A Phase I/II Study of Universal Off-the-shelf NKG2D-ACE2 CAR-NK Cells for Therapy of COVID-19

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

UNKNOWN

Clinical Phase

PHASE1/PHASE2

Total Enrollment

90 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2020-02-21

Study Completion Date

2022-08-31

Brief Summary

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

SARS-CoV-2 infection mainly leads to interstitial pneumonia. The patients with low immunity have more serious conditions. At present, there is no specific drug/therapy available for COVID-19. NK cells are the major cells of the natural immune system, which are essential for innate immunity and adaptive immunity, and are indispensable in the defense of virus infection. NKG2D is an activating receptor of NK cells, which can recognize and thus clear virus infected cells. NK cells modified by CAR play a role in targeted cell therapy, and have benn demonstrated very safe without severe side effects such as cytokine releasing syndromes. The survival time of NK cells will be very short if there is no IL-15-sustained support after adoptive transfer into the body. In comparison with natural IL-15 in vivo, IL-15 superagonist (sIL-15/IL-15Rɑ chimeric protein) has increased the activity by nearly 20 times and as well as improved pharmacokinetic characteristics with longer persistence and enhanced target cytotoxicity. CAR-T cell-mediated cytokine release syndrome (CRS) and neurotoxicity have been shown to be abrogated through GM-CSF neutralization. ACE2 is the receptor of SARS-CoV-2 and binds to S protein of the virus envelope. We have constructed and prepared the universal off-the-shelf IL15 superagonist- and GM-CSF neutralizing scFv-secreting NKG2D-ACE2 CAR-NK derived from cord blood. By targeting the S protein of SARS-CoV-2 and NKG2DL on the surface of infected cells with ACE2 and NKG2D, respectively, and with the strong synergistic effect of IL15 superagonist and CRS prevention through GM-CSF neutralizing scFv, we hope that the SARS-CoV-2 virus particles and their infected cells can be safely and effectively removed, thus providing a safe and effective cell therapy for COVID-19. In addition, ACE2 CAR-NK cells can competitively inhibit SARS-CoV-2 infection of type II alveolar epithelial cells and other important organ or tissue cells through ACE2 so as to make SARS-CoV-2 abortive infection (i.e., no production of infectious virus particles).

This project is an open, randomized, parallel, multicenter phase I/II clinical trial. The NKG2D-ACE2 CAR-NK cells secreting super IL15 superagonist and GM-CSF neutralizing scFv are going to be give by intravenous infusion (108 cells per kilogram of body weight, once a week) for the treatment of 30 patients with each common, severe and critical type COVID-19, respectively.

Detailed Description

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

Conditions

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

COVID-19

Keywords

Explore important study keywords that can help with search, categorization, and topic discovery.

NKG2D-ACE2 CAR-NK IL15 superagonist GM-CSF-neutralizing scFv COVID-19

Study Design

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

Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

PARALLEL

Primary Study Purpose

TREATMENT

Blinding Strategy

QUADRUPLE

Participants Caregivers Investigators Outcome Assessors

Study Groups

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

NK cells

The NK cells are going to be give by intravenous infusion (10E8 cells per kilogram of body weight, once a week) .

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL