LMP-specific T-cells for Patients With Relapsed EBV-positive Lymphoma (ALCI)

ALASCER (Part 1 of 2)

We will generate autologous (or syngeneic) or allogeneic LMP2A-specific cytotoxic T-cells and adoptively transfer them to patients with relapsed EBV-positive Hodgkin's or non-Hodgkins Lymphoma or Lymphoepithelioma.

To initiate the LMP-specific CTL line, PBMC will be transduced with an adenovirus vector (Ad5f35-pp65) expressing the LMP2 antigen, at a viral particle (vp) to cell ratio of 30,000:1. For blood samples from normal donors, the monocyte fraction of PBMC may be transduced and will express and present LMP2 peptide epitopes to the LMP2-specific T cell fraction of the PBMC. This step will require 20 to 40 x 106 PBMC from about 40 mL of blood.

When a stronger stimulus is required to reactivate LMP2-specific T cell precursors (i.e. from patients PBMC), then we will make dendritic cell APCs by culture of PBMC-derived monocytes with cytokines (GM-CSF, IL-4) followed by transduction with Ad5f35-LMP2 (vp:cell ratio of 30000:1) and maturation with TNF-a and PGE1. These mature, transduced dendritic cells will be used to stimulate PBMC-derived T cells. In this case, dendritic cells will be prepared from about 40 mL of blood and the T cells will be derived from 20 to 40 mL of blood

To expand the LMP2-specific T cells we will use EBV-transformed B lymphoblastoid cell lines (EBV-LCLs) transduced with Ad5f35-LMP2 (vp:LCL ratio of 100,000:1). This transduction allows the EBV-LCLs to present LMP2 peptides to the T cells. EBV-LCLs are derived from PBMC-B lymphocytes by infection with a clinical grade, laboratory strain of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). About 5 x 106 PBMC, or 5 to 10 mLs of blood is required to generate the EBV-LCL

At the end of the CTL culture period, the frequency of LMP2 specific CTL will be determined using tetramer reagents if available.

Transduction with the Neomycin Resistance Gene (optional - based on patient preference and availability of the vector). Established CTLs will be transduced with the retroviral vectors of the LN series.

Patients will be evaluated in the clinic and 2-4 doses of CTL will be administered each two weeks apart. Patients will be monitored for clinical toxicity by the NCI Common Toxicity Criteria Scale (Version 2.0 located at http://ctep.cancer.gov). In addition, we will determine the kinetics of CTL survival by monitoring the presence of the marker gene in peripheral blood in patients who receive marked cells. We will also analyze immunological parameters including phenotype and CTL frequencies by tetramer studies in patients who have HLA types where such reagents are available. Functional analyses will be done by cytotoxicity or ELISPOT/ELISA assays. The levels of EBV DNA in peripheral blood before and following infusion will be compared. A time period of 8 weeks will constitute the time for clinical safety monitoring. If patients have had a partial response or have stable disease they will be eligible to receive up to 6 further doses of CTLs, each of which will consist of the same number as their second injection.

ALCI (Part 2 of 2)

This is the 2nd part of the ALASCER study. ALCI reflected modification in the manufacturing process to enrich the CTL product for cells recognizing the LMP1 as well as the LMP2 antigen. The change in manufacturing required to enrich for both LMP2a and LMP1 is solely to substitute ALCI's Ad5f35LMP1/2 vector for the previously used Ad5f35LMP2 vector used to transduce the antigen presenting cells used ex vivo to stimulate the T cells during the manufacturing process in our GMP laboratories.

We initially used the AD5f35LMP2 vector and now use the Ad5f35LMP1/2 vector to generate LMP-specific CTL. Our preliminary data indicates that these two vectors are identical and produce similar enrichment of LMP2 specific CTL. By using the Ad5f35LMP1/2 vector instead of the Ad5f35 vector encoding LMP2 alone, we should better enrich T cell clones recognizing both of the LMP antigens expressed by the malignant cells in Hodgkin's disease and non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma. Our analysis strategies include plans to perform comparisons between these vector types.

Like the ALASCER product, the ALCI product continued to be a CTL line specific for EBV antigens but enriched for T cells recognizing LMP1 as well as LMP2. The ALASCER product already contains some LMP1 specific T cells along with T cell specific for other EBV antigens and the only change was enrich for these cells. Therefore the ALCI Ad5f35 LMP1/2 adenoviral vector is an ancillary reagent in the manufacturing process used only to transduce antigen presenting cells used as stimulator cells and is not infused in the final product. This vector completed testing and was approved for use under ALASCER IND (#6387).

Additionally, the ALASCER protocol design was amended to allow for the addition of a separate arm to the study depending on the vector used for the manufacturing process and the data is analyzed separately

In both ALASCER & ALCI, the cells will then be thawed and injected into the patient over 10 minutes. Initially, two doses of T cells will be given two weeks apart. If after the second infusion there is a reduction in the size of the lymphoma on CT or MRI scan as assessed by a radiologist, the patient can receive up to six additional doses of the T cells if the patient wishes. This is a dose escalation study which means that for some patients the second dose may be larger than the first. All of the treatments will be given by the Center for Cell and Gene Therapy at Texas Children's Hospital or the Methodist Hospital.

The patient will be followed after the injections. They will either be seen in the clinic or will be contacted by a research nurse yearly for 5 years. To learn more about the way the T cells are working in the patient's body, an extra 20-40 mL (4-8 teaspoons) of blood will be taken before each infusion, and then 4 hours after each infusion (optional) and 3-4 days after each infusion (optional) and then weekly for 2 weeks after each infusion (total of 9 times). Two weeks after the last infusion, blood will then be taken again and then every 3 months for 1 year, then once a year for 5 years. Investigators will use this blood to see how long the T cells last and to look at the immune response to the patient's cancer.

ALCI (Expansion cohort)

Once the dose escalation safety phase of the study is completed (i.e. once at least 3 patients have been treated at dose level 3 and no treatment-related DLT has occurred), we plan to treat additional patients at dose level 1 to evaluate the immunological response in patients who receive CTL that have been generated using DC matured with the additional maturation cytokines (IL-1b and IL-6) in the presence of IL-15. We will treat an additional 30, 16, and 16 patients on Groups A, B and C, respectively.