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Obermaier B, Braun C, Hensen L, Ahmad O, Faul C, Lang P, Bethge W, Lengerke C, Vogel W. Adenovirus- and cytomegalovirus-specific adoptive T-cell therapy in the context of hematologic cell transplan or HIV infection - A single-center experience. Transpl Infect Dis 2024:e14296. [PMID: 38830809 DOI: 10.1111/tid.14296] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2024] [Revised: 04/17/2024] [Accepted: 05/05/2024] [Indexed: 06/05/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Reactivation of viral infections, in particular cytomegalovirus (CMV) and adenovirus (ADV), cause morbidity and non-relapse-mortality in states of immune deficiency, especially after allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (allo-HCT). Against the background of few available pharmacologic antiviral agents, limited by toxicities and resistance, adoptive transfer of virus-specific T-cells (VST) is a promising therapeutic approach. METHODS We conducted a single-center retrospective analysis of adult patients treated with ADV- or CMV-specific T-cells in 2012-2022. Information was retrieved by review of electronic health records. Primary outcome was a response to VST by decreasing viral load or clinical improvement. Secondary outcomes included overall survival and safety of VST infusion, in particular association with graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). RESULTS Ten patients were included, of whom four were treated for ADV, five for CMV, and one for ADV-CMV-coinfection. Cells were derived from stem cell donors (6/10) or third-party donors (4/10). Response criteria were met by six of 10 patients (4/4 ADV, 2/5 CMV, and 0/1 ADV-CMV). Overall survival was 40%. No infusion related adverse events were documented. Aggravation of GVHD after adoptive immunotherapy was observed in two cases, however in temporal association with a conventional donor lymphocyte infusion and a stem cell boost, respectively. CONCLUSION In this cohort, CMV- and ADV-specific T-cell therapy appear to be safe and effective. We describe the first reported case of virus-specific T-cell therapy for CMV reactivation not associated with transplantation but with advanced HIV infection. This encourages further evaluation of adoptive immunotherapy beyond the context of allo-HCT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benedikt Obermaier
- Department of Hematology, Oncology, Clinical Immunology, and Rheumatology, Center for Internal Medicine, University Hospital Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Christiane Braun
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, University Children's Hospital Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Luca Hensen
- Department of Hematology, Oncology, Clinical Immunology, and Rheumatology, Center for Internal Medicine, University Hospital Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Osama Ahmad
- Department of Hematology, Oncology, Clinical Immunology, and Rheumatology, Center for Internal Medicine, University Hospital Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Christoph Faul
- Department of Hematology, Oncology, Clinical Immunology, and Rheumatology, Center for Internal Medicine, University Hospital Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Peter Lang
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, University Children's Hospital Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Wolfgang Bethge
- Department of Hematology, Oncology, Clinical Immunology, and Rheumatology, Center for Internal Medicine, University Hospital Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Claudia Lengerke
- Department of Hematology, Oncology, Clinical Immunology, and Rheumatology, Center for Internal Medicine, University Hospital Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Wichard Vogel
- Department of Hematology, Oncology, Clinical Immunology, and Rheumatology, Center for Internal Medicine, University Hospital Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
