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Natural Killer (NK) Cells in Combination With Interleukin-2 (IL-2) and Transforming Growth Factor Beta (TGFbeta) Receptor I Inhibitor Vactosertib in Cancer
Sponsor: David Wald
Summary
One of the ways that cancer grows and spreads is by avoiding the immune system.NK cells are immune cells that kill cancer cells, but are often malfunctioning in people with colorectal cancer and blood cancers. A safe way to give people with colorectal cancer and blood cancers fresh NK cells from a healthy donor has recently been discovered. The purpose of this study is to show that using two medicines (vactosertib and IL-2) with NK cells will be safe and will activate the donor NK cells. NK cells and vactosertib are experimental because they are not approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). IL-2 (Proleukin®) has been approved by the FDA for treating other cancers, but the doses used in this study are lower than the approved doses and it is not approved to treat colorectal cancer or blood cancers.
Official title: A Phase Ib Study to Evaluate Safety and Persistence of ex Vivo Expanded Universal Donor NK Cells in Combination With IL-2 and TGFbeta Receptor I Inhibitor Vactosertib in Patients With Locally Advanced/Metastatic Colorectal Cancer, Gastric/Esophageal Cancer, and Relapsed/Refractory Hematologic Malignancies
Key Details
Gender
All
Age Range
18 Years - Any
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Enrollment
12
Start Date
2022-09-09
Completion Date
2027-06-01
Last Updated
2026-07-14
Healthy Volunteers
No
Conditions
Interventions
Vactosertib
Vactosertib is a highly selective, potent inhibitor of the protein serine/threonine kinase activity of transforming growