This article is more than 5 years old. Information may no longer be current.
Post-transplant infections successfully treated with virus-specific T cells
Click Here to Manage Email Alerts
A cohort of patients with severe infections after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation responded well to virus-specific T-cell lines, according to study results.
The researchers suggested that virus-specific T-cell lines may be beneficial as a prophylactic measure in treating immune-deficient patients. However, the necessity of generating a separate line for each patient, often in emergencies, has proven to be a challenge.
The analysis included a bank of 32 virus-specific lines from those with common HLA polymorphisms. Eligible participants were immune to Epstein-Barr virus, cytomegalovirus or adenovirus.
Clinicians administered 18 lines to 50 patients who had severe, refractory illness associated with an infection from one of the studied viruses after undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplant.
The complete or partial response rate among patients in the entire cohort at 6 weeks was 74% (95% CI, 58.5-89.5). The 6-week complete or partial response rate was 73.9% (95% CI, 51.2-96.6) among 23 patients with cytomegalovirus, 77.8% among 18 patients with adenovirus and 66.7% (95% CI, 36.9-96.5) among nine patients with Epstein-Barr virus.
Recurrence or progression occurred in four responders.
Adverse event profiles yielded no immediate infusion-related events. De novo graft-versus-host disease occurred in two patients.
“Despite the disparity between the lines and their recipients, the mean frequency of virus-specific T-cells rose significantly post infusion, coincident with striking decreases in viral DNA and resolution of clinical symptoms,” the researchers concluded.
Click Here to Manage Email Alerts