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Puumala E, Fallah S, Robbins N, Cowen LE. Advancements and challenges in antifungal therapeutic development. Clin Microbiol Rev 2024; 37:e0014223. [PMID: 38294218 PMCID: PMC10938895 DOI: 10.1128/cmr.00142-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Over recent decades, the global burden of fungal disease has expanded dramatically. It is estimated that fungal disease kills approximately 1.5 million individuals annually; however, the true worldwide burden of fungal infection is thought to be higher due to existing gaps in diagnostics and clinical understanding of mycotic disease. The development of resistance to antifungals across diverse pathogenic fungal genera is an increasingly common and devastating phenomenon due to the dearth of available antifungal classes. These factors necessitate a coordinated response by researchers, clinicians, public health agencies, and the pharmaceutical industry to develop new antifungal strategies, as the burden of fungal disease continues to grow. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the new antifungal therapeutics currently in clinical trials, highlighting their spectra of activity and progress toward clinical implementation. We also profile up-and-coming intracellular proteins and pathways primed for the development of novel antifungals targeting their activity. Ultimately, we aim to emphasize the importance of increased investment into antifungal therapeutics in the current continually evolving landscape of infectious disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily Puumala
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Sara Fallah
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Nicole Robbins
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Leah E. Cowen
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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Pateraki P, Latsoudis H, Papadopoulou A, Gontika I, Fragiadaki I, Mavroudi I, Bizymi N, Batsali A, Klontzas ME, Xagorari A, Michalopoulos E, Sotiropoulos D, Yannaki E, Stavropoulos-Giokas C, Papadaki HA. Perspectives for the Use of Umbilical Cord Blood in Transplantation and Beyond: Initiatives for an Advanced and Sustainable Public Banking Program in Greece. J Clin Med 2024; 13:1152. [PMID: 38398465 PMCID: PMC10889829 DOI: 10.3390/jcm13041152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2024] [Revised: 02/11/2024] [Accepted: 02/14/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
The umbilical cord blood (UCB) donated in public UCB banks is a source of hematopoietic stem cells (HSC) alternative to bone marrow for allogeneic HSC transplantation (HSCT). However, the high rejection rate of the donated units due to the strict acceptance criteria and the wide application of the haploidentical HSCT have resulted in significant limitation of the use of UCB and difficulties in the economic sustainability of the public UCB banks. There is an ongoing effort within the UCB community to optimize the use of UCB in the field of HSCT and a parallel interest in exploring the use of UCB for applications beyond HSCT i.e., in the fields of cell therapy, regenerative medicine and specialized transfusion medicine. In this report, we describe the mode of operation of the three public UCB banks in Greece as an example of an orchestrated effort to develop a viable UCB banking system by (a) prioritizing the enrichment of the national inventory by high-quality UCB units from populations with rare human leukocyte antigens (HLA), and (b) deploying novel sustainable applications of UCB beyond HSCT, through national and international collaborations. The Greek paradigm of the public UCB network may become an example for countries, particularly with high HLA heterogeneity, with public UCB banks facing sustainability difficulties and adds value to the international efforts aiming to sustainably expand the public UCB banking system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patra Pateraki
- Law Directorate of the Health Region of Crete, Ministry of Health, Heraklion, 71500 Heraklion, Greece;
- Public Cord Blood Bank of Crete, Department of Hematology, University Hospital of Heraklion, 71500 Heraklion, Greece; (I.G.); (I.F.); (I.M.); (N.B.); (A.B.)
| | - Helen Latsoudis
- Institute of Computer Sciences, Foundation for Research and Technology–Hellas (FORTH), 70013 Heraklion, Greece;
| | - Anastasia Papadopoulou
- Gene and Cell Therapy Center, Department of Hematology-HCT Unit, George Papanikolaou Hospital, 57010 Thessaloniki, Greece;
| | - Ioanna Gontika
- Public Cord Blood Bank of Crete, Department of Hematology, University Hospital of Heraklion, 71500 Heraklion, Greece; (I.G.); (I.F.); (I.M.); (N.B.); (A.B.)
- Hemopoiesis Research Laboratory, School of Medicine, University of Crete, 71500 Heraklion, Greece;
| | - Irene Fragiadaki
- Public Cord Blood Bank of Crete, Department of Hematology, University Hospital of Heraklion, 71500 Heraklion, Greece; (I.G.); (I.F.); (I.M.); (N.B.); (A.B.)
- Hemopoiesis Research Laboratory, School of Medicine, University of Crete, 71500 Heraklion, Greece;
| | - Irene Mavroudi
- Public Cord Blood Bank of Crete, Department of Hematology, University Hospital of Heraklion, 71500 Heraklion, Greece; (I.G.); (I.F.); (I.M.); (N.B.); (A.B.)
