Ruxolitinib given before, during, and after donor stem cell transplant for older adults with myelofibrosis or MDS/MPN overlap

Peri-Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation Ruxolitinib in Patients With Myelofibrosis and Myelodysplastic Syndrome/Myeloproliferative Neoplasm Overlap Syndromes

Phase 2 Interventional Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center · NCT07228624

This phase II test tries whether giving ruxolitinib before, during, and after an allogeneic stem cell transplant helps older adults with myelofibrosis or MDS/MPN overlap have better transplant outcomes and fewer complications like graft-versus-host disease.

Quick facts

PhasePhase 2
Study typeInterventional
Enrollment50 (estimated)
Ages18 Years to 75 Years
SexAll
SponsorFred Hutchinson Cancer Center Academic / other
Drugs / interventionsruxolitinib, chemotherapy, methotrexate, fludarabine, cytoxan, cyclophosphamide
Locations1 site (Seattle, Washington)
Trial IDNCT07228624 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this trial studies

This Phase II trial enrolls adults with primary or secondary myelofibrosis or MDS/MPN overlap syndromes who are candidates for allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplant. Participants receive a JAK inhibitor (ruxolitinib or an alternate JAK inhibitor) for at least eight weeks before conditioning, then low-dose ruxolitinib starting just before transplant and continued for up to 18 months after transplant. Conditioning is either high-intensity (cyclophosphamide + busulfan) or reduced-intensity (fludarabine + melphalan), and standard GVHD prophylaxis with tacrolimus and methotrexate is used after transplant. Patients undergo serial blood tests, bone marrow biopsies, imaging, and functional testing and are followed for outcomes through two years after transplant.

Who should consider this trial

Good fit: Adults (typically 18–75 years, with selected older patients allowed) who have primary or secondary myelofibrosis or an MDS/MPN overlap syndrome and are considered acceptable candidates for allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplant are ideal for this protocol.

Not a fit: Patients who are not transplant candidates because of significant comorbidities, poor performance status, organ dysfunction, or intolerance to JAK inhibitors are unlikely to benefit from this approach.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could lower rates of graft-versus-host disease and improve survival and transplant tolerance in older patients undergoing allogeneic stem cell transplant.

How similar studies have performed: Prior case series and early-phase reports have suggested peri-transplant ruxolitinib can reduce GVHD and improve outcomes, but randomized evidence is limited and the approach remains under active study.

Eligibility criteria

Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria:

* PART 1 JAK INHIBITOR ADMINISTRATION: Age 18-75 years

  * Patients \> 75 must be considered an HCT candidate, meet all protocol criteria and have comorbidity score =\< 3 and Karnofsky performance status (KPS) \> or = to 90. Patients. \> 75 who do not meet these criteria may be presented at PCC for consensus exception
* PART 1 JAK INHIBITOR ADMINISTRATION: Disease criteria

  * Diagnosis of primary or secondary MF as defined by the 2022 World Health Organization classification system or the International Consensus Classification for Myeloid and Acute Leukemias
  * Diagnosis of an MDS/MPN overlap syndrome as defined by the 2022 World Health Organization
* PART 1 JAK INHIBITOR ADMINISTRATION: Ability to understand and the willingness to sign a written informed consent document
* PART 1 JAK INHIBITOR ADMINISTRATION: Patient must be a potential HCT candidate as assessed by the consenting physician
* PART 1 JAK INHIBITOR ADMINISTRATION: Patient must be agreeable to taking a JAK-inhibitor (ruxolitinib preferred) for at least 8 consecutive weeks immediately prior to conditioning and be willing to take ruxolitinib 5mg BID starting from day -4 prior to and continuing until 12 months post-transplant as tolerated followed by a 6-month taper.
* PART 2 ALLOGENEIC STEM CELL TRANSPLANT: Meeting criteria for Part 1 at time of initiation of JAK-inhibitor, including the ability to understand and willingness to sign a written informed consent. Patients arriving to our institution for HCT and not enrolled in Part 1 may still be enrolled in Part 2 if Part 1 criteria are met. These patients will have Part 1 endpoints transcribed from their medical records
* PART 2 ALLOGENEIC STEM CELL TRANSPLANT: Received a JAK-inhibitor for at least 8 weeks immediately prior to conditioning and be willing to take Rux from day -4 at the 5mg BID dose until 12 months post-transplant as tolerated followed by a 6 month taper
* PART 2 ALLOGENEIC STEM CELL TRANSPLANT: Performance status score

