BZLF1 Peptide Vaccine (OSU-2131) With QS-21 for the Prevention of Epstein-Barr Virus Related Cancer in Patients Awaiting Solid Organ Transplants

NCT ID: NCT06741072

Last Updated: 2025-11-12

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

SUSPENDED

Clinical Phase

PHASE1

Total Enrollment

55 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2025-12-01

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.

This phase 1B trial tests the safety, side effects and best dose of rh-Hsc70- BZLF1 peptide complex (OSU-2131) with Stimulon (Trademark) QS-21 and evaluates how well it works in preventing Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection and related cancers in healthy volunteers and patients awaiting a solid organ transplant. Currently, patients who receive an organ transplant receive immune suppression therapy which can make it harder for the body to fight infections. This treatment also increases the risk for cancers that are triggered by the EBV. Vaccines made from synthetic peptide (RAKFKQLL) derived from the BZLF1 protein, may help the body build an effective immune response against EBV infections. QS-21, a saponin adjuvant, is a substance from plants that, when given with vaccine therapy, may improve the way the immune system responds to disease. Giving OSU-2131 with QS-21 may help the immune system fight EBV and protect against EBV infection and the cancers that it can cause in patients awaiting solid organ transplants.

Detailed Description

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

PRIMARY OBJECTIVE:

I. Determine the overall safety profile of three different dose levels of OSU-2131 vaccination each with 50 mcg Stimulon (Trademark) Quillaja saponin (QS)-21 Solution adjuvant (QS-21), wherein the OSU-2131 doses are 80, 240 and 480 mcg in healthy volunteers and similar safety profile of the identified maximum tolerated dose (MTD) in patients awaiting solid organ transplantation.

SECONDARY OBJECTIVES:

I. Determine the optimal immunologic dose (OID) to OSU-2131 vaccination (with QS-21) in all dose cohorts of 80, 240, and 480 mcg OSU-2131 (healthy volunteers) and, upon completing safety assessment, patients awaiting solid organ transplant (PASOT).

II. To perform laboratory correlative studies to examine immune responses to the OSU-2131 vaccine with the intent to communicate the research results and to generate a de-identified data set that can then be used for future comparisons with immune response data generated in future vaccine trials.

OUTLINE: This is a dose-escalation study of OSU-2131 with fixed-dose QS-21 followed by a dose-expansion study. Healthy volunteers are randomized to 1 of 2 groups. Patients awaiting a solid organ transplant are assigned to Group I.

GROUP I (OSU-2131 WITH QS-21): Healthy volunteers and patients receive OSU-2131 subcutaneously (SC) with QS-21 SC on day 0, and weeks 2 and 4 in the absence of unacceptable toxicity or patient proceeds to transplant. Healthy volunteers and patients additionally undergo blood sample collection throughout the study.

GROUP II (PLACEBO): Healthy volunteers receive Dulbecco's phosphate-buffered saline (phosphate buffered saline \[PBS\]) SC on day 0, and weeks 2 and 4 in the absence of unacceptable toxicity. Healthy volunteers additionally undergo blood sample collection throughout the study.

After completion of study intervention, healthy volunteers and patients are followed up at days 29 and 35 and then at 6, 16, 28, 40 and 56 weeks.

Conditions

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

Chronic Kidney Disease, Stage 4 Chronic Kidney Disease, Stage 5 EBV-Related Lymphoproliferative Disorder EBV-Related Malignant Neoplasm Post-Transplant Lymphoproliferative Disorder

Study Design

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

Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

SEQUENTIAL

Primary Study Purpose

PREVENTION

Blinding Strategy

DOUBLE

Participants Outcome Assessors
Healthy volunteers, patients, and site staff evaluating the patients will be blinded to treatment assignment.

Study Groups

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

Group I (OSU-2131, QS-21)

Healthy volunteers and patients receive OSU-2131 SC with QS-21 SC on day 0, and weeks 2 and 4 in the absence of unacceptable toxicity or patient proceeds to transplant. Healthy volunteers and patients additionally undergo blood sample collection throughout the study.

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Biospecimen Collection

Intervention Type PROCEDURE

Undergo blood sample collection

Peptide Vaccine

Intervention Type BIOLOGICAL

Given OSU-2131 SC

QS21

Intervention Type BIOLOGICAL

Given SC

Group II (placebo)

Healthy volunteers receive PBS SC on day 0, and weeks 2 and 4 in the absence of unacceptable toxicity. Healthy volunteers additionally undergo blood sample collection throughout the study.

Group Type PLACEBO_COMPARATOR

Biospecimen Collection

Intervention Type PROCEDURE

Undergo blood sample collection

Dulbecco''s Phosphate-Buffered Saline

Intervention Type DRUG

Given SC

Interventions

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

Biospecimen Collection

Undergo blood sample collection

Intervention Type PROCEDURE

Dulbecco''s Phosphate-Buffered Saline

Given SC

Intervention Type DRUG

Peptide Vaccine

Given OSU-2131 SC

Intervention Type BIOLOGICAL

QS21

Given SC

Intervention Type BIOLOGICAL

Other Intervention Names

Discover alternative or legacy names that may be used to describe the listed interventions across different sources.

