7 Clinical Trials for Various Conditions
To evaluate the anti cancer effect of VK 2019 in subjects with EBV related nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) for whom there is no other standard treatment available
VK-2019-001 is a 1/2a trial of the oral EBNA-1 targeting agent VK-2019 in patients with EBV-positive recurrent or metastatic NPC to determine the Maximum Tolerated Dose (MTD) and Recommended Phase 2 Dose (RP2D), as well as to evaluate the PK profile of VK-2019.
Patients have nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). This study is a gene transfer research study using special immune cells. Most patients with NPC show evidence of infection with the virus that causes infectious mononucleosis Epstein Barr virus (EBV) before or at the time of their diagnosis. EBV is found in the cancer cells of almost all patients with advanced stage NPC, suggesting that it may play a role in causing the disease. The cancer cells infected by EBV are able to hide from the body's immune system and escape destruction. We want to see if special white blood cells, called T cells, that have been trained to recognize and kill special parts of EBV infected cells can survive in patient's blood and affect the tumor. We already have given EBV-specific cytotoxic T cells to 30 patients with active NPC and have seen anti-tumor activity in 14 of 30 patients. We are now trying to find out if we can improve this treatment. First, we want to give T cells where more of the cells recognize at least two of the four EBV proteins expressed on NPC cells. We call these cells NPC-specific cytotoxic T cells. Second, we found that T cells work better if we add a receptor to the T cells called DNR (Dominant Negative Receptor). DNR makes T cells resistant to TGFbeta, a factor secreted by cancer cells that helps them escape being killed by the immune system. In this study we will therefore place the DNR gene into NPC-specific T cells (DNR.NPC-specific T cells). In other clinical studies using T cells, some investigators found that giving chemotherapy before the T cell infusion can improve the amount of time the T cells stay in the body and therefore the effect the T cells can have. Giving chemotherapy before a T cell infusion is called lymphodepletion since the chemotherapy is specifically chosen to decrease the number of lymphocytes in the body. Decreasing the number of patient's lymphocytes first should allow the T cells we infuse to expand and stay longer in their body, and potentially kill cancer cells more effectively. The chemotherapy we will use for lymphodepletion is a combination of cyclophosphamide and fludarabine. Cyclophosphamide and fludarabine are the chemotherapy agents most commonly used for lymphodepletion in immunotherapy clinical trials.
To determine the safety of the combination of CD45 monoclonal antibody (Mab) followed by intravenous injection of EBV specific CTL in patients with nasopharyngeal cancer. To compare the expansion, persistence and anti-tumor effects of the EBV specific CTL given after CD45 Mab administration with that observed in our first study. To obtain preliminary information on the safety and response to an extended dosage regimen of EBV-specific CTL in patients, who have stable disease or a partial response after the initial dose of EBV-specific CTL.
This clinical trial tests the effect of induction chemotherapy response-guided radiation (de-escalated intensity-modulated radiation therapy \[IMRT\]) compared to standard IMRT in patients with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-associated nasopharyngeal cancer. Intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) is an advanced form of 3-dimensional radiation therapy that uses computer-generated images to show the size and shape of the tumor. Thin beams of radiation of different intensities are aimed at the tumor from many angles. This type of radiation therapy reduces the damage to healthy tissue near the tumor. Radiation therapy sometimes causes unwanted symptoms or side effects, including late effects such as hearing loss and dental problems. The severity of the side effects is related to the radiation dose received and the amount of tissue that received radiation. De-escalation IMRT uses lower doses of radiation based on a good response to induction chemotherapy. Giving de-escalated IMRT may be as effective as standard doses of IMRT in treating patients with EBV-associated nasopharyngeal cancer.
The subject has a type of cancer or lymph gland disease associated with a virus called Epstein Barr Virus (EBV), which has come back, is at risk of coming back, or has not gone away after standard treatments. This research study uses special immune system cells called LMP, BARF-1 and EBNA1- specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes (MABEL CTLs). Some patients with Lymphoma (such as Hodgkin (HD) or non-Hodgkin Lymphoma (NHL)), T/NK-lymphoproliferative disease, or CAEBV, or solid tumors such as nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), smooth muscle tumors, and leiomyosarcomas show signs of a virus called EBV before or at the time of their diagnosis. EBV causes mononucleosis or glandular fever ("mono" or the "kissing disease"). EBV is found in the cancer cells of up to half the patients with HD and NHL, suggesting that it may play a role in causing Lymphoma. The cancer cells (in lymphoma) and some immune system cells (in CAEBV) infected by EBV are able to hide from the body's immune system and escape destruction. EBV is also found in the majority of NPC and smooth muscle tumors, and some leiomyosarcomas. We want to see if special white blood cells (MABEL CTLs) that have been trained to kill EBV infected cells can survive in your blood and affect the tumor. In previous studies, EBV CTLs were generated from the blood of the patient, which was often difficult if the patient had recently received chemotherapy. Also, it took up to 1-2 months to make the cells, which is not practical when a patient needs more urgent treatment. To address these issues, the MABEL CTLs were made in the lab in a simpler, faster, and safer way. The MABEL CTLs will still see LMP proteins but also two other EBV proteins called EBNA-1 and BARF. To ensure these cells are available for use in patients in urgent clinical need, we have generated MABEL CTLs from the blood of healthy donors and created a bank of these cells, which are frozen until ready for use. We have previously successfully used frozen T cells from healthy donors to treat EBV lymphoma and virus infections and we now have improved our production method to make it faster. In this study, we want to find out if we can use banked MABEL CTLs to treat HD, NHL, T/NK-lymphoproliferative disease, CAEBV, NPC, smooth muscle tumors or leiomyosarcoma. We will search the bank to find a MABEL CTL line that is a partial match with the subject. MABEL CTLs are investigational and not approved by the Food and Drug Administration.
Patients have a type of cancer called nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) which has either come back, not gone away or is at high risk for coming back after the best treatment we know for this disease. We are inviting patients to participate in a research study using a new experimental therapy consisting of special immune system cells called LMP1- and LMP2-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes (LMP1- and LMP2-CTLs). Some patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma show evidence of infection with the virus that causes infectious mononucleosis Epstein Barr virus (EBV) before or at the time of their diagnosis. EBV is found in the cancer cells of almost all patients with advanced stage NPC, suggesting that it may play a role in causing the disease. The cancer cells infected by EBV are able to hide from the body's immune system and escape destruction. We want to see if special white blood cells, called T cells, that have been trained to recognize and kill special parts of EBV infected cells can survive in blood and affect the tumor. We have used this sort of therapy to treat a different type of cancer that occurs after bone marrow and solid organ transplant called post-transplant lymphoma. In this type of cancer the tumor cells have 9 proteins made by EBV on their surface. We grew T cells in the laboratory that recognized all 9 proteins and were able to prevent and treat post-transplant lymphoma. However nasopharyngeal carcinoma tumor cells only express 2 EBV proteins (LMP1 and LMP2) on their surfaces. In a previous study we made T cells that recognized all 9 proteins and gave them to patients with NPC. While some patients had a response, only a few patients had their cancer completely go away. We are now trying to find out if we can improve this treatment by growing and giving T cells where more of the cells will recognize two of the proteins expressed on NPC cells called LMP1 and LMP2. These special T cells are called LMP1- and LMP2-CTLs. These LMP1- and LMP2-CTLs are an investigational product not approved by the Food and Drug Administration.