- Hemopoiesis Research Laboratory, School of Medicine, University of Crete, 71500 Heraklion, Greece;
| | - Nikoleta Bizymi
- Public Cord Blood Bank of Crete, Department of Hematology, University Hospital of Heraklion, 71500 Heraklion, Greece; (I.G.); (I.F.); (I.M.); (N.B.); (A.B.)
- Hemopoiesis Research Laboratory, School of Medicine, University of Crete, 71500 Heraklion, Greece;
| | - Aristea Batsali
- Public Cord Blood Bank of Crete, Department of Hematology, University Hospital of Heraklion, 71500 Heraklion, Greece; (I.G.); (I.F.); (I.M.); (N.B.); (A.B.)
- Hemopoiesis Research Laboratory, School of Medicine, University of Crete, 71500 Heraklion, Greece;
| | - Michail E. Klontzas
- Department of Radiology, School of Medicine, University of Crete, 71500 Heraklion, Greece;
- Department of Medical Imaging, University Hospital of Heraklion, 71500 Heraklion, Greece
| | - Angeliki Xagorari
- Public Cord Blood Bank, Department of Hematology, George Papanikolaou Hospital, 57010 Thessaloniki, Greece; (A.X.); (D.S.)
| | - Efstathios Michalopoulos
- Hellenic Cord Blood Bank (HCBB), Biomedical Research Foundation Academy of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece; (E.M.); (C.S.-G.)
| | - Damianos Sotiropoulos
- Public Cord Blood Bank, Department of Hematology, George Papanikolaou Hospital, 57010 Thessaloniki, Greece; (A.X.); (D.S.)
| | - Evangelia Yannaki
- Hemopoiesis Research Laboratory, School of Medicine, University of Crete, 71500 Heraklion, Greece;
| | - Catherine Stavropoulos-Giokas
- Hellenic Cord Blood Bank (HCBB), Biomedical Research Foundation Academy of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece; (E.M.); (C.S.-G.)
| | - Helen A. Papadaki
- Public Cord Blood Bank of Crete, Department of Hematology, University Hospital of Heraklion, 71500 Heraklion, Greece; (I.G.); (I.F.); (I.M.); (N.B.); (A.B.)
- Hemopoiesis Research Laboratory, School of Medicine, University of Crete, 71500 Heraklion, Greece;
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Christofi P, Pantazi C, Psatha N, Sakellari I, Yannaki E, Papadopoulou A. Promises and Pitfalls of Next-Generation Treg Adoptive Immunotherapy. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:5877. [PMID: 38136421 PMCID: PMC10742252 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15245877] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2023] [Revised: 12/13/2023] [Accepted: 12/14/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Regulatory T cells (Tregs) are fundamental to maintaining immune homeostasis by inhibiting immune responses to self-antigens and preventing the excessive activation of the immune system. Their functions extend beyond immune surveillance and subpopulations of tissue-resident Treg cells can also facilitate tissue repair and homeostasis. The unique ability to regulate aberrant immune responses has generated the concept of harnessing Tregs as a new cellular immunotherapy approach for reshaping undesired immune reactions in autoimmune diseases and allo-responses in transplantation to ultimately re-establish tolerance. However, a number of issues limit the broad clinical applicability of Treg adoptive immunotherapy, including the lack of antigen specificity, heterogeneity within the Treg population, poor persistence, functional Treg impairment in disease states, and in vivo plasticity that results in the loss of suppressive function. Although the early-phase clinical trials of Treg cell therapy have shown the feasibility and tolerability of the approach in several conditions, its efficacy has remained questionable. Leveraging the smart tools and platforms that have been successfully developed for primary T cell engineering in cancer, the field has now shifted towards "next-generation" adoptive Treg immunotherapy, where genetically modified Treg products with improved characteristics are being generated, as regards antigen specificity, function, persistence, and immunogenicity. Here, we review the state of the art on Treg adoptive immunotherapy and progress beyond it, while critically evaluating the hurdles and opportunities towards the materialization of Tregs as a living drug therapy for various inflammation states and the broad clinical translation of Treg therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Panayiota Christofi
- Gene and Cell Therapy Center, Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation Unit, Hematology Department, George Papanikolaou Hospital, 57010 Thessaloniki, Greece; (P.C.); (C.P.); (I.S.); (E.Y.)
