Evaluating a new CAR-T therapy for blood cancers

An Interventional Open-label, Single-group, Phase I/II Study to Evaluate the Tolerability, Safety, and Efficacy of an Anti-CD19 CAR-T Product in Adult Patients with Relapsed or Refractory Forms of B-cell Lymphoproliferative Disorders

This study is testing a new CAR-T therapy for adults with certain blood cancers to see if it can help them after other treatments have failed.

Quick facts

• Phase: Phase1; Phase2
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 60 (estimated)
• Ages: 18 Years to 70 Years
• Sex: All
• Sponsor: National Research Center for Hematology, Russia (Research network)
• Drugs / interventions: alemtuzumab, CAR-T, chemotherapy
• Locations: 1 site (Moscow)
• Trial ID: NCT06705530 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this trial studies

This clinical trial is assessing the safety, tolerability, and efficacy of an anti-CD19 CAR-T cell therapy in adults with relapsed or refractory B-cell lymphoproliferative disorders, including non-Hodgkin lymphoma and acute lymphoblastic leukemia. The study will enroll 60 participants aged 18-70 who will first undergo chemotherapy to prepare for the CAR-T cell infusion, which will be administered in two doses via IV. Participants will be closely monitored in the hospital for side effects and cancer response, with follow-up assessments to evaluate the long-term effectiveness of the treatment.

Who should consider this trial

Good fit: Ideal candidates are adults aged 18-70 with relapsed or refractory B-cell lymphoproliferative disorders who have CD19 expression on their tumor cells.

Not a fit: Patients with B-cell lymphoproliferative disorders that do not express CD19 or those who are not eligible for lymphodepletion may not benefit from this study.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this therapy could provide a new treatment option for patients with difficult-to-treat blood cancers.

How similar studies have performed: Other studies have shown promising results with CAR-T therapies for similar conditions, indicating a potential for success in this approach.

Eligibility criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Patients with B-cell lymphoproliferative disorders:

1a. In cases of B-cell lymphoproliferative disorders developed from lymphocyte precursors (ALL/LBL), the disease status satisfies one of the following criteria:

* Failure of induction (primary-refractory course or MOB persistence), absence of clinical and hematologic remission after first-line therapy,
* MOB persistence with achieved second and subsequent clinical and morphologic remissions,
* Early medullary or combined relapse if the duration of the first remission is not more than 12 months, provided the disease is stabilized,
* Confirmed MOB relapse,
* Second and subsequent relapses, including neurorelapse,
* Refractory disease course after two or more lines of chemotherapy,
* Relapsed or refractory disease after allo-HSCT with transplantation performed more than 100 days ago and more than 4 weeks after withdrawal of immunosuppressive therapy before inclusion.

  1. b. In the case of Ph-positive ALL/LBL:
* Molecular relapse, advanced relapse, isolated neurorelapse, or refractory disease after the use of more than 2 lines of ITC.

  1c. In cases of aggressive B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, disease status satisfies one of the following criteria:
* Absence of remission after 1-2 courses of intensive chemotherapy or in the presence of factors of unfavorable prognosis (TP53 mutation, co-expression of c-MYC and BCL2, abnormalities of c-MYC, BCL2, BCL6, and other genes),
* Disease progression on chemotherapy in the form of the appearance of a new lesion focus or increase of the initial focus by at least 50% during therapy,
* Relapse within 12-18 months after the end of chemotherapy, regardless of the presence or absence of factors of unfavorable prognosis,
* Resistance to 2 or more prior lines of therapy.

  1d. In cases of indolent B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, disease status satisfies one of the following criteria:
* early relapse (POD 24) in patients with contraindications to auto-HSCT,
* absence of clinical and hematologic remission after 1 line of therapy in the presence of TR53 mutation,
* relapse in the presence of signs of transformation into aggressive lymphoma,
* resistance to the previously performed 2 or more lines of therapy. 2. Male or Female subjects aged 18-70 years (at the time of signing the informed consent form).

  3. CD19 antigen expression of ≥20% (for B-ALL) or presence of CD19 expressing tumor cell population (for lymphoma).

  4. ECOG 0-2 points. 5. Life expectancy of at least 12 weeks. 6. Absolute CD3+ lymphocyte count in peripheral blood greater than 0.1\*10\^9 cells/L.

