Polyinosinic-Polycytidylic Acid-poly-L-lysine Carboxymethylcellulose (Poly-ICLC) in Healthy Volunteers

• Status: Completed
• Trial end date: 2011-09-01
• Target enrollment: 0
• Participant gender: All

Summary

Vaccines induce protective immunity against numerous infectious diseases. However, current vaccines have limited efficacy against challenging infections like tuberculosis, malaria, and HIV. Protein vaccines are safe but, typically they induce weak T cell immunity when administered alone. Therefore, special attention is being given to adjuvants, which are enhancers of immunity, that cab mature antigen presenting immunostimulatory dendritic cells. Our goal is to study in humans the mechanism whereby a synthetic adjuvant, poly ICLC, which acts on defined pattern recognition receptors, enhances T an B cell immunity. In preclinical studies, our lab has found in mice that poly IC and its analog poly ICLC are superior adjuvants for T cell mediated immunity relative to other agonists for PRR. Poly ICLC has been extensively studied in humans with a favorable safety profile. In a recently completed Phase I study, poly ICLC was found to be safe and well tolerated when administered as a single dose of 1.6 mg subcutaneously and intranasally to healthy volunteers. In additional, preliminary data shows marked upregulation of gene expression in whole PBMSc following s.c. injection of poly ICLC as well as activation of various blood cell type, including dendritic cells and monocytes. In this study the investigators propose to extend the evaluation of innate immune responses following s.d. injection of poly ICLC to healthy volunteers. The investigators propose to characterize poly ICLC effects on specific blood cell types, focusing on three different subsets of DC's, by analyzing gene transcriptional changes at baseline and at one day following its administration. In order to study the early local effects of poly ICLC, which are important for the recruitment and activation of antigen presenting cells, the investigators also propose to perform skin biopsies at a skin site contralateral to the injection site and at the injection site after poly ICLC injections.

• Phase: Phase 1
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers?: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Details

• Lead Sponsor: Rockefeller University
• Treatments: Carboxymethylcellulose Sodium; Poly I-C; Poly ICLC

Criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Age of at least 18 years on the day of screening and no greater than 60 years at the time of drug/placebo administration

2. Willing to comply with the requirements of the protocol and available for follow-up for the planned duration of the study (screening plus 2 weeks)

3. In the opinion of the principal investigator or designee, has understood the information provided. Written informed consent needs to be given before any study-related procedures are performed

4. Willing to undergo HIV testing and counseling, and receive HIV test results

5. If a sexually active male, willing to use an effective measure of contraception(condoms, anatomical sterility) throughout the study period and will be advised not to get his partner pregnant for 6 weeks after study drug administration

6. Females of child-bearing potential must agree to use one of the following methods of contraception for 2 weeks prior to date of screening evaluation through 6 weeks after study drug administration:

Be surgically sterile Be abstinent (or willing to be) Use oral contraceptives, or other form of hormonal birth control including hormonal vaginal rings or transdermal patches Use an intra-uterine device (IUD) Use (by ensuring her male partner(s)uses)barrier contraception (condom) with spermicide Any other equivalent (as judged by the investigative team) methods of contraception

7. Healthy adult males and females, as assessed by a medical history, physical exam, and laboratory tests

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Allergy to lidocaine

2. Confirmed HIV-1 or HIV-2 infection

3. Any clinically significant abnormality on history or examination including history of immunodeficiency or autoimmune disease; use of systemic corticosteroids, immunosuppressive, anticancer, or other medications considered significant by the trial physician within the last 6 months

4. Any clinically significant acute or chronic medical conditions requiring care of a physician (e.g., diabetes, coronary artery disease, rheumatologic illness, malignancy, substance abuse) that in the opinion of the investigator would preclude participation

5. Any laboratory value outside of reference range, with the exception of any non-clinically significant Grade I elevations of liver function tests (AST, ALT, direct/total bilirubin), electrolytes (Na, K, Cl, CO2), Glucose, CBC, as determined by the Principal Investigator or his designee as well as creatinine if the estimated glomerular filtration rate is > 60 mL/min/1.73 m2

6. Confirmed diagnosis of hepatitis B (surface antigen, HbsAg); hepatitis C (HCV antibodies) or active syphilis

7. If female, pregnant, planning a pregnancy during the trial period or lactating

8. Receipt of a live attenuated vaccine within 30 days or other vaccine within 14 days of poly ICLC administration

9. Receipt of blood transfusion or blood products 6 months prior to drug administration