Third Party Viral Specific T-cells (VSTs)

NCT ID: NCT02532452

Last Updated: 2025-12-16

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

Get a concise snapshot of the trial, including recruitment status, study phase, enrollment targets, and key timeline milestones.

Recruitment Status

RECRUITING

Clinical Phase

PHASE2

Total Enrollment

750 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2015-09-02

Study Completion Date

2027-12-31

Brief Summary

Review the sponsor-provided synopsis that highlights what the study is about and why it is being conducted.

The purpose of this study is to demonstrate that viral specific T-cells (a type of white blood cell) can be generated from an unrelated donor and given safely to patients with viral infections.

Detailed Description

Dive into the extended narrative that explains the scientific background, objectives, and procedures in greater depth.

Viral reactivation and infection is a major cause of morbidity in immunocompromised patients (including HSCT recipients). In this study we will draw blood from unrelated (third party) donors and use the blood to generate viral specific T-cells (VSTs) with specificity for Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), cytomegalovirus (CMV), adenovirus (ADV), BK virus (BKV), and JC Virus. The VSTs will be infused into immunocompromised children with specific viral infections (EBV, CMV, ADV, BKV , or JC virus). Cells will be selected for infusion based on the recipient's HLA type and the viral specificity of the cells.

Conditions

See the medical conditions and disease areas that this research is targeting or investigating.

Viral Infection Viral Reactivation Infection in an Immunocompromised Host

Study Design

Understand how the trial is structured, including allocation methods, masking strategies, primary purpose, and other design elements.

Allocation Method

NA

Intervention Model

SINGLE_GROUP

Primary Study Purpose

TREATMENT

Blinding Strategy

NONE

Study Groups

Review each arm or cohort in the study, along with the interventions and objectives associated with them.

Viral Specific VST Infusion

3rd party VST infusion

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Viral Specific VST Infusion

Intervention Type BIOLOGICAL

VSTs will be infused into immunocompromised patients with evidence of viral infection or reactivation defined as any of the following:

* Blood adenovirus PCR ≥ 1,000
* Blood CMV PCR ≥ 500
* Blood EBV PCR ≥ 9,000
* Plasma BKV PCR \>1,000
* Plasma JC Virus PCR \> 1,000
* Evidence of invasive adenovirus infection or disease, defined as the presence of adenoviral positivity by PCR or culture in one or more sites
* Evidence of invasive CMV infection, eg pneumonitis, retinitis, colitis
* Evidence of invasive EBV disease/infection, EBV-associated lymphoproliferation (EBV-LPD) defined as proven EBV-LPD by biopsy or probable EBV-LPD defined as an elevated EBV DNA level in the blood associated with clinical symptoms (adenopathy or fever or masses on imaging) but without biopsy confirmation, or EBV-associated malignancies
* Evidence of symptomatic BK virus infection, which may include symptomatic hemorrhagic cystitis, or BK nephropathy
* Evidence of PML or other CNS infection due to JC virus

Interventions

Learn about the drugs, procedures, or behavioral strategies being tested and how they are applied within this trial.

Viral Specific VST Infusion

VSTs will be infused into immunocompromised patients with evidence of viral infection or reactivation defined as any of the following:

* Blood adenovirus PCR ≥ 1,000
* Blood CMV PCR ≥ 500
* Blood EBV PCR ≥ 9,000
* Plasma BKV PCR \>1,000
* Plasma JC Virus PCR \> 1,000
* Evidence of invasive adenovirus infection or disease, defined as the presence of adenoviral positivity by PCR or culture in one or more sites
* Evidence of invasive CMV infection, eg pneumonitis, retinitis, colitis
* Evidence of invasive EBV disease/infection, EBV-associated lymphoproliferation (EBV-LPD) defined as proven EBV-LPD by biopsy or probable EBV-LPD defined as an elevated EBV DNA level in the blood associated with clinical symptoms (adenopathy or fever or masses on imaging) but without biopsy confirmation, or EBV-associated malignancies
* Evidence of symptomatic BK virus infection, which may include symptomatic hemorrhagic cystitis, or BK nephropathy
* Evidence of PML or other CNS infection due to JC virus

Intervention Type BIOLOGICAL

Eligibility Criteria

Check the participation requirements, including inclusion and exclusion rules, age limits, and whether healthy volunteers are accepted.

