Creating off-the-shelf VSTs

So they’re conducting a clinical trial using this method, and thus far, they have enrolled 22 patients. Sixteen patients have had 1 infusion, and 6 patients have had multiple infusions.

The 22 patients had 25 infections: 10 CMV, 10 BKV, 2 EBV, 2 ADV, and 1 HHV6.

The overall response rate is 88%. Nine of 10 responses in patients with BKV were partial because BK is difficult to clear from urine. However, the BK patients who had hemorrhagic cystitis all had symptomatic improvement.

Dr Heslop pointed out that these results are similar to those at other centers using EBV third-party T cells.

The initial third-party studies were done in Scotland and had a response rate of about 60%, which increased to around 80% in follow-up studies, where they characterized the T cells more extensively.

Both donor-specific and third-party VSTs have low toxicity, sustained response rates, and activity confirmed by studies in multiple centers.

Dr Heslop believes the rapid manufacturing methodologies will facilitate definitive clinical trials.

She said Cell Medica provided support for some of the trials with EBV tumors.