  * Karnofsky ≥ 70 or \> 90 for patients \> 75 years old
* PART 2 ALLOGENEIC STEM CELL TRANSPLANT: HCT-CI Score \< 8; if patient is \> 75 years old HCT-CI \< 3
* PART 2 ALLOGENEIC STEM CELL TRANSPLANT: Calculated creatinine clearance using the Cockcroft-Gault formula or 24-hour urine creatinine clearance must be \> 60 ml/min
* PART 2 ALLOGENEIC STEM CELL TRANSPLANT: Total serum bilirubin must be \< 3mg/dL unless the elevation is thought to be due to Gilbert's disease or hemolysis
* PART 2 ALLOGENEIC STEM CELL TRANSPLANT: Transaminases must be \< 3 x the upper limit of normal
* PART 2 ALLOGENEIC STEM CELL TRANSPLANT: Patients with clinical or laboratory evidence of liver disease will be evaluated for the cause of liver disease, its clinical severity in terms of liver function, and the degree of portal hypertension. Patients with fulminant liver failure, cirrhosis with evidence of portal hypertension or bridging fibrosis, alcoholic hepatitis, hepatic encephalopathy, or correctable hepatic synthetic dysfunction evidenced by prolongation of the prothrombin time, ascites related to portal hypertension, bacterial or fungal abscess, biliary obstruction, chronic viral hepatitis with total serum bilirubin \> 3mg/dL, and symptomatic biliary disease will be excluded
* PART 2 ALLOGENEIC STEM CELL TRANSPLANT: Diffusion capacity of lung for carbon monoxide (DLCO) corrected \> 60% normal. Patient may not be on oxygen
* PART 2 ALLOGENEIC STEM CELL TRANSPLANT: Left ventricular ejection fraction \> 40%
* DONOR: Human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-matched sibling donor
* DONOR: 10 of 10 HLA-matched unrelated donor
* DONOR: 9 of 10 allele or antigen mismatched unrelated donor
* DONOR: Peripheral blood is preferred over bone marrow
* DONOR: Matched unrelated donors may be preferred over siblings if the unrelated donor is \< 30 years and the sibling is \> 60 years. However, sibling donors \< 70 should be preferred over mismatched unrelated donors

Exclusion Criteria:

* PART 1 JAK INHIBITOR ADMINISTRATION: Contraindication to receiving ruxolitinib including patients who have known hypersensitivity to JAK inhibitors and excipients
* PART 1 JAK INHIBITOR ADMINISTRATION: History of prior allogeneic transplant
* PART 1 JAK INHIBITOR ADMINISTRATION: Leukemic transformation (\> 20% blasts)
* PART 1 JAK INHIBITOR ADMINISTRATION: Uncontrolled viral, bacterial, or fungal infection despite being on therapy
* PART 1 JAK INHIBITOR ADMINISTRATION: History of HIV infection
* PART 1 JAK INHIBITOR ADMINISTRATION: History of untreated tuberculosis (TB)
* PART 1 JAK INHIBITOR ADMINISTRATION: Pregnant or breastfeeding
* PART 1 JAK INHIBITOR ADMINISTRATION: Patients with history of myocardial infarction (MI), cerebrovascular accident (CVA) or unprovoked pulmonary embolism (PE)/deep vein thrombosis (DVT) in the past 6 months
* PART 1 JAK INHIBITOR ADMINISTRATION: Secondary malignancy in last 5 years with \> 20% risk of relapse
* PART 2 ALLOGENEIC STEM CELL TRANSPLANT: Contraindication to receiving ruxolitinib including patients who have known hypersensitivity to JAK inhibitors and excipients
* PART 2 ALLOGENEIC STEM CELL TRANSPLANT: History of prior allogeneic transplant
* PART 2 ALLOGENEIC STEM CELL TRANSPLANT: Leukemic transformation (\> 20% blasts)
* PART 2 ALLOGENEIC STEM CELL TRANSPLANT: Uncontrolled viral or bacterial infection at the time of transplant data review and consent conference
* PART 2 ALLOGENEIC STEM CELL TRANSPLANT: Active or recent (prior 6 month) invasive fungal infection without infectious disease (ID) consult and approval
* PART 2 ALLOGENEIC STEM CELL TRANSPLANT: History of HIV infection
* PART 2 ALLOGENEIC STEM CELL TRANSPLANT: History of untreated TB
* PART 2 ALLOGENEIC STEM CELL TRANSPLANT: Requiring supplemental oxygen
* PART 2 ALLOGENEIC STEM CELL TRANSPLANT: Pregnant or breastfeeding
* PART 2 ALLOGENEIC STEM CELL TRANSPLANT: Secondary malignancy in last 5 years with \> 20% risk of relapse
* PART 2 ALLOGENEIC STEM CELL TRANSPLANT: Patients with a history of MI, CVA, or unprovoked PE/DVT in the past 6 months
* PART 2 ALLOGENEIC STEM CELL TRANSPLANT: Patients without an HLA-identical sibling donor, 10 of 10 HLA-matched or 9 of 10 mismatched unrelated donor

Where this trial is running

Seattle, Washington

Study contacts

How to participate

  1. Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
  2. Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
  3. Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.
Conditions Myelodysplastic/Myeloproliferative NeoplasmPrimary MyelofibrosisSecondary Myelofibrosis
Last reviewed 2026-06-13 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.