CAR T-cell Therapy for Blood Cancer

Overseen By Abramson Cancer Center Clinical Trials Service

Age: 18+

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Phase 1

Sponsor: University of Pennsylvania

Must not be taking: Steroids, Immunosuppressants

Disqualifiers: Active infections, Cardiovascular disability, Autoimmune disease, others

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: Unknown

Duration: Varies by dose level

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial tests a new treatment called huCART19-IL18, a type of CAR T-cell therapy, for individuals with certain blood cancers that haven't responded to standard treatments. Researchers aim to determine if this treatment is safe and can be administered effectively, particularly for those whose cancer has returned or hasn't improved with existing options. The trial includes several variations of the treatment, tailored to the specific type of blood cancer. Eligible participants have specific blood cancers, such as certain lymphomas or leukemias, and have tried at least two other treatments without success. As a Phase 1 trial, the research focuses on understanding how the treatment works in people, offering participants the opportunity to be among the first to receive this new therapy.

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

The trial does not specify if you need to stop taking your current medications. However, it mentions that participants should not depend on systemic steroids or immunosuppressant medications, which might imply some medications need to be adjusted or stopped.

Is there any evidence suggesting that huCART19-IL18 is likely to be safe for humans?

Research has shown that huCART19-IL18 is generally safe for treating certain blood cancers. In earlier studies, patients with relapsed or hard-to-treat non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) tolerated this therapy well. Serious side effects were uncommon, but close monitoring is essential to manage any potential negative reactions.

For chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), the treatment also demonstrated a good safety record, with long-lasting improvements in patients who had undergone many previous treatments. Similarly, in cases of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), huCART19-IL18 treatment proved effective, though some side effects occurred. Overall, the treatment has led to positive results, but patients must be closely monitored throughout the therapy. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Why do researchers think this study treatment might be promising for blood cancer?

Researchers are excited about huCART19-IL18 because it offers a novel approach to treating blood cancers like NHL, CLL, and ALL. Unlike standard treatments such as chemotherapy or existing CAR T-cell therapies, huCART19-IL18 is genetically engineered to include an interleukin-18 (IL-18) component, which is designed to enhance the immune system's ability to fight cancer cells. This innovative mechanism targets cancer more precisely, potentially leading to improved outcomes and fewer side effects. By leveraging this cutting-edge technology, huCART19-IL18 could represent a significant advancement in personalized cancer treatment.

What evidence suggests that this trial's treatments could be effective for blood cancer?

Previous studies have shown that huCART19-IL18 holds promise for treating blood cancers such as NHL, CLL, and ALL. In NHL, the treatment typically led to a response lasting about 9.6 months, with patients tolerating it well. In CLL, the treatment achieved a 52% complete remission rate, even in those unresponsive to earlier treatments. For ALL, 81% of patients experienced either a partial or complete response. This trial will explore various dose levels of huCART19-IL18 for these conditions. These findings suggest it could effectively fight cancer cells, offering new hope for patients with these challenging conditions. ^{6 7 8 9 10}

Who Is on the Research Team?

Jakub Svoboda, MD

Principal Investigator

University of Pennsylvania

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

Adults with CD19+ cancers like various leukemias and lymphomas, who have active disease despite previous treatments. They must be over 18, in fairly good health (ECOG 0 or 1), with decent organ function and no severe heart issues. Active infections or autoimmune diseases are deal-breakers, as is recent use of certain immune drugs.

Inclusion Criteria

I cannot use or have not responded to standard CAR T cell therapy.

My condition worsened or didn't improve after a stem cell transplant.

- Creatinine ≤ 1.6 mg/dl

Exclusion Criteria

I have a history of optic neuritis or an immune-related disease affecting my brain or spinal cord, not related to cancer.

I am receiving treatment for ongoing GVHD.

I do not currently have active brain or spinal cord disease, or it has been successfully treated.

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Treatment

Participants receive huCART19-IL18 cells following lymphodepleting chemotherapy administered as a single intravenous (IV) infusion or slow IV push

Varies by dose level

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for safety and effectiveness after treatment

12 months

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• huCART19-IL18

Trial Overview The trial is testing the safety of a new cell therapy called huCART19-IL18 for blood cancers that have a marker called CD19. The goal is to find the highest dose people can take without serious side effects.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: Cohort D: NHL Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

7x10\^6 huCART19-IL18 as a single intravenous (IV) infusion or slow IV push

Group II: Cohort D: ALL Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

7x10\^6 huCART19-IL18 as a single intravenous (IV) infusion or slow IV push

Group III: Cohort C: ALL Dose Level 5 (DL5) Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

