Anti-CD19 CAR-T Cells With Inducible Caspase 9 Safety Switch for B-cell Lymphoma

• Status: Recruiting
• Trial end date: 2038-10-12
• Target enrollment: 0
• Participant gender: All

Summary

This research study combines 2 different ways of fighting disease: antibodies and T cells. Both antibodies and T cells have been used to treat patients with cancers, and both have shown promise, but neither alone has been sufficient to cure most patients. This study combines both T cells and antibodies to create a more effective treatment. The treatment being researched is called autologous T lymphocyte chimeric antigen receptor cells targeted against the CD19 antigen (ATLCAR.CD19) administration.

Prior studies have shown that a new gene can be put into T cells and will increase their ability to recognize and kill cancer cells. The new gene that is put in the T cells in this study makes a piece of an antibody called anti-CD19. This antibody sticks to leukemia cells because they have a substance on the outside of the cells called CD19. For this study, the anti-CD19 antibody has been changed so that instead of floating free in the blood part of it is now joined to the T cells. When an antibody is joined to a T cell in this way it is called a chimeric receptor. These CD19 chimeric (combination) receptor-activated T cells seem to kill some of the tumor, but they do not last very long in the body and so their chances of fighting the cancer are unknown.

Preliminary results have shown that subjects receiving this treatment have experienced unwanted side effects including cytokine release syndrome and neurotoxocity. In this study, to help reduce cytokine release syndrome and/or neurotoxicity symptoms, the ATLCAR.CD19 cells have a safety switch that, when active, can cause the cells to become dormant. These modified ATLCAR.CD19 cells with the safety switch are referred to as iC9-CAR19 cells. If the subject experiences moderate to severe cytokine release syndrome and or neurotoxicity as a result of being given iC9-CAR19 cells, the subject can be given a dose of a second study drug, AP1903, if standard interventions fail to alleviate the symptoms of cytokine release syndrome and/or neurotoxicity. AP1903 activates the iC9-CAR19 safety switch, reducing the number of the iC9-CAR19 cells in the blood. The ultimate goal is to determine what dose of AP1903 can be given that reduces the severity of the cytokine release syndrome and/or neurotoxicity, but still allows the remaining iC9-CAR19 cells to effectively fight the lymphoma.

The primary purpose of this study is to determine whether receiving iC9-CAR19 cells is safe and tolerable in patients with relapsed/refractory B-cell lymphoma.

• Phase: Phase 1
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers?: No

Details

• Lead Sponsor: UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center
• Collaborators: Bellicum Pharmaceuticals; The V Foundation; V Foundation
• Treatments: Bendamustine Hydrochloride; Cyclophosphamide; Fludarabine; Fludarabine phosphate

Criteria

Inclusion Criteria for the Study:

Unless otherwise noted, subjects must meet all of the following criteria to participate in all stages of this study:

• Written informed consent and HIPAA authorization for release of personal health information.

• Adults ≥18 years of age.

• Histologically confirmed B-cell NHL, including the following types defined by WHO 2016:

Aggressive Lymphomas:

• DLBCL not otherwise specified (NOS)

• T cell/histiocyte rich large B cell lymphoma; primary cutaneous DLBCL, leg type; EBV-positive DLBCL NOS; DLBCL associated with chronic inflammation; Lymphomatoid granulomatosis; Large B-cell lymphoma with IRF4 rearrangement; Intravascular large B-cell lymphoma; ALK-positive large B-cell lymphoma

• Primary mediastinal (thymic) large B-cell lymphoma

• High grade B-cell lymphoma with MYC and BCL2 and/or BCL6 rearrangement; high grade B-cell lymphoma, NOS

• B-cell lymphoma, unclassifiable, with features intermediate between DLBCL and classical Hodgkin lymphoma

• Transformation of indolent lymphoma or CLL to DLBCL will also be included

• Burkitt lymphoma

Indolent Lymphomas:

• Follicular lymphoma

• Splenic marginal zone lymphoma

• Extranodal marginal zone lymphoma of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue

• Nodal marginal zone lymphoma

• Lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma (Waldenstrom's macroglobulinemia)

• Mantle cell lymphoma

• Subjects with CNS disease will not be excluded as long it has been stable for 3 months

--For aggressive lymphomas, must have relapsed or refractory disease after having received at least 2 prior lines of systemic therapy, including, at a minimum:

• An anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody

• An anthracycline containing chemotherapy regimen (if eligible)

• An autologous stem cell transplant (if eligible)

• For indolent lymphomas, subjects must have received at least 2 prior lines of therapy for their lymphoma

• Subjects relapsed after allogeneic stem cell transplant will be eligible if they meet other inclusion criteria and have no active graft vs host disease (GVHD)

• Measurable or assessable disease by Lugano criteria

• Karnofsky score of > 60%

• Women of childbearing potential (WOCBP) must be willing to use 2 methods of birth control or be surgically sterile, or abstain from heterosexual activity for the course of the study, and for 6 months after the study is concluded. WOCBP are those who have not been surgically sterilized or have not been free from menses for > 1 year. The two birth control methods can be composed of: two barrier methods or a barrier method plus a hormonal method to prevent pregnancy. WOCBP subjects will also be instructed to tell their male partners to use a condom.