- University General Hospital of Patras, 26504 Rio, Greece
| | - Chrysoula Pantazi
- Gene and Cell Therapy Center, Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation Unit, Hematology Department, George Papanikolaou Hospital, 57010 Thessaloniki, Greece; (P.C.); (C.P.); (I.S.); (E.Y.)
- Department of Genetics, Development and Molecular Biology, School of Biology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece;
- Institute of Applied Biosciences (INAB), Centre for Research and Technology Hellas (CERTH), 57001 Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Nikoleta Psatha
- Department of Genetics, Development and Molecular Biology, School of Biology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece;
| | - Ioanna Sakellari
- Gene and Cell Therapy Center, Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation Unit, Hematology Department, George Papanikolaou Hospital, 57010 Thessaloniki, Greece; (P.C.); (C.P.); (I.S.); (E.Y.)
| | - Evangelia Yannaki
- Gene and Cell Therapy Center, Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation Unit, Hematology Department, George Papanikolaou Hospital, 57010 Thessaloniki, Greece; (P.C.); (C.P.); (I.S.); (E.Y.)
- Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195-7710, USA
| | - Anastasia Papadopoulou
- Gene and Cell Therapy Center, Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation Unit, Hematology Department, George Papanikolaou Hospital, 57010 Thessaloniki, Greece; (P.C.); (C.P.); (I.S.); (E.Y.)
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5
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Papalexandri A, Gavriilaki E, Vardi A, Kotsiou N, Demosthenous C, Constantinou N, Touloumenidou T, Zerva P, Kika F, Iskas M, Batsis I, Mallouri D, Yannaki E, Anagnostopoulos A, Sakellari I. Pre-Emptive Use of Rituximab in Epstein-Barr Virus Reactivation: Incidence, Predictive Factors, Monitoring, and Outcomes. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:16029. [PMID: 38003218 PMCID: PMC10671524 DOI: 10.3390/ijms242216029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2023] [Revised: 10/30/2023] [Accepted: 11/03/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Post-transplant lymphoproliferative disease (PTLD) is a fatal complication of hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) associated with the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). Multiple factors such as transplant type, graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), human leukocyte antigens (HLA) mismatch, patient age, and T-lymphocyte-depleting treatments increase the risk of PTLD. EBV reactivation in hematopoietic cell transplant recipients is monitored through periodic quantitative polymerase chain reaction (Q-PCR) tests. However, substantial uncertainty persists regarding the clinically significant EBV levels for these patients. Guidelines recommend initiating EBV monitoring no later than four weeks post-HCT and conducting it weekly. Pre-emptive therapies, such as the reduction of immunosuppressive therapy and the administration of rituximab to treat EBV viral loads are also suggested. In this study, we investigated the occurrence of EBV-PTLD in 546 HCT recipients, focusing on the clinical manifestations and risk factors associated with the disease. We managed to identify 67,150 viral genomic copies/mL as the cutoff point for predicting PTLD, with 80% sensitivity and specificity. Among our cohort, only 1% of the patients presented PTLD. Anti-thymocyte globulin (ATG) and GVHD were independently associated with lower survival rates and higher treatment-related mortality. According to our findings, prophylactic measures including regular monitoring, pre-emptive therapy, and supportive treatment against infections can be effective in preventing EBV-related complications. This study also recommends conducting EBV monitoring at regular intervals, initiating pre-emptive therapy when viral load increases, and identifying factors that increase the risk of PTLD. Our study stresses the importance of frequent and careful follow-ups of post-transplant complications and early intervention in order to improve survival rates and reduce mortality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Apostolia Papalexandri
- Hematology Department, BMT Unit, General Hospital “George Papanicolaou”, 57010 Thessaloniki, Greece; (A.P.); (A.V.); (C.D.); (T.T.); (P.Z.); (F.K.); (M.I.); (I.B.); (D.M.); (E.Y.); (A.A.); (I.S.)
| | - Eleni Gavriilaki
- 2nd Propedeutic Department of Internal Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54642 Thessaloniki, Greece;
| | - Anna Vardi
- Hematology Department, BMT Unit, General Hospital “George Papanicolaou”, 57010 Thessaloniki, Greece; (A.P.); (A.V.); (C.D.); (T.T.); (P.Z.); (F.K.); (M.I.); (I.B.); (D.M.); (E.Y.); (A.A.); (I.S.)
| | - Nikolaos Kotsiou
- 2nd Propedeutic Department of Internal Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54642 Thessaloniki, Greece;
| | - Christos Demosthenous
- Hematology Department, BMT Unit, General Hospital “George Papanicolaou”, 57010 Thessaloniki, Greece; (A.P.); (A.V.); (C.D.); (T.T.); (P.Z.); (F.K.); (M.I.); (I.B.); (D.M.); (E.Y.); (A.A.); (I.S.)
| | - Natassa Constantinou
- Hematology Department, BMT Unit, General Hospital “George Papanicolaou”, 57010 Thessaloniki, Greece; (A.P.); (A.V.); (C.D.); (T.T.); (P.Z.); (F.K.); (M.I.); (I.B.); (D.M.); (E.Y.); (A.A.); (I.S.)
| | - Tasoula Touloumenidou
- Hematology Department, BMT Unit, General Hospital “George Papanicolaou”, 57010 Thessaloniki, Greece; (A.P.); (A.V.); (C.D.); (T.T.); (P.Z.); (F.K.); (M.I.); (I.B.); (D.M.); (E.Y.); (A.A.); (I.S.)
| | - Panagiota Zerva
- Hematology Department, BMT Unit, General Hospital “George Papanicolaou”, 57010 Thessaloniki, Greece; (A.P.); (A.V.); (C.D.); (T.T.); (P.Z.); (F.K.); (M.I.); (I.B.); (D.M.); (E.Y.); (A.A.); (I.S.)
| | - Fotini Kika
- Hematology Department, BMT Unit, General Hospital “George Papanicolaou”, 57010 Thessaloniki, Greece; (A.P.); (A.V.); (C.D.); (T.T.); (P.Z.); (F.K.); (M.I.); (I.B.); (D.M.); (E.Y.); (A.A.); (I.S.)
| | - Michalis Iskas
- Hematology Department, BMT Unit, General Hospital “George Papanicolaou”, 57010 Thessaloniki, Greece; (A.P.); (A.V.); (C.D.); (T.T.); (P.Z.); (F.K.); (M.I.); (I.B.); (D.M.); (E.Y.); (A.A.); (I.S.)
| | - Ioannis Batsis
- Hematology Department, BMT Unit, General Hospital “George Papanicolaou”, 57010 Thessaloniki, Greece; (A.P.); (A.V.); (C.D.); (T.T.); (P.Z.); (F.K.); (M.I.); (I.B.); (D.M.); (E.Y.); (A.A.); (I.S.)
| | - Despina Mallouri
- Hematology Department, BMT Unit, General Hospital “George Papanicolaou”, 57010 Thessaloniki, Greece; (A.P.); (A.V.); (C.D.); (T.T.); (P.Z.); (F.K.); (M.I.); (I.B.); (D.M.); (E.Y.); (A.A.); (I.S.)
| | - Evangelia Yannaki
- Hematology Department, BMT Unit, General Hospital “George Papanicolaou”, 57010 Thessaloniki, Greece; (A.P.); (A.V.); (C.D.); (T.T.); (P.Z.); (F.K.); (M.I.); (I.B.); (D.M.); (E.Y.); (A.A.); (I.S.)
