24 Participants Needed

Immune Suppression Treatment for Sickle Cell Disease

Recruiting at 5 trial locations
MC
JJ
Overseen ByJaap Jan Boelens, MD, PhD
Age: < 65
Sex: Any
Trial Phase: Phase 2
Sponsor: Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
No Placebo GroupAll trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)
Prior Safety DataThis treatment has passed at least one previous human trial

Trial Summary

What is the purpose of this trial?

Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation/HCT involves receiving healthy blood-forming cells (stem cells) from a donor to replace the diseased or damaged cells in participants' bone marrow. The researchers think giving participants treatment with fludarabine and dexamethasone, drugs that lower the activity of the body's immune system (immune suppression), before standard conditioning therapy and HCT may help prevent serious side effects, including graft failure and GvHD. In this study, depending on how participants' body responds to the fludarabine and dexamethasone, the study doctor may decide participants should receive another drug, called cyclophosphamide, instead of fludarabine. In addition, depending on the results of participants' routine blood tests, participants may receive the drugs bortezomib and rituximab, which also help with immune suppression.

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

The trial information does not specify whether you need to stop taking your current medications. It's best to discuss this with the study doctor to get a clear answer based on your specific situation.

What data supports the effectiveness of the drug dexamethasone for sickle cell disease?

Research shows that high-dose dexamethasone can shorten hospital stays and reduce the need for blood transfusions in children with sickle cell disease experiencing acute chest syndrome, a common complication.12345

Is dexamethasone generally safe for use in humans?

Dexamethasone has been shown to be effective in treating childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia, but it is associated with higher risks of certain side effects like neuro-psychiatric issues and muscle weakness. It can also increase liver toxicity when used with methotrexate in children with brain tumors.678910

How does the drug combination of Cyclophosphamide and Dexamethasone for sickle cell disease differ from other treatments?

This drug combination is unique because Cyclophosphamide is an immunosuppressant that selectively targets T cells, which can help manage immune-related complications, while Dexamethasone is a steroid that reduces inflammation. This approach may offer a novel way to address the immune system's role in sickle cell disease, which is not typically the focus of standard treatments.1112131415

Research Team

MC

Maria Cancio, MD

Principal Investigator

Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center

Eligibility Criteria

This trial is for people aged 12-35 with sickle cell disease or β-thalassemia who need a stem cell transplant. They must have had certain complications like stroke, organ damage, or frequent pain episodes and agree to use contraception. Excluded are those over age 50, with recent strokes, uncontrolled infections, liver issues, HIV/hepatitis B/C, pregnancy, obesity (BMI >40), prior transplants or other cancers.

Inclusion Criteria

ALT or AST ≤ 3 times institutional upper limit of normal.
I have had 2 or more episodes of prolonged erections in the last 2 years.
I am mostly active and can care for myself.
See 24 more

Exclusion Criteria

HIV positive
I have had a bone marrow transplant from a donor.
I have not had a stroke or brain surgery in the last 6 months.
See 9 more

Timeline

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Pre-Transplant Immune Suppression

Participants receive immune suppression treatment with fludarabine and dexamethasone, and possibly cyclophosphamide, bortezomib, and rituximab based on response and blood tests

4-6 weeks

Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation (HCT)

Participants undergo hematopoietic cell transplantation to replace diseased or damaged cells

1 week

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for safety and effectiveness after transplantation, focusing on treatment-related mortality and graft failure

1 year

Treatment Details

Interventions

  • Bortezomib
  • Cyclophosphamide
  • Dexamethasone
  • Fludarabine
  • Rituximab
  • Tacrolimus
Trial OverviewThe study tests if immune suppression drugs like fludarabine and dexamethasone before standard therapy can prevent graft failure and GvHD in patients receiving stem cell transplants. Other drugs may be added based on blood test results to improve immune suppression.
Participant Groups
1Treatment groups
Experimental Treatment
Group I: Participants with Sickle Cell Disease or β-ThalassemiaExperimental Treatment8 Interventions
Participants will have severe sickle cell disease or transfusion-dependent β-thalassemia.

