of Immune Escape After Adoptive T cell Therapies

['FUNDING_P01'] · FRED HUTCHINSON CANCER CENTER · NIH-11177694

Researchers are looking into how to stop leukemia relapse, life‑threatening infections, and severe immune side effects after bone marrow transplant and T‑cell therapies.

Quick facts

Phase['FUNDING_P01']
Study typeNih_funding
SexAll
SponsorFRED HUTCHINSON CANCER CENTER (nih funded)
Locations1 site (SEATTLE, UNITED STATES)
Trial IDNIH-11177694 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this research studies

This project uses laboratory and mouse models that mimic bone marrow transplant, CAR T, and TCR transgenic T‑cell therapies to study relapse, graft‑versus‑host disease, cytokine release syndrome, and CMV reactivation. The team examines how newer transplant approaches—naïve T cell depletion and post‑transplant cyclophosphamide—change T cell exhaustion, stem‑like memory T cells, and NK cell responses in bone marrow. They are developing fully murine CAR T models of B‑cell leukemia and multiple myeloma to identify pathways that drive toxicity and immune escape. The researchers will test synthetic cytokines in these models to try to boost protective immunity against both leukemia and opportunistic infections.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: People with B‑cell leukemia or multiple myeloma who are receiving or may receive hematopoietic cell transplantation or CAR‑T/TCR T‑cell therapies would be the most relevant group.

Not a fit: Patients with unrelated solid tumors not treated with transplant or T‑cell therapies are unlikely to directly benefit from this project.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to ways to lower relapse, reduce severe immune toxicities, and prevent dangerous infections after transplant or T‑cell therapy.

How similar studies have performed: Clinical tools like CAR‑T and post‑transplant cyclophosphamide have helped many patients, but relapse, immune toxicity, and CMV remain common problems and this work builds on promising preclinical findings.

Where this research is happening

SEATTLE, UNITED STATES

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.

View on NIH RePORTER →

Last reviewed 2026-05-15 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.