Biological Sample Collection Biospecimen Collected Specimen Collection DPBS PBS Phosphate-Buffered Saline NIAID VEU 016 Purified Quillaja Saponin QS-21 QS-21 Adjuvant QUILLAJA SAPONIN (QS-21) Stimulon QS-21 Adjuvant

Eligibility Criteria

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

Inclusion Criteria

* Healthy volunteers and patients awaiting solid organ transplantation (SOT) must have at least one allele for HLA-B\*08:01
* Subjects can be Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) seronegative or seropositive
* Subjects must be seronegative for HIV
* Subjects must be seronegative for hepatitis B and C
* Have baseline chemistry and hematology (hemoglobin, white blood cells, absolute neutrophil count, eosinophils) within normal limits
* Prothrombin time (PT) and partial thromboplastin time (PTT) below the upper limit of normal
* Platelets above the lower limit of normal (LLN)
* Basophils, lymphocytes, and monocytes must be within 1.2 x upper limit of normal (ULN) or 0.8 x LLN and considered not clinically significant by the investigator
* Total creatine kinase (CK) laboratory values \< 1.25 x the upper limit of normal (according to the normal reference ranges of the Ohio State University \[OSU\] laboratory) at baseline (screening \& pre-study visit) and considered not clinically significant by the investigator
* Subjects must not be taking antiviral therapy
* Must be ≥ 18 years of age and ≤ 65 years of age and willing to either use an effective method of contraception or abstain from sexual activity for at least 3 months following the last dose of vaccination
* Female of childbearing potential must have a negative serum pregnancy test prior to the first study drug/placebo (PBS) administration
* Agree not to receive any other investigational drug while enrolled in this study
* Provide written informed consent according to International Conference on Harmonization-Good Clinical Practice (ICH-GCP) and local regulations
* Following successful completion of safety evaluation for the phase 1 dose escalation phase of this trial in healthy volunteers and review of this data by the Sponsor and Food and Drug Administration (FDA), we plan to enroll a second cohort of patients awaiting solid organ transplantation (SOT). We will recruit patients with end stage renal disease (ESRD) who are awaiting kidney transplantation. ESRD is defined according to 2012 Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Evaluation and Management of Chronic Kidney Disease (Acosta-Ochoa et al, J Clin Med, 8(9):1323, 2019). KDIGO defines ESRD as: stage 4: severe reduction in glomerular filtration rate (GFR) (15 to 29 mL/min); stage 5: renal failure (GFR less than 15 mL/min). Patients will qualify for ESRD / kidney transplantation per need for maintenance dialysis due to one or more of the criteria related to renal insufficiency: volume overload, metabolic acidosis, electrolyte disturbance, drug toxicity, etc. Patients will be regularly undergoing hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis for metabolic support. Patients will be excluded from the study if they have any unstable medical conditions which the investigator believes would preclude participation in the study. These conditions include but are not limited to cardiorenal and hepatorenal syndromes

Exclusion Criteria

* Severe active infection, compromised cardiopulmonary function, or other serious medical illness that, in the opinion of the principal investigator, would prevent study completion
* History of chronic active EBV infection, active infectious mononucleosis (or infectious mononucleosis within 6 months of enrollment), or other EBV-related disorder as determined by principal investigator (PI)
* History of immune suppression or autoimmune disorder
* Concomitant use of systemic corticosteroids or other immunosuppressive medications (including nasal and inhaled steroids). The use of nasal steroids for seasonal rhinitis is acceptable
* Pregnant or breastfeeding subjects
* For patient enrollment on the second cohort, "patients awaiting SOT", we will consider patients awaiting kidney transplantation who are receiving maintenance renal replacement therapy (dialysis). Most patients on routine renal replacement therapy (dialysis) will present with stable chemistry, acid base balance, volume status and clear mental status. For patients who are non-compliant with routine dialysis, laboratory abnormalities and acid base, volume status can become abnormal. Specific dose limiting toxicity (DLT) criteria that may relate to patients with ESRD include laboratory parameters that may altered due to missed dialysis session(s). Most laboratory abnormalities in such patients can be corrected by restarting dialysis or blood transfusions. Outside these specific variables, we do not expect to see specific DLT criteria for patients with ESRD on this study. Metabolic derangement such as acid base imbalance, hyperkalemia and volume overload as a result of missing dialysis session. Study stopping rule for subjects awaiting organ transplant: Occurrence of this event in two or more subjects should result in study pause. Patients who are unable to adhere to routine dialysis will be excluded from the study if they have any unstable medical conditions which the investigator believes would preclude participation in the study. These conditions include but are not limited to cardiorenal and hepatorenal syndromes
Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Maximum Eligible Age

65 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Sponsors

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

Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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

Timothy Voorhees

Principal Investigator

Responsibility Role PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

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

Timothy J Voorhees, MD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center

Locations

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

Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center

Columbus, Ohio, United States

Site Status

Countries

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

United States

Related Links

Access external resources that provide additional context or updates about the study.

Other Identifiers

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

NCI-2024-09778

Identifier Type: REGISTRY

Identifier Source: secondary_id

OSU-20219

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id