Autologous CD7-targeted CAR T-cell therapy for refractory or relapsed T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia/lymphoma.

Authors

null

Liping Zhao

State Key Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, National Clinical Research Center for Blood Diseases, Haihe Laboratory of Cell Ecosystem, Institute of Hematology & Blood Diseases Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences &Peking Union Medical College, Tianjin, China

Liping Zhao , Jing Pan , Kaiting Tang , Yue Tan , Biping Deng , Zhuojun Ling , Weiliang Song , Alex H. Chang , Xiaoming Feng

Organizations

State Key Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, National Clinical Research Center for Blood Diseases, Haihe Laboratory of Cell Ecosystem, Institute of Hematology & Blood Diseases Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences &Peking Union Medical College, Tianjin, China, State Key Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, Department of Hematology, Beijing Boren Hospital, Beijing, China, State Key Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, National Clinical Research Center for Blood Diseases, Haihe Laboratory of Cell Ecosystem, Institute of Hematology & Blood Diseases Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences &Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China, Cytology Laboratory, Beijing Boren Hospital, Beijing, China, Beijing Boren Hospital, Beijing, China, Clinical Translational Research Center, Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China

Research Funding

Other

Background: Refractory or relapsed (r/r) T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia/lymphoma (T-ALL/LBL) has a poor prognosis. Our previous report showed that donor-derived CD7 CAR-T cell therapy could induce remission of r/r T-ALL, but graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) occurred in some patients (Pan et al. J Clin Oncol 2021;39:3340-3351). We recently conducted a phase I trial to evaluate autologous CD7 CAR-T therapy in r/r T-ALL/LBL, which may avoid GVHD while showing the efficacy; here we report the early result with the approval of the Data and Safety Monitoring Committee and Institutional Review Board (IRB). Methods: The patients who had CD7+ r/r T-ALL/LBL and no leukemia cells in peripheral blood were eligible for this phase I trial (NCT04840875). The CD7 CAR construct included an endoplasmic reticulum anchor domain fused to a CD7 binding domain to prevent CD7 expression on cell surface, which contributed to minimize CAR T cell fratricide. CAR T product was checked to ensure lack of tumor contamination before infusion. The trial followed a “3+3” dose escalation process. Adverse events and efficacy were primary and secondary endpoints. Results: A total of 5 patients (Pt1-5), with a median age of 3.8 years (range, 1.9-13), were enrolled between Sept 2021 and Jan 2022. At enrollment, Pt1 had mediastinal mass and blasts in pleural fluid; Pt4 was in central nervous system (CNS)-3 status; Pt2, 3 and 5 had marrow disease with a median burden of 1.35% (range, 0.07%-7.31%). Pt1, 2 and 3 received 5×105 (±20%) cells/kg; Pt5 received 1×106 (±20%) cells/kg; Pt4 received cells below the target dose. Three patients had cytokine release syndrome (CRS), including one grade 3; the median onset was on day 5 (range, 1-9) with the median duration of 4 days (range, 3-14). No patient had neurotoxicity, GVHD or infection. Grade 3-4 hematological toxicity occurred in all five patients, which recovered to grade 2 within 30 days. On one month post-infusion, four patients achieved complete remission, and one patient (Pt4) still had leukemia cells in the cerebrospinal fluid. With the median follow-up time of 62 days (range, 35-136), one patient (Pt1) underwent stem cell transplantation (SCT) on 2.9 months post-infusion, and had a CD7- relapse on 1.4 months post-SCT; the other three responders remained in MRD- CR. In the four patients who received target dose, the median peak CAR T cell count in peripheral blood was 4.27×102/uL (range, 2.49-5.61) by flow cytometry, and all five patients had detectable CAR transgene by PCR on their last visits. There was a decrease of CD7-positive normal T cells and an increase of CD7-negative counterparts in all responders. Conclusions: Autologous CD7 CAR T cell therapy was safe and effective in the induction of remission in r/r T-ALL/LBL patients, without signs of GVHD. Longer follow-up time of more cases will be used to further evaluate this therapy. Clinical trial information: NCT04840875.

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Abstract Details

Meeting

2022 ASCO Annual Meeting

Session Type

Poster Session

Session Title

Hematologic Malignancies—Leukemia, Myelodysplastic Syndromes, and Allotransplant

Track

Hematologic Malignancies

Sub Track

Acute Leukemia

Clinical Trial Registration Number

NCT04840875

Citation

J Clin Oncol 40, 2022 (suppl 16; abstr 7035)

DOI

10.1200/JCO.2022.40.16_suppl.7035

Abstract #

7035

Poster Bd #

266

Abstract Disclosures