GFRα4 CAR T Cells in MTC Patients

Study Purpose

This is an open-label phase 1 study to assess the safety and feasibility of autologous T cells expressing a single-chain scFv targeting GFRα4 with tandem TCR/CD3ζ and 4-1BB (TCRζ/4-1BB) co-stimulatory domains (referred to as "CART-GFRa4 cells") in patients with incurable medullary thyroid cancer (MTC).

Recruitment Criteria

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Healthy volunteers are participants who do not have a disease or condition, or related conditions or symptoms

No
Study Type

An interventional clinical study is where participants are assigned to receive one or more interventions (or no intervention) so that researchers can evaluate the effects of the interventions on biomedical or health-related outcomes.


An observational clinical study is where participants identified as belonging to study groups are assessed for biomedical or health outcomes.


Searching Both is inclusive of interventional and observational studies.

Interventional
Eligible Ages 18 Years and Over
Gender All
More Inclusion & Exclusion Criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Signed, written informed consent. 2. Male or female age ≥ 18 years. 3. Histologically or cytologically confirmed diagnosis of medullary thyroid cancer (MTC). 4. Incurable recurrent/metastatic disease that is progressive after at least 1 prior tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) containing regimen, or the patient was intolerant of or declined such therapy. 5. Adequate organ function defined as: 1. Serum creatinine ≤ 2.5 mg/dl or estimated creatinine clearance ≥ 30 ml/min and not on dialysis. 2. AST ≤ 5x upper limit of normal range and total bilirubin ≤ 2.0 mg/dl; except for patients in whom hyperbilirubinemia is attributed to Gilbert's syndrome. 3. Left Ventricular Ejection Fraction (LVEF) ≥ 45% confirmed by ECHO/MUGA. 4. Must have a minimum level of pulmonary reserve defined as ≤ Grade 1 dyspnea and pulse oxygen > 92% on room air. 6. ECOG Performance Status that is either 0 or 1. 7. Toxicities from prior therapies must have recovered to grade ≤ 2 according to the CTCAE 5.0 criteria or to the patient's prior baseline. 8. Patients must have evaluable disease as defined by RECIST 1.1. 9. Subjects of reproductive potential must agree to use acceptable birth control methods.

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Evidence of active hepatitis B or hepatitis C infection. 2. Any other active, uncontrolled infection. 3. Any prior history of moderate to severe (Grade 2 or higher) pneumonitis. 4. Subjects with chronic kidney disease with Grade 2 or higher renal impairment (eGFR or CrCl 59-30 ml/min/1.73 m2). 5. Class III/IV cardiovascular disability according to the New York Heart Association Classification. 6. Clinically apparent arrhythmia or arrhythmias that are not stable on medical management within two weeks of physician-investigator confirmation of eligibility. 7. Planned concurrent treatment with systemic high dose corticosteroids. Patients may be on a stable low dose of steroids (≤10mg equivalent of prednisone). Use of inhaled steroids is allowable. Corticosteroid treatment as anti-emetic prophylaxis on the day of lymphodepleting chemotherapy administration is allowed per institutional practice. 8. Any moderate to severe skin rash or allergies requiring systemic treatment. 9. Receipt of immune checkpoint inhibitors within 2 months prior to physician-investigator confirmation of eligibility
  • - Retired with Protocol Version 3.
10. Pregnant or nursing (lactating) women. 11. Active autoimmune disease requiring systemic immunosuppressive treatment equivalent to ≥ 10mg daily of prednisone. Patients with autoimmune neurological diseases (such as MS or Parkinson's) will be excluded. 12. Have any history of prior or active central nervous system (CNS) involvement (e.g., leptomeningeal disease, parenchymal masses) with MTC. Screening for this (e.g., with lumbar puncture and/or brain MRI) is not required unless suspicious symptoms and/or radiographic findings are present. Subjects with calvarial metastatic disease that extends intracranially and involves the dura will be excluded, even if CSF is negative for MTC. 13. Known seizure disorder or history of prior seizures requiring medication. 14. History of allergy or hypersensitivity to study product excipients (human serum albumin, DMSO, and Dextran 40).

Trial Details

Trial ID:

This trial id was obtained from ClinicalTrials.gov, a service of the U.S. National Institutes of Health, providing information on publicly and privately supported clinical studies of human participants with locations in all 50 States and in 196 countries.

NCT04877613
Phase

Phase 1: Studies that emphasize safety and how the drug is metabolized and excreted in humans.

Phase 2: Studies that gather preliminary data on effectiveness (whether the drug works in people who have a certain disease or condition) and additional safety data.

Phase 3: Studies that gather more information about safety and effectiveness by studying different populations and different dosages and by using the drug in combination with other drugs.

Phase 4: Studies occurring after FDA has approved a drug for marketing, efficacy, or optimal use.

Phase 1
Lead Sponsor

The sponsor is the organization or person who oversees the clinical study and is responsible for analyzing the study data.

University of Pennsylvania
Principal Investigator

The person who is responsible for the scientific and technical direction of the entire clinical study.

Roger Cohen, MD
Principal Investigator Affiliation University of Pennsylvania
Agency Class

Category of organization(s) involved as sponsor (and collaborator) supporting the trial.

Other
Overall Status Recruiting
Countries United States
Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied.

Metastatic Medullary Thyroid Cancer
Arms & Interventions

Arms

Experimental: Cohort 1: single dose of 5x10^7 CART-GFRa4 cells via intravenous infusion

Experimental: Cohort -1: single dose of 2x10^7 CART-GFRa4 cells via intravenous infusion

Experimental: Cohort 2: single dose of 1x10^8 CART-GFRa4 cells via intravenous infusion

Experimental: Cohort 3: single fixed dose of 3x10^8 CART-GFRa4 cells via intravenous infusion

Interventions

Drug: - single dose of CART-GFRa4 cells

Intravenous infusion of lentiviral transduced autologous T cells that have been engineered to express an extracellular single chain antibody (scFv) with specificity towards GFRa4 with fludarabine and cyclophosphamide.

Drug: - Fludarabine

Lyphodepletion

Drug: - Cyclophosphamide

Lyphodepletion

Contact a Trial Team

If you are interested in learning more about this trial, find the trial site nearest to your location and contact the site coordinator via email or phone. We also strongly recommend that you consult with your healthcare provider about the trials that may interest you and refer to our terms of service below.

University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Status

Recruiting

Address

University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19104

Site Contact

Abramson Cancer Center Clinical Trials Service

[email protected]

855-216-0098

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