Exclusion Criteria for the Study:

Subjects meeting any of the following exclusion criteria will not be able to participate in this study (procurement, lymphodepletion and cell infusion):

• Subject is pregnant or lactating.

• Tumor in a location where enlargement could cause airway obstruction.

• Current use of systemic corticosteroids at doses ≥10mg prednisone daily or its equivalent; those receiving <10mg daily may be enrolled at discretion of investigator.

• Active infection with HIV, HTLV, HBV, HCV (can be pending at the time of cell procurement; only those samples confirming lack of active infection will be used to generate transduced cells) defined as not being well controlled on therapy. Subjects are required to have negative HIV antibody, negative HTLV1 and HTLV2 antibodies, negative Hepatitis B surface antigen, and negative HCV antibody or viral load. In addition, subjects with positive Hepatitis B core antibody, will have Hepatitis B viral load tested and subjects with positive Hepatitis B viral load will also be excluded.

• Subject must either have core antibody negative HBV (results can be pending at the time of cell procurement) OR if a subject is hepatitis B core antibody positive they must have their hepatitis B viral load checked. These subjects will be excluded if their viral load is positive at baseline. Subjects who are core antibody positive and viral load negative at baseline will be considered eligible.

• Known additional malignancy that is active and/or progressive requiring treatment; exceptions include basal cell or squamous cell skin cancer, in situ cervical or bladder cancer, or other cancer for which the subject has been disease-free for at least five years.

• A history of intolerance to fludarabine. Note: subjects with history of intolerance to bendamustine may be considered for enrollment at the discretion of the clinical investigator if they are candidates for lymphodepletion with cyclophosphamide and fludarabine.

Eligibility criteria to be met prior to procurement:

• Subjects must sign a consent to undergo cell procurement.

• Life expectancy ≥ 12 weeks.

• Evidence of adequate organ function as defined by:

The following is required within 7 days prior to procurement:

• Bilirubin ≤1.5 times the upper limit of normal (ULN). Subjects with Gilbert's syndrome may be enrolled despite a total bilirubin level >1.5 mg/dL if their conjugated bilirubin is <1.5× ULN)

• AST ≤ 3 times ULN

• Creatinine Clearance (CrCl) >30mL/min per Cockcroft and Gault (See Section 12.3)

• Pulse oximetry of >90% on room air

• Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) ≥35% as measured by ECHO, with no additional evidence of decompensated heart failure.

• Imaging results from within 90 days prior to procurement to assess presence of active disease.

• Negative serum pregnancy test within 72 hours prior to procurement or documentation that the subject is post-menopausal. Post-menopausal status must be confirmed with documentation of absence of menses for >1 year, or documentation of surgical menopause involving bilateral oophorectomy.

Eligibility criteria to be met prior to lymphodepletion:

• Written informed consent to enroll in the CAR T-cell therapy trial must be obtained prior to lymphodepletion.

• Imaging results from within 7 days prior to lymphodepletion. Imaging must occur at least 3 weeks after most recent therapy (used as baseline measure for documentation of progression before the lymphodepletion) to document measurable or assessable disease. Imaging does not need to be repeated if it is within 7 days prior to lymphodepletion.

• Evidence of adequate organ function as defined by:

The following are required within 72 hours prior to lymphodepletion:

• Adequate bone marrow function (ANC ≥1.0 x 109/L and platelets ≥75 x 109/L). Subjects cannot have received platelet transfusion within 7 days of lymphodepletion.

• Bilirubin ≤1.5 times the upper limit of normal (ULN). Subjects with Gilbert's syndrome may be enrolled despite a total bilirubin level >1.5 mg/dL if their conjugated bilirubin is <1.5× ULN)

• AST ≤ 3 times ULN

• Creatinine Clearance (CrCl) >30mL/min per Cockcroft and Gault

• Pulse oximetry of > 90% on room air

• Negative serum pregnancy test within 72 hours prior to lymphodepletion or documentation that the subject is post-menopausal. Post-menopausal status must be confirmed with documentation of absence of menses for > 1 year, or documentation of surgical menopause involving bilateral oophorectomy.

• Subjects that have received therapy with murine antibodies must have documentation of absence of human anti-mouse antibodies (HAMA) prior to lymphodepletion.

• Available autologous transduced activated T cells product meets the certificate of analysis.

• Has not received any investigational agents or received any tumor vaccines within the previous six weeks prior to lymphodepletion.

• Subject is not taking a prohibited or contraindicated medication prior to lymphodepletion. Contraindicated medications should be discontinued at least two weeks prior to the scheduled lymphodepletion or by at least 5 half-lives of the contraindicated medication, whichever is shorter.

• Subject is not taking strong inhibitors of CYP1A2 (e.g., fluvoxamine, ciprofloxacin) as these may increase plasma concentrations of bendamustine, and decrease plasma concentrations of its metabolites. See http://medicine.iupui.edu/clinpharm/ddis/ for an updated list of strong inhibitors of CYP1A2. (This applies to subjects who receive bendamustine for lymphodepletion (required) up through 72 hours after the last dose of bendamustine).

• Subject has not received chemotherapy within the previous 3 weeks prior to lymphodepletion.

Eligibility criteria to be met prior to cell infusion after lymphodepletion:

• No evidence of uncontrolled infection or sepsis.

• Negative serum pregnancy within 7 days of cell infusion (does not need to be repeated if pre-lymphodepletion pregnancy test is within window).