Interleukin-21 (IL-21)- Expanded Natural Killer Cells for Induction of Acute Myeloid Leukemia

Summary

Relapsed acute myeloblastic leukemia (AML) requires remission prior to allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant (HSCT) for optimal survival, but is a disease with poor response to chemotherapy. Human leukocyte antigen (HLA) haploidentical, Natural killer (NK) enriched peripheral blood cell infusions have shown safety in patients with poor prognosis AML. Though not powered for such an assessment, this trial showed a promising but not statistically significant trend in remission rate. NK cell therapy was limited by small numbers of NK cells attainable through leukapheresis. We have now demonstrated that large numbers of NK cells can be propagated ex vivo from a small volume blood draw, obviating the need for donor leukapheresis. The purpose of this trial is to determine the feasibility and maximum tolerated dose of expanded NK cells and estimate the toxicity of treating relapsed/refractory AML with fludarabine + high-dose cytarabine + G-CSF (FLAG) chemotherapy followed by haploidentical expanded natural killer (NK) cells. The first NK cell dosing cohort will be well below the currently-established safe dose of pheresis-derived NK cells, as expanded NK cells may have increased toxicity because of their activated phenotype. In order to avoid accruing patients at suboptimal doses, a dose escalation schema based on the principles of an accelerated titration design is used in this study to allow expeditious advancement up to the current safe dose of NK cells.

Timeline

Start

2017-04-01

Primary completion

2019-09-30

Completion

2020-09

Drugs

Indications