  7. Preserved organ function, defined as:
* Lung function: absence of hypoxemia according to pulse oximetry (SrO2 \>91%) when breathing atmospheric air;
* Renal function: creatinine \<130 µmol/L or ICF \>60 ml/min per 1.73m2;
* Liver function: total bilirubin concentration less than 34 μmol/L, ALT concentration not exceeding more than 5 times the upper limit of reference values (except for Gilbert's syndrome);
* Cardiac function: stable hemodynamics and ejection fraction not less than 45%, absence of ejection in the pericardial cavity.

  8. Male or female patients with a very low probability of conception characterized by meeting at least one of the following criteria:
* Patient is not of reproductive potential. A female patient of no reproductive potential characterized by one of two criteria: (1) attainment of natural menopause (defined as 12 months of spontaneous amenorrhea in women \>45 years of age or 6 months of spontaneous amenorrhea with a serum FSH concentration characteristic of the postmenopausal range as determined by the laboratory) or (2) bilateral ovariectomy and/or hysterectomy or bilateral fallopian tube ligation at least 6 weeks before screening.
* The patient is of reproductive potential and agrees to abstain from sexual activity or to use (including partner use) an acceptable method of contraception for the planned duration of the study. Acceptable contraceptive methods are hormonal contraception, intrauterine contraceptive device (IUD), diaphragm with spermicide, contraceptive sponge, condom, and vasectomy (performed at least 6 weeks prior to screening).

  9. Consent for continued follow-up for 15 years from study inclusion. 10. Adequate central or peripheral vascular access for the apheresis procedure. 11. The patient understands the study procedures, available alternative therapies, and study risks and voluntarily agrees to participate by providing written informed consent.

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Tumor cell surface CD19 expression level \<20% for B-ALL by flow cytometry or no CD19 expression for lymphoma by immunohistochemical analysis.
2. Acute/active hepatitis B, C, or acute HIV infection, COVID-19.
3. Uncontrolled life-threatening infection (positive blood culture within 72 h prior to CAR-T product transfusion). Urinary tract infection is allowed. Patients receiving intravenous antibiotics prior to transfusion or in whom intravenous antibiotics have not been discontinued 7 days before inclusion in the study are not included. Prophylactic use of antibiotics, antiviral, and antifungal agents is allowed.
4. CD3+ T-lymphocyte content in peripheral blood is less than 0.1\*10\^9 cells/L.
5. Previous treatment with gene therapy products.
6. Clinically significant CNS pathology (epilepsy, generalized convulsive disorder, paresis, aphasia, stroke, severe brain damage, dementia, Parkinson's disease, cerebellar disease, organic cerebral syndrome, psychosis) at present or in the anamnesis.
7. NYHA class III or IV heart failure, coronary angioplasty or stenting, myocardial infarction, unstable angina, or any other significant cardiac pathology within the previous 6 months.
8. Associated genetic syndromes (such as Nijmegen syndrome, Kostman syndrome, Schwachman syndrome, or any other known bone marrow failure syndrome).
9. Pregnancy, planning pregnancy during the study, or lactation period.
10. Use of drugs or therapeutic interventions prohibited by the protocol (glucocorticosteroids, allogeneic cell therapy, GvHD therapy, chemotherapy, alemtuzumab, clofarabine, cladribine, mouse-derived biologics).
11. Participation in a clinical trial taking any investigational drug within 30 days prior to screening with the exception of investigational antimicrobials (antibiotics, antimycotics, and antivirals).
12. Any clinically relevant data that, in the opinion of the investigator, affects the patient's ability to enter the study and puts the patient at risk if they participate in the study.
13. Uncontrolled medical, psychological, familial, sociological, or geographical conditions and conditions that, in the investigator's opinion, make it impossible to achieve acceptable adherence to the study protocol and the subjects' unwillingness or inability to follow the protocol procedures.

Where this trial is running

Moscow

• National Medical Research Center for Hematology — Moscow, Russian Federation (Recruiting)

Study contacts

• Study coordinator: Clinical Trial Information Processing Team

Conditions Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma, B-cell; Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia ALL; CAR-T; B-cell lymphoma; non-Hodgkin lymphoma