Cyclophosphamide is already approved in United States, European Union, Canada, Japan for the following indications:

🇺🇸
Approved in United States as Cytoxan for:
  • Breast cancer
  • Ovarian cancer
  • Multiple myeloma
  • Leukemia
  • Lymphoma
  • Rheumatoid arthritis
🇪🇺
Approved in European Union as Endoxan for:
  • Breast cancer
  • Ovarian cancer
  • Multiple myeloma
  • Leukemia
  • Lymphoma
  • Rheumatoid arthritis
🇨🇦
Approved in Canada as Neosar for:
  • Breast cancer
  • Ovarian cancer
  • Multiple myeloma
  • Leukemia
  • Lymphoma
  • Rheumatoid arthritis
🇯🇵
Approved in Japan as Endoxan for:
  • Breast cancer
  • Ovarian cancer
  • Multiple myeloma
  • Leukemia
  • Lymphoma

Find a Clinic Near You

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center

Lead Sponsor

Trials
1,998
Recruited
602,000+

Findings from Research

High-dose dexamethasone (DXM) treatment was found to be effective in achieving a favorable response in both splenectomized and non-splenectomized Mexican mestizo patients with idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP), with 9 out of 19 patients responding positively after six treatment cycles.
However, the duration of the favorable response was short, with only four patients maintaining their response after six months, suggesting that additional treatment strategies may be necessary for longer-term remission.
High doses of dexamethasone in adult patients with idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura.Gutiérrez-Espíndola, GR., Morales-Polanco, MR., Guerrero-Rivera, S., et al.[2019]
In a study of eight patients with Diamond-Blackfan anemia who did not respond to standard prednisone doses, very high doses of methylprednisolone (up to 100 mg/kg per day) led to sustained remission in three patients for over 21 months.
While the treatment showed efficacy, it also resulted in significant toxic effects, including elevated liver enzymes and episodes of bacteremia, highlighting the need for careful monitoring during high-dose glucocorticoid therapy.
High-dose intravenous methylprednisolone therapy for patients with Diamond-Blackfan anemia refractory to conventional doses of prednisone.Bernini, JC., Carrillo, JM., Buchanan, GR.[2019]
In a randomized trial involving 38 children with sickle cell disease and acute chest syndrome, intravenous dexamethasone significantly reduced the average hospital stay from 80 hours to 47 hours, indicating its efficacy in managing this condition.
Dexamethasone treatment also decreased the need for blood transfusions and reduced the duration of oxygen and analgesic therapy, with no significant side effects observed, suggesting it is a safe and effective option for treating acute chest syndrome in children.
Beneficial effect of intravenous dexamethasone in children with mild to moderately severe acute chest syndrome complicating sickle cell disease.Bernini, JC., Rogers, ZR., Sandler, ES., et al.[2022]

References

High doses of dexamethasone in adult patients with idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura. [2019]
High-dose intravenous methylprednisolone therapy for patients with Diamond-Blackfan anemia refractory to conventional doses of prednisone. [2019]
Beneficial effect of intravenous dexamethasone in children with mild to moderately severe acute chest syndrome complicating sickle cell disease. [2022]
Pulsed high-dose dexamethasone therapy in children with chronic idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura. [2019]
Pulsed high-dose dexamethasone in chronic autoimmune haemolytic anaemia of warm type. [2019]
Dexamethasone versus prednisone for induction therapy in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia: a systematic review and meta-analysis. [2018]
Dexamethasone versus prednisone and daily oral versus weekly intravenous mercaptopurine for patients with standard-risk acute lymphoblastic leukemia: a report from the Children's Cancer Group. [2021]
Which steroids should we choose for the treatment of adult acute lymphoblastic leukemia? [2019]
Adverse drug reactions of oral dexamethasone in children and adolescents with childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia: a systematic review. [2022]
Dexamethasone increases hepatotoxicity of MTX in children with brain tumors. [2013]
The effect of cyclophosphamide on the immune system: implications for clinical cancer therapy. [2018]
[Restorative effect of traxanox on the suppression of antibody production in BALB/c mice]. [2019]
13.Russia (Federation)pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
[Antitumor and immunodepressive action of dexamethasone on a leukemia L-1210 model]. [2013]
Treatment of multiple sclerosis with cyclophosphamide: critical review of clinical and immunologic effects. [2020]
Cyclosporin A inhibits thymus-dependent but not thymus-independent immune responses induced by dextran B512. [2019]