| | - Achilles Anagnostopoulos
- Hematology Department, BMT Unit, General Hospital “George Papanicolaou”, 57010 Thessaloniki, Greece; (A.P.); (A.V.); (C.D.); (T.T.); (P.Z.); (F.K.); (M.I.); (I.B.); (D.M.); (E.Y.); (A.A.); (I.S.)
| | - Ioanna Sakellari
- Hematology Department, BMT Unit, General Hospital “George Papanicolaou”, 57010 Thessaloniki, Greece; (A.P.); (A.V.); (C.D.); (T.T.); (P.Z.); (F.K.); (M.I.); (I.B.); (D.M.); (E.Y.); (A.A.); (I.S.)
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6
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Papadopoulou A, Karavalakis G, Papadopoulou E, Xochelli A, Bousiou Z, Vogiatzoglou A, Papayanni PG, Georgakopoulou A, Giannaki M, Stavridou F, Vallianou I, Kammenou M, Varsamoudi E, Papadimitriou V, Giannaki C, Sileli M, Stergiouda Z, Stefanou G, Kourlaba G, Gounelas G, Triantafyllidou M, Siotou E, Karaglani A, Zotou E, Chatzika G, Boukla A, Papalexandri A, Koutra MG, Apostolou D, Pitsiou G, Morfesis P, Doumas M, Karampatakis T, Kapravelos N, Bitzani M, Theodorakopoulou M, Serasli E, Georgolopoulos G, Sakellari I, Fylaktou A, Tryfon S, Anagnostopoulos A, Yannaki E. SARS-CoV-2-specific T cell therapy for severe COVID-19: a randomized phase 1/2 trial. Nat Med 2023; 29:2019-2029. [PMID: 37460756 DOI: 10.1038/s41591-023-02480-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2022] [Accepted: 06/28/2023] [Indexed: 07/22/2023]
Abstract
Despite advances, few therapeutics have shown efficacy in severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). In a different context, virus-specific T cells have proven safe and effective. We conducted a randomized (2:1), open-label, phase 1/2 trial to evaluate the safety and efficacy of off-the-shelf, partially human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-matched, convalescent donor-derived severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)-specific T cells (CoV-2-STs) in combination with standard of care (SoC) in patients with severe COVID-19 compared to SoC during Delta variant predominance. After a dose-escalated phase 1 safety study, 90 participants were randomized to receive CoV-2-ST+SoC (n = 60) or SoC only (n = 30). The co-primary objectives of the study were the composite of time to recovery and 30-d recovery rate and the in vivo expansion of CoV-2-STs in patients receiving CoV-2-ST+SoC over SoC. The key secondary objective was survival on day 60. CoV-2-ST+SoC treatment was safe and well tolerated. The study met the primary composite endpoint (CoV-2-ST+SoC versus SoC: recovery rate 65% versus 38%, P = 0.017; median recovery time 11 d versus not reached, P = 0.052, respectively; rate ratio for recovery 1.71 (95% confidence interval 1.03-2.83, P = 0.036)) and the co-primary objective of significant CoV-2-ST expansion compared to SοC (CoV-2-ST+SoC versus SoC, P = 0.047). Overall, in hospitalized patients with severe COVID-19, adoptive immunotherapy with CoV-2-STs was feasible and safe. Larger trials are needed to strengthen the preliminary evidence of clinical benefit in severe COVID-19. EudraCT identifier: 2021-001022-22 .
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Affiliation(s)
- Anastasia Papadopoulou
- Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation Unit, Department of Hematology Gene and Cell Therapy Center, George Papanikolaou Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - George Karavalakis
- Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation Unit, Department of Hematology Gene and Cell Therapy Center, George Papanikolaou Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Efthymia Papadopoulou
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, George Papanikolaou Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Aliki Xochelli
- Department of Immunology, National Peripheral Histocompatibility Center, Hippokration General Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Zoi Bousiou
- Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation Unit, Department of Hematology Gene and Cell Therapy Center, George Papanikolaou Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | | | - Penelope-Georgia Papayanni
- Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation Unit, Department of Hematology Gene and Cell Therapy Center, George Papanikolaou Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece
- Department of Genetics, Development and Molecular Biology, School of Biology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Aphrodite Georgakopoulou
- Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation Unit, Department of Hematology Gene and Cell Therapy Center, George Papanikolaou Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece
- Department of Genetics, Development and Molecular Biology, School of Biology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Maria Giannaki
- Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation Unit, Department of Hematology Gene and Cell Therapy Center, George Papanikolaou Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Fani Stavridou
- Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation Unit, Department of Hematology Gene and Cell Therapy Center, George Papanikolaou Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Ioanna Vallianou
- Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation Unit, Department of Hematology Gene and Cell Therapy Center, George Papanikolaou Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Maria Kammenou
- Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation Unit, Department of Hematology Gene and Cell Therapy Center, George Papanikolaou Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Evangelia Varsamoudi
- Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation Unit, Department of Hematology Gene and Cell Therapy Center, George Papanikolaou Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Vasiliki Papadimitriou
- Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation Unit, Department of Hematology Gene and Cell Therapy Center, George Papanikolaou Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Chrysavgi Giannaki
- 'A' Intensive Care Unit, George Papanikolaou Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Maria Sileli
- 'B' Intensive Care Unit, George Papanikolaou Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Zoi Stergiouda
- Department of Anesthesiology, George Papanikolaou Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | | | - Georgia Kourlaba
- Department of Nursing, University of Peloponnese, Tripolis, Greece
| | | | - Maria Triantafyllidou
- Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation Unit, Department of Hematology Gene and Cell Therapy Center, George Papanikolaou Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Eleni Siotou
- Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation Unit, Department of Hematology Gene and Cell Therapy Center, George Papanikolaou Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | | | - Eleni Zotou
- Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation Unit, Department of Hematology Gene and Cell Therapy Center, George Papanikolaou Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece
- Department of Genetics, Development and Molecular Biology, School of Biology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Georgia Chatzika
- Department of Immunology, National Peripheral Histocompatibility Center, Hippokration General Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Anna Boukla
- Department of Immunology, National Peripheral Histocompatibility Center, Hippokration General Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Apostolia Papalexandri
- Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation Unit, Department of Hematology Gene and Cell Therapy Center, George Papanikolaou Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Maria-Georgia Koutra
- Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation Unit, Department of Hematology Gene and Cell Therapy Center, George Papanikolaou Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Dimitra Apostolou
- Department of Respiratory Failure, George Papanikolaou Hospital, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Georgia Pitsiou
- Department of Respiratory Failure, George Papanikolaou Hospital, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Petros Morfesis
- 1st Department of Internal Medicine, AHEPA University Hospital, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Michalis Doumas
- 2nd Propedeutic Department of Internal Medicine, Hippokrateio Hospital, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | | | | | - Militsa Bitzani
- 'A' Intensive Care Unit, George Papanikolaou Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Maria Theodorakopoulou
- National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Evaggelismos General Hospital, Athens, Greece
| | - Eva Serasli
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, George Papanikolaou Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Grigorios Georgolopoulos
- Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation Unit, Department of Hematology Gene and Cell Therapy Center, George Papanikolaou Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Ioanna Sakellari
- Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation Unit, Department of Hematology Gene and Cell Therapy Center, George Papanikolaou Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Asimina Fylaktou
- Department of Immunology, National Peripheral Histocompatibility Center, Hippokration General Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Stavros Tryfon
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, George Papanikolaou Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Achilles Anagnostopoulos
- Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation Unit, Department of Hematology Gene and Cell Therapy Center, George Papanikolaou Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Evangelia Yannaki
- Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation Unit, Department of Hematology Gene and Cell Therapy Center, George Papanikolaou Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece.
- Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.
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