Inclusion Criteria

* Immunocompromised patient with evidence of viral infection or reactivation
* Age \>1 day
* Recipients who have had a stem cell transplant must be at least 21 days after stem cell infusion
* Clinical status must allow tapering of steroids to \< 0.5mg/kg prednisone or other steroid equivalent
* Must be able to receive CTL infusion in Cincinnati
* Informed consent obtained by PI or sub-investigator either in person or by phone

Exclusion Criteria

* Active acute GVHD grades II-IV
* Uncontrolled bacterial or fungal infection
* Uncontrolled relapse of malignancy requiring treatment with chemotherapy
* Infusion of ATG or alemtuzumab within 2 weeks of VST infusion
* Biopsy confirmed acute rejection of solid organ transplant OR empiric treatment of suspected but not confirmed acute rejection of solid organ transplant within the last 30 days
Minimum Eligible Age

2 Days

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sponsors

Meet the organizations funding or collaborating on the study and learn about their roles.

Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

Identify the individual or organization who holds primary responsibility for the study information submitted to regulators.

Responsibility Role SPONSOR

Principal Investigators

Learn about the lead researchers overseeing the trial and their institutional affiliations.

Michael Grimley, MD, MD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati

Locations

Explore where the study is taking place and check the recruitment status at each participating site.

Akron Children's Hospital

Akron, Ohio, United States

Site Status RECRUITING

University of Cincinnati Medical Center

Cincinnati, Ohio, United States

Site Status COMPLETED

Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center

Cincinnati, Ohio, United States

Site Status RECRUITING

The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center - James Cancer Hospital

Columbus, Ohio, United States

Site Status RECRUITING

Countries

Review the countries where the study has at least one active or historical site.

United States

Central Contacts

Reach out to these primary contacts for questions about participation or study logistics.

Jamie Wilhelm

Role: CONTACT

(513) 803-1102

Michael Grimley, MD

Role: CONTACT

Facility Contacts

Find local site contact details for specific facilities participating in the trial.

Courtney Culbertson, CNP

Role: primary

330-543-3338

Jamie Wilhelm

Role: primary

513-803-1102

Nicole Szuminski, MS, RN, CCRC

Role: primary

References

Explore related publications, articles, or registry entries linked to this study.

Rubinstein JD, Pham G, Sridharan A, Khoury R, Wang YM, Hudda Z, Wilhelm J, Lichtenstein D, Heyenbruch D, Cancelas JA, Davies SM, Lutzko C, Grimley M. Outcomes with Third Party Virus Specific T-cells After the Use of Single Antigen Cell Lines to Predict HLA Restriction. Blood Adv. 2025 Sep 24:bloodadvances.2025017097. doi: 10.1182/bloodadvances.2025017097. Online ahead of print.

Reference Type DERIVED
PMID: 40991376 (View on PubMed)

Galletta TJ, Lane A, Lutzko C, Leemhuis T, Cancelas JA, Khoury R, Wang YM, Hanley PJ, Keller MD, Bollard CM, Davies SM, Grimley MS, Rubinstein JD. Third-Party and Patient-Specific Donor-Derived Virus-Specific T Cells Demonstrate Similar Efficacy and Safety for Management of Viral Infections after Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation in Children and Young Adults. Transplant Cell Ther. 2023 May;29(5):305-310. doi: 10.1016/j.jtct.2023.01.027. Epub 2023 Feb 3.

Reference Type DERIVED
PMID: 36736781 (View on PubMed)

Rubinstein JD, Zhu X, Leemhuis T, Pham G, Ray L, Emberesh S, Jodele S, Thomas S, Cancelas JA, Bollard CM, Hanley PJ, Keller MD, Grimley O, Clark D, Clark T, Lindestam Arlehamn CS, Sette A, Davies SM, Nelson AS, Grimley MS, Lutzko C. Virus-specific T cells for adenovirus infection after stem cell transplantation are highly effective and class II HLA restricted. Blood Adv. 2021 Sep 14;5(17):3309-3321. doi: 10.1182/bloodadvances.2021004456.

Reference Type DERIVED
PMID: 34473237 (View on PubMed)

Nelson AS, Heyenbruch D, Rubinstein JD, Sabulski A, Jodele S, Thomas S, Lutzko C, Zhu X, Leemhuis T, Cancelas JA, Keller M, Bollard CM, Hanley PJ, Davies SM, Grimley MS. Virus-specific T-cell therapy to treat BK polyomavirus infection in bone marrow and solid organ transplant recipients. Blood Adv. 2020 Nov 24;4(22):5745-5754. doi: 10.1182/bloodadvances.2020003073.

Reference Type DERIVED
PMID: 33216887 (View on PubMed)

Other Identifiers

Review additional registry numbers or institutional identifiers associated with this trial.

2015-4184

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id

More Related Trials

Additional clinical trials that may be relevant based on similarity analysis.

Anti-viral T-cell Therapy by Gamma Capture
NCT06027879 ENROLLING_BY_INVITATION PHASE1/PHASE2
Dendritic Cell Based Therapy of Renal Cell Carcinoma
NCT00197860 COMPLETED PHASE1/PHASE2