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Efficacy and toxicity management of 19-28z CAR T cell therapy in B cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

Literature Information

DOI10.1126/scitranslmed.3008226
PMID24553386
JournalScience translational medicine
Impact Factor14.6
JCR QuartileQ1
Publication Year2014
Times Cited1351
KeywordsCAR T cell therapy, B cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia, cytokine release syndrome
Literature TypeJournal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
ISSN1946-6234
Pages224ra25
Issue6(224)
AuthorsMarco L Davila, Isabelle Riviere, Xiuyan Wang, Shirley Bartido, Jae Park, Kevin Curran, Stephen S Chung, Jolanta Stefanski, Oriana Borquez-Ojeda, Malgorzata Olszewska, Jinrong Qu, Teresa Wasielewska, Qing He, Mitsu Fink, Himaly Shinglot, Maher Youssif, Mark Satter, Yongzeng Wang, James Hosey, Hilda Quintanilla, Elizabeth Halton, Yvette Bernal, Diana C G Bouhassira, Maria E Arcila, Mithat Gonen, Gail J Roboz, Peter Maslak, Dan Douer, Mark G Frattini, Sergio Giralt, Michel Sadelain, Renier Brentjens

TL;DR

This study reports on 16 patients with relapsed or refractory B cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) treated with autologous T cells expressing the 19-28z chimeric antigen receptor targeting CD19, achieving an 88% complete response rate, including in high-risk Philadelphia chromosome-positive cases. Additionally, the research identifies diagnostic criteria for severe cytokine release syndrome and highlights serum C-reactive protein as a reliable severity indicator, supporting the need for a multicenter phase 2 study to further evaluate this CAR T cell therapy approach.

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CAR T cell therapy · B cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia · cytokine release syndrome

Abstract

We report on 16 patients with relapsed or refractory B cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) that we treated with autologous T cells expressing the 19-28z chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) specific to the CD19 antigen. The overall complete response rate was 88%, which allowed us to transition most of these patients to a standard-of-care allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant (allo-SCT). This therapy was as effective in high-risk patients with Philadelphia chromosome-positive (Ph(+)) disease as in those with relapsed disease after previous allo-SCT. Through systematic analysis of clinical data and serum cytokine levels over the first 21 days after T cell infusion, we have defined diagnostic criteria for a severe cytokine release syndrome (sCRS), with the goal of better identifying the subset of patients who will likely require therapeutic intervention with corticosteroids or interleukin-6 receptor blockade to curb the sCRS. Additionally, we found that serum C-reactive protein, a readily available laboratory study, can serve as a reliable indicator for the severity of the CRS. Together, our data provide strong support for conducting a multicenter phase 2 study to further evaluate 19-28z CAR T cells in B-ALL and a road map for patient management at centers now contemplating the use of CAR T cell therapy.

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Primary Questions Addressed

  1. What are the long-term outcomes and survival rates for patients who achieve a complete response with 19-28z CAR T cell therapy in B-ALL?
  2. How does the efficacy of 19-28z CAR T cell therapy compare to other CAR T cell therapies targeting CD19 in terms of response rates and safety profiles?
  3. What specific factors contribute to the development of severe cytokine release syndrome in patients receiving 19-28z CAR T cell therapy, and how can these be mitigated?
  4. How do the clinical characteristics of Philadelphia chromosome-positive B-ALL patients influence their response to 19-28z CAR T cell therapy compared to those with standard risk?
  5. What are the implications of using serum C-reactive protein as a biomarker for managing cytokine release syndrome in the context of CAR T cell therapies?

Key Findings

Research Background and Purpose

The study investigates the efficacy and toxicity management of 19-28z CAR T cell therapy in patients with relapsed or refractory B cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL). Given the poor prognosis of B-ALL, especially in adults, this research aims to evaluate the therapeutic potential of CAR T cells targeting the CD19 antigen, aiming for improved patient outcomes and establishing management protocols for associated toxicities.