3x10\^8 huCART19-IL18 cells following lymphodepleting chemotherapy administered as a single intravenous (IV) infusion or slow IV push

Group IV: Cohort C: ALL Dose Level 4 (DL4) Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

7x10\^7 huCART19-IL18 cells following lymphodepleting chemotherapy administered as a single intravenous (IV) infusion or slow IV push

Group V: Cohort C: ALL Dose Level 3 (DL3) Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

3x10\^7 huCART19-IL18 cells following lymphodepleting chemotherapy administered as a single intravenous (IV) infusion or slow IV push

Group VI: Cohort C: ALL Dose Level 2 (DL2) Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

7x10\^6 huCART19-IL18 cells following lymphodepleting chemotherapy administered as a single intravenous (IV) infusion or slow IV push

Group VII: Cohort C: ALL Dose Level 1b (DL1b) Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

3x10\^6 huCART19-IL18 cells administered as a single intravenous (IV) infusion or slow IV push; This dose level will only be explored if at least one DLT is observed at Dose Level 2.

Group VIII: Cohort B: CLL Dose Level 5 (DL5) Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

3x10\^8 huCART19-IL18 cells following lymphodepleting chemotherapy administered as a single intravenous (IV) infusion or slow IV push

Group IX: Cohort B: CLL Dose Level 4 (DL4) Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

7x10\^7 huCART19-IL18 cells following lymphodepleting chemotherapy administered as a single intravenous (IV) infusion or slow IV push

Group X: Cohort B: CLL Dose Level 3 (DL3) Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

3x10\^7 huCART19-IL18 cells following lymphodepleting chemotherapy administered as a single intravenous (IV) infusion or slow IV push

Group XI: Cohort B: CLL Dose Level 2 (DL2) Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

7x10\^6 huCART19-IL18 cells following lymphodepleting chemotherapy administered as a single intravenous (IV) infusion or slow IV push

Group XII: Cohort B: CLL Dose Level 1b (DL1b) Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

3x10\^6 huCART19-IL18 cells administered as a single intravenous (IV) infusion or slow IV push; This dose level will only be explored if at least one DLT is observed at Dose Level 2.

Group XIII: Cohort A: NHL Dose Level 5 (DL5) Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

3x10\^8 huCART19-IL18 cells following lymphodepleting chemotherapy administered as a single intravenous (IV) infusion or slow IV push

Group XIV: Cohort A: NHL Dose Level 4 (DL4) Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

7x10\^7 huCART19-IL18 cells following lymphodepleting chemotherapy administered as a single intravenous (IV) infusion or slow IV push

Group XV: Cohort A: NHL Dose Level 3 (DL3) Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

3x10\^7 huCART19-IL18 cells following lymphodepleting chemotherapy administered as a single intravenous (IV) infusion or slow IV push

Group XVI: Cohort A: NHL Dose Level 2 (DL2) Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

7x10\^6 huCART19-IL18 cells following lymphodepleting chemotherapy administered as a single intravenous (IV) infusion or slow IV push

Group XVII: Cohort A: NHL Dose Level 1b (DL1b) Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

3x10\^6 huCART19-IL18 cells following lymphodepleting chemotherapy administered as a single intravenous (IV) infusion or slow IV push

Group XVIII: Cohort A: NHL Dose Level 1a (DL1a) Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

3x10\^6 huCART19-IL18 cells administered as a single intravenous (IV) infusion or slow IV push

Group XIX: Cohort A: NHL Dose Level -1 (DL-1) Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

7x10\^5 huCART19-IL18 cells administered as a single intravenous (IV) infusion or slow IV push; This dose level will only be explored if at least one DLT is observed at Dose Level 1a.

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

University of Pennsylvania

Lead Sponsor

Trials

2,118

Recruited

45,270,000+

BlueWhale Bio

Collaborator

BlueWhale Bio (Cohort D only)

Collaborator

Published Research Related to This Trial

CAR-T cell therapy has shown great promise in treating hematological cancers, with two Anti-CD19 CAR-T therapies already approved for CD19-positive leukemia and lymphoma.

However, the therapy can cause serious side effects like cytokine release syndrome and on-target off-tumor toxicity, leading to some patients discontinuing treatment; researchers are exploring various safety strategies to mitigate these risks.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Next generation chimeric antigen receptor T cells: safety strategies to overcome toxicity. Yu, S., Yi, M., Qin, S., et al.[2020]

CD19+ CAR T-cells have shown high effectiveness against various cancers, but their complete risk profile, including complications, was not fully understood during initial clinical trials.

