Reduced Toxicity Conditioning Prior to Unrelated Cord Cell Transplantation for High Risk Myeloid Malignancies

Summary

Allogeneic cord blood stem cell transplantation is a potentially curative therapy for patients with haematological malignancies. We have extensive experience with the use of Cord Blood Transplantation (CBT) in patients with advanced myeloid malignancies. In adults however, the 40% Non-Relapse Mortality (NRM) rate observed after CBT conditioned with a myeloablative conditioning has encouraged the development of CBT with Reduced Intensity Conditioning (RIC). Our previous national CBT protocol (the Minicord French protocol - NCT00797758) showed that RIC CBT can reduce NRM, but relapse remains the main post-transplant event (\>30% at one year). Thus, the development of reduced toxicity rather than RIC conditioning for CBT is warranted in order to improve the outcome of such transplants by limiting NRM and reducing relapse rate. The Fludarabine, ATG and intensified doses of IV Busulfan (9.6 mg/Kg total dose) regimen is a well-established preparative regimen for reduced-intensity/toxicity conditioning prior to allogeneic stem cell transplantation using peripheral blood stem cells mobilized with G-CSF (ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT00841724). However, such regimen is likely not sufficient to allow for CB cell engraftment. Thiotepa is an alkylating and radio-mimetic agent with a large anti-tumor activity including leukemic cells, the ability to cross the blood-brain barrier and to improve engraftment of hematopoietic stem cells. This drug has been combined to usual conditioning regimen without increasing the toxicity but improving the engraftment rate and potentially reducing the relapse rate. Thus, in the context of adult CBT for high risk myeloid malignancies, we propose to prospectively evaluate a reduced toxicity conditioning based on the association of Thiotepa, Fludarabine, IV Busulfan and ATG with the objective to achieve acceptable NRM rates, and to allow for improved anti-leukemic control based on the cytotoxic component of the conditioning regimen itself, while waiting for the long term immune-mediated disease control (GVL effect).

Timeline

Start

2015-05

Primary completion

2018-05

Completion

2019-05

Publications

• Background Rocha V, Labopin M, Sanz G, Arcese W, Schwerdtfeger R, Bosi A, Jacobsen N, Ruutu T, de Lima M, Finke J, Frassoni F, Gluckman E; Acute Leukemia Working Party of European Blood and Marrow Transplant Group; Eurocord-Netcord Registry. Transplants of umbilical-cord blood or bone marrow from unrelated donors in adults with acute leukemia. N Engl J Med. 2004 Nov 25;351(22):2276-85. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa041469.
• Background Arcese W, Rocha V, Labopin M, Sanz G, Iori AP, de Lima M, Sirvent A, Busca A, Asano S, Ionescu I, Wernet P, Gluckman E; Eurocord-Netcord Transplant group. Unrelated cord blood transplants in adults with hematologic malignancies. Haematologica. 2006 Feb;91(2):223-30.
• Background Atsuta Y, Suzuki R, Nagamura-Inoue T, Taniguchi S, Takahashi S, Kai S, Sakamaki H, Kouzai Y, Kasai M, Fukuda T, Azuma H, Takanashi M, Okamoto S, Tsuchida M, Kawa K, Morishima Y, Kodera Y, Kato S; Japan Cord Blood Bank Network. Disease-specific analyses of unrelated cord blood transplantation compared with unrelated bone marrow transplantation in adult patients with acute leukemia. Blood. 2009 Feb 19;113(8):1631-8. doi: 10.1182/blood-2008-03-147041. Epub 2008 Dec 22.
• Background Eapen M, Rocha V, Sanz G, Scaradavou A, Zhang MJ, Arcese W, Sirvent A, Champlin RE, Chao N, Gee AP, Isola L, Laughlin MJ, Marks DI, Nabhan S, Ruggeri A, Soiffer R, Horowitz MM, Gluckman E, Wagner JE; Center for International Blood and Marrow Transplant Research; Acute Leukemia Working Party Eurocord (the European Group for Blood Marrow Transplantation); National Cord Blood Program of the New York Blood Center. Effect of graft source on unrelated donor haemopoietic stem-cell transplantation in adults with acute leukaemia: a retrospective analysis. Lancet Oncol. 2010 Jul;11(7):653-60. doi: 10.1016/S1470-2045(10)70127-3.

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