U01 (ssCART-19) treatment for relapsed or refractory B‑cell lymphoma

A Single-arm, Open-label Clinical Study Evaluating the Efficacy and Safety of U01 (ssCART-19) in Patients With Relapsed or Refractory B-cell Lymphoma.

This treatment will try CD19-targeted CAR‑T cells called ssCART‑19 (with an IL‑6 silencing element) in people aged 2–75 whose B‑cell lymphoma has relapsed or not responded to prior therapy.

Quick facts

• Phase: Phase 1
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 30 (estimated)
• Ages: 2 Years to 75 Years
• Sex: All
• Sponsor: Shanghai Unicar-Therapy Bio-medicine Technology Co.,Ltd (Industry-sponsored)
• Drugs / interventions: CAR-T
• Locations: 1 site (Shanghai)
• Trial ID: NCT07093073 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this trial studies

This is a single-arm, open-label Phase 1 study of ssCART‑19, a CD19-directed CAR‑T cell product engineered with an IL‑6 silencing element, in patients with relapsed or refractory B‑cell lymphoma. Eligible participants undergo cell collection, manufacturing of autologous CAR‑T cells, lymphodepleting chemotherapy as indicated, and infusion of ssCART‑19, followed by close inpatient and outpatient monitoring for safety and response. The study will record adverse events, including cytokine release and neurotoxicity, and measure anti-lymphoma activity over defined follow-up visits. The sponsor is Shanghai Unicar‑Therapy Bio‑medicine Technology Co., Ltd, and treatments are planned at Tongji Hospital, Shanghai.

Who should consider this trial

Good fit: People aged 2–75 with histologically confirmed relapsed or refractory B‑cell lymphoma who have received prior required therapies (including an anti‑CD20 antibody and an anthracycline-containing regimen) and can comply with study visits at the treatment center are ideal candidates.

Not a fit: Patients whose lymphoma is controlled by first-line therapy, who are medically ineligible for CAR‑T (for example severe organ dysfunction or uncontrolled infection), or who cannot travel to the study site are unlikely to benefit from participation.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, ssCART‑19 could produce remissions in patients whose lymphoma did not respond to standard therapies while potentially reducing IL‑6–driven inflammatory complications.

How similar studies have performed: Other CD19 CAR‑T therapies have produced meaningful remissions in relapsed/refractory B‑cell lymphoma, while the IL‑6 silencing modification in ssCART‑19 is a newer approach with more limited clinical experience.

Eligibility criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Voluntary written informed consent obtained from the participant (or legal guardian) with good compliance expected throughout the study.
2. All of the following conditions must be met:

   1. Age 2-75 years at informed consent; both sexes eligible. For minors (≤18 years), consent must be provided by a parent/legal guardian; minors able to sign must co-sign with their guardian.
   2. Histologically confirmed B-cell lymphoma per the 2024 v3 NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology: B-Cell Lymphomas.
   3. Prior therapy requirements:

      * Failure to achieve PR after first-line therapy, OR relapse within 12 months after first-line therapy; or Relapsed/refractory after second-line therapy (one standard chemo-regimen + one salvage regimen).

   Prior regimens must have included anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody (unless documented CD20-negative tumor) and an anthracycline-containing regimen. In addition, at least one of the following must apply:

   i. Ineligible for autologous hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation (ASCT); ii. Refusal of ASCT; iii. Relapse after ASCT. d) Disease status at screening:

   • Relapse: progression after prior PR or CR.

   • Refractory: i. PD during/after last therapy, or best response ≤SD lasting \<6 months; OR ii. Relapse or progression after ASCT (biopsy-proven), including relapse/PD ≤12 months post-ASCT or lack of response (SD/PD) to salvage therapy after ASCT.
3. Tumor tissue (archival or fresh) positive for CD19 by IHC; pathology report within 6 months preferred.
4. ≥1 measurable lesion per Lugano 2014 response criteria.
5. ECOG performance status 0-3.
6. Adequate marrow reserve: ALC ≥0.3 × 10⁹/L; PLT ≥30 × 10⁹/L (transfusion permitted).
7. Adequate organ function:

   • AST ≤3×ULN (≤5×ULN if tumor-related); ALT ≤3×ULN (≤5×ULN if tumor-related);• Total bilirubin ≤2×ULN (≤3×ULN with direct bilirubin ≤1.5×ULN for Gilbert's syndrome);• Serum creatinine ≤1.5×ULN or creatinine clearance ≥60 mL/min (Cockcroft-Gault);• Pulmonary: ≤Grade 1 dyspnea and SpO₂ \>91 % on room air;• LVEF ≥50 % by echocardiography;• INR ≤1.5×ULN and APTT ≤1.5×ULN.
8. Women of child-bearing potential: negative serum/urine pregnancy test within 7 days before CAR-T infusion. All participants with reproductive potential must use effective contraception from screening through ≥12 months after CAR-T infusion.
9. Adequate venous access for leukapheresis or repeated phlebotomy, with no contraindications to leukapheresis.
10. Estimated life expectancy \>3 months.

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Concurrent malignancy other than the study indication, except for carcinoma in situ or any malignancy with a disease-free interval ≥3 years.
2. Presence of any of the following:• Positive HBe-Ab and/or HBc-Ab with HBV-DNA above the lower limit of quantification;• Positive HCV-Ab with HCV-RNA above the lower limit of quantification;• Positive Treponema pallidum antibody (TP-Ab);• Positive HIV antibody.
3. Active bacterial, fungal, viral, mycoplasmal, or other infection deemed uncontrollable by the investigator.
4. History or current clinically significant CNS disorder unrelated to lymphoma-e.g., seizure disorder, cerebral ischemia/hemorrhage, dementia, cerebellar disease, or any CNS autoimmune disease-that the investigator considers uncontrolled.
5. Within 12 months before informed consent: percutaneous coronary intervention (angioplasty or stent placement), NYHA Class III-IV congestive heart failure, myocardial infarction, unstable angina, or other clinically significant cardiac history judged by the investigator; or QTc \>480 ms (Fridericia correction) or LVEF \<50 % by echocardiography at screening.
6. Known primary immunodeficiency.
7. History of severe immediate hypersensitivity to any study drug.
8. Receipt of any live vaccine within 6 weeks before screening.
9. Pregnant or breastfeeding women.
10. Active autoimmune disease requiring systemic immunosuppressive therapy.
11. Participation in any other interventional clinical trial within 30 days before signing informed consent.
12. Any condition that, in the investigator's opinion, renders the subject unsuitable for study participation.

Where this trial is running

Shanghai

• Tongji Hospital of Tongji University — Shanghai, China (Recruiting)

Study contacts

• Principal investigator: Wenjun Zhang, Ph.D. — Tongji Hospital
• Study coordinator: Wenjun Zhang, Ph.D

Conditions B Cell Lymphoma; CD19; ssCART-19