Emerging evidence from post-approval studies reveals significant complications associated with CD19+ CAR T-cell therapy, such as cytokine release syndrome and neurotoxicity, indicating that these therapies can affect multiple organ systems and may lead to long-term health issues.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Complications after CD19+ CAR T-Cell Therapy. Penack, O., Koenecke, C.[2020]

CAR-T cell therapy has significantly improved treatment outcomes for patients with relapsed and refractory hematologic cancers, but it can also lead to serious toxicities, which are primarily caused by T-cell activation and interactions with non-cancerous cells.

The review emphasizes the need for early recognition and management of CAR-T related toxicities, as well as the potential for expanding CAR-T therapies to target solid tumors in the future.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Management and Prevention of Cellular-Therapy-Related Toxicity: Early and Late Complications. Mucha, SR., Rajendram, P.[2023]

Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) therapy, particularly targeting CD19, has shown significant efficacy in treating patients with chemorefractory B cell malignancies, leading to its potential regulatory approval as a cell-based immunotherapy.

While CAR therapy is effective, it is associated with toxicities such as cytokine release syndrome, neurotoxicity, and B cell aplasia, which require careful management in clinical settings.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Biology and clinical application of CAR T cells for B cell malignancies. Davila, ML., Sadelain, M.[2023]

CD19-targeted CAR-T therapy shows a high efficacy in treating refractory B-cell malignancies, with a complete remission rate of 55% and a partial remission rate of 25% based on a meta-analysis of 19 studies involving 391 patients.

While the treatment is effective, it is associated with manageable side effects, including fever (62%), hypotension (22%), and acute renal failure (24%), with no reported deaths due to toxicity, indicating a need for improved safety strategies.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Adoptive Immunotherapy for B-cell Malignancies Using CD19- Targeted Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-Cells: A Systematic Review of Efficacy and Safety. Hao, L., Li, T., Chang, LJ., et al.[2019]

A systematic analysis of CAR T-cell therapy adverse events revealed 5,112 reports of hematotoxicity, highlighting significant under-reporting of severe conditions like hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) and disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC), which have high mortality rates of 69.9% and 59.6%, respectively.

The study identified 23 hematologic adverse events that were significantly over-reported compared to the general database, emphasizing the need for increased awareness and monitoring of these rare but potentially fatal toxicities in CAR T therapy patients.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis and disseminated intravascular coagulation are underestimated, but fatal adverse events in chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy. Song, Z., Tu, D., Tang, G., et al.[2023]

Adoptive cellular therapy using CAR-modified T cells targeting CD19 has shown significant clinical efficacy in treating relapsed or refractory B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) in both children and adults, with some patients also benefiting from treatment for chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma (B-NHL).

Current research is expanding the use of CAR T-cell therapies to other cancers, including multiple myeloma and solid tumors, while also addressing challenges such as severe cytokine release syndrome and neurologic toxicities associated with the treatment.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Review: Current clinical applications of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) modified T cells. Geyer, MB., Brentjens, RJ.[2022]

Genetically modified T cells expressing chimeric antigen receptors (CAR) targeting the CD19 antigen have shown promise in early-phase clinical trials for treating tumors in patients who do not respond to standard therapies.

Despite some successes, not all patients achieve complete responses, highlighting the need for further research into the mechanisms of treatment failure and the potential for improving the effectiveness of CAR T cell therapies, especially for solid tumors.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Driving CAR-based T-cell therapy to success. Jena, B., Moyes, JS., Huls, H., et al.[2021]

CAR-T cell therapy has shown effectiveness in treating CD19-positive blood cancers, indicating its potential as a promising treatment option for aggressive tumors that have not responded well to existing therapies.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Recent Prospective in CAR T-Based Therapy for Solid and Hematological Malignancies. Marei, HE., Cenciarelli, C.[2023]

Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) and T cell receptor (TCR) engineered T cells show promise in treating blood cancers, particularly with CD19-CAR-T cells demonstrating strong clinical responses in B-cell malignancies.

To enhance the effectiveness and safety of these therapies, researchers are exploring new antigens, improved T cell culture methods, and better administration protocols to address issues like treatment failure and toxicities.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Overcoming key challenges in cancer immunotherapy with engineered T cells. Arcangeli, S., Mestermann, K., Weber, J., et al.[2021]

In a study of 145 adult patients undergoing anti-CD19 CAR T cell therapy, 31 patients experienced major cardiovascular events (MACE) within a median of 11 days post-infusion, highlighting a significant risk of cardiovascular complications associated with this treatment.

