Cytotoxic T Cells to Prevent Virus Infections

Study Summary

In this study, investigators are trying to see if infusion of "m-CTLs" will prevent or treat cytomegalovirus (CMV), Epstein Barr Virus (EBV) and adenovirus (AdV) reactivation or infection after cord blood transplant. Patients with blood cell cancer, other blood disease or a genetic disease may receive a cord blood transplant (UCBT) from an unrelated donor. After receiving a cord blood transplant, they are at risk of infections until a new immune system to fight infections grows from the cord blood cells. In this study, investigators are trying to give special cells from the cord blood called T cells. These cells will try to fight viruses that can cause infection. Investigators will test to see if blood cells from donor that have been grown in a special way, can prevent patients from getting an infection. EBV, AdV and CMV are viruses that can cause serious life-threatening infections in patients who have weak immune systems after transplant. T lymphocytes can kill viral cells but normally there are not enough of them to kill all the virus infected cells after transplant. Some researcher have taken T cells from a person's blood, grown more of them in the laboratory and then given them back to the person during a viral infection after a bone marrow transplant. Some of these studies have shown a positive therapeutic effect in patients receiving the CTLs (specially trained T cells) after a viral infection in the post-transplant period. In this study we are trying to prevent or treat viral infections by given the CTLs soon after getting the umbilical cord blood transplant. With this study, investigators want to see if they can use a kind of white blood cell called T cells to prevent or treat AdV, EBV and CMV infection. Investigators will grow these T cells from the cord blood before transplant. These cells have been trained to attack adenovirus/EBV/CMV- infected cells and are called multivirus-specific cytotoxic (killer) T-cells or "m-CTL." Investigators would plan to

Primary Outcome

The primary endpoint is to assess the safety of administration of CTLs at 45 days post-infusion. The safety endpoint will be defined as acute GvHD grades III-IV or grade 3 or higher toxicity. Other toxicities to consider include GI , renal , hemorrhagic , cardiovascular, neurologic toxicity, coagulation, vascular and pulmonary toxicity. For the trial, two patients are allocated in each cohort and are followed for 45 days post IV injection of virus-specific T-cells for evaluation of DLTs. A maxi

Conditions Studied

Interventions

• DRUG Cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs).

Study Locations (2)