Main Methods/Materials/Experimental Design

The study involved a phase 1 clinical trial where 16 patients with relapsed or refractory B-ALL were treated with autologous T cells expressing the 19-28z CAR. The process is summarized in the flowchart below:

Mermaid diagram
  • Patient Selection: Adults with relapsed or refractory B-ALL, with some having Philadelphia chromosome-positive (Ph+) disease.
  • Intervention: Patients received a conditioning regimen followed by infusion of 19-28z CAR T cells.
  • Monitoring: Clinical outcomes, cytokine levels, and potential toxicities were systematically analyzed over 21 days post-infusion.

Key Results and Findings

  • Efficacy: The overall complete response (CR) rate was 88%, with a significant number of patients achieving molecular complete remission (CRm).
  • Cytokine Release Syndrome (CRS): A severe form of CRS (sCRS) was diagnosed based on specific clinical and laboratory criteria, including elevated C-reactive protein (CRP) levels.
  • Toxicity Management: High-dose steroids and tocilizumab were used to manage sCRS, with tocilizumab showing less impact on CAR T cell expansion compared to steroids.
  • Transplantation Outcomes: 44% of patients successfully transitioned to allogeneic stem cell transplant post-therapy, with no relapses observed in those who underwent the procedure.

Main Conclusions/Significance/Innovation

The study provides strong evidence supporting the use of 19-28z CAR T cell therapy as an effective treatment for relapsed or refractory B-ALL. The high CR rate and successful transition to allogeneic stem cell transplant highlight its potential as a bridge to curative therapy. Furthermore, the establishment of diagnostic criteria for sCRS and the role of CRP as a monitoring tool represent significant advancements in managing CAR T cell therapy-related toxicities.

Research Limitations and Future Directions

  • Limitations: The study is limited by its small sample size and single-center design, which may affect the generalizability of the results.
  • Future Directions: The authors propose conducting a multicenter phase 2 clinical trial to validate the findings and further explore the efficacy and safety of 19-28z CAR T cells in a broader patient population. Additionally, optimizing toxicity management protocols will be crucial as CAR T cell therapies become more widely implemented.

Summary Table of Key Findings

CharacteristicFindings
Overall CR Rate88%
CRm Rate75%
sCRS ManagementHigh-dose steroids and tocilizumab
Patients Transitioned to allo-SCT44%
Toxicity Monitoring IndicatorC-reactive protein (CRP)

This structured approach emphasizes the importance of CAR T cell therapy in B-ALL and lays the groundwork for future studies and clinical applications.

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Literatures Citing This Work

  1. Novel approaches to enhance the specificity and safety of engineered T cells. - Victor D Fedorov;Michel Sadelain;Christopher C Kloss - Cancer journal (Sudbury, Mass.) (2014)
  2. How do we prepare ourselves for a new paradigm of medicine to advance the treatment of pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia? - Kyung Duk Park - Blood research (2014)
  3. Nature Biotechnology's academic spinouts of 2013. - Aaron Bouchie;Malorye Allison;Sarah Webb;Laura DeFrancesco - Nature biotechnology (2014)
  4. Gene therapy: charting a future course--summary of a National Institutes of Health Workshop, April 12, 2013. - Marina O'Reilly;Howard J Federoff;Yuman Fong;Donald B Kohn;Amy P Patterson;Nabil Ahmed;Aravind Asokan;Shannon E Boye;Ronald G Crystal;Satiro De Oliveira;Linda Gargiulo;Scott Q Harper;Yasuhiro Ikeda;Robert Jambou;Maureen Montgomery;Lawrence Prograis;Eugene Rosenthal;Daniel H Sterman;Luk H Vandenberghe;Laurie Zoloth;Mehrdad Abedi;Jennifer Adair;Prasad S Adusumilli;William F Goins;Jhanelle Gray;Paul Monahan;Leslie Popplewell;Miguel Sena-Esteves;Bakhos Tannous;Thomas Weber;William Wierda;Rashmi Gopal-Srivastava;Cheryl L McDonald;Daniel Rosenblum;Jacqueline Corrigan-Curay - Human gene therapy (2014)
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