The analysis identified that higher baseline creatinine levels and severe cytokine release syndrome (Grade 3 or 4) were independently linked to an increased risk of MACE, suggesting the need for careful cardiovascular monitoring in patients receiving CART19 therapy.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Cardiovascular Effects of CAR T Cell Therapy: A Retrospective Study. Lefebvre, B., Kang, Y., Smith, AM., et al.[2022]

In a phase I clinical trial involving 20 patients with B-cell lymphoma, 55% achieved complete remission using the new anti-CD19 CAR T-cell therapy Hu19-CD828Z, demonstrating its effectiveness against lymphoma.

Hu19-CD828Z therapy resulted in significantly lower rates of severe neurologic toxicity (5%) compared to the previously tested FMC63-28Z therapy (50%), likely due to reduced cytokine release associated with the Hu19-CD828Z CAR design.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Safety and feasibility of anti-CD19 CAR T cells with fully human binding domains in patients with B-cell lymphoma. Brudno, JN., Lam, N., Vanasse, D., et al.[2021]

Chimeric antigen receptor-modified T cells (CAR-Ts) are a promising new treatment for hematological malignancies, showing powerful efficacy against tumor cells by targeting specific cancer-associated antigens.

The review discusses the CAR-T manufacturing process and highlights ongoing clinical trials for various blood cancers, including acute lymphoblastic leukemia and multiple myeloma, indicating a growing interest and development in this area of immunotherapy.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Adoptive immunotherapy for hematological malignancies: Current status and new insights in chimeric antigen receptor T cells. Allegra, A., Innao, V., Gerace, D., et al.[2018]

Citations

1. ashpublications.org ashpublications.org/ashclinicalnews/news/8694/Cytokine-Secreting-CAR-T-Cell-Candidate-Therapy

Cytokine-Secreting CAR T-Cell Candidate Therapy Shows ... Among 21 patients who received an infusion of huCART19-IL18, 81% achieved a partial or complete response. After a median follow-up of 17.5 ...

2. cancer.gov cancer.gov/research/participate/clinical-trials-search/v?id=NCI-2021-05843

huCART19-IL18 Cells for the Treatment of Relapsed or ... This phase I trial finds out the best dose, possible benefits and/or side effects huCART19-IL18 cells in treating patients with non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), ...

3. pennmedicine.org pennmedicine.org/news/enhanced-car-t-cell-therapy-offers-new-strategy-for-lymphoma

Enhanced CAR T cell therapy offers new strategy for ... A phase I study of a next-generation CAR T cell therapy showed a 52 percent complete remission rate for patients with relapsed/refractory lymphoma.

4. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40334157/

Enhanced CAR T-Cell Therapy for Lymphoma after Previous ... In this small study, huCART19-IL18 had a safety profile consistent with other CAR T-cell treatments and showed promising efficacy at low cell doses in patients ...

5. regmednet.com regmednet.com/hucart19-il18-enhancing-car-t-cell-therapy-for-blood-cancers/

huCART19-IL18: Enhancing CAR-T Cell Therapy for Blood ... Three months after the initial huCART19-IL18 infusion, 81% of patients had a complete or partial response and 52% of patients had complete ...

6. ashpublications.org ashpublications.org/blood/article/144/Supplement%201/5877/527643/Long-Term-Outcomes-and-Adverse-Events-of-CAR-T-19

Long-Term Outcomes and Adverse Events of CAR T-19 Cell ... Anti-CD19 CAR T-cell therapy showed the highest efficacy with an event rate of 74.75% (95% CI: 61% to 80%, I² = 89.84%). Combination therapies ...

7. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11095278/

Comprehensive analysis of the efficacy and safety of CAR ... CAR T-cell treatment, considered an advanced treatment, remains controversial due to high relapse rates and adverse events.

8. ascopubs.org ascopubs.org/doi/10.1200/JCO.2025.43.16_suppl.e19012

CD-19 CAR-T cell therapy in adult B-cell ALL patients 1-year overall survival (OS) was 71% in patients treated with KTE-X19, 61% with Obe-cel, 56% with UCART19, and 85.7% with GC007g. Incidence of ...

9. clinicaltrials.gov clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06027957

NCT06027957 | CD19 CAR T-Cell Therapy for R/R Non- ... Objective: This study aims to evaluate the safety and efficacy of single-dose anti-CD19 CAR T-cell therapy in the treatment of relapsed/refractory CD19+ non- ...

10. nejm.org nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa1709919

Long-Term Follow-up of CD19 CAR Therapy in Acute ... Multiple clinical trials of CD19-specific CAR T cells have shown complete remission rates of 70 to 90% among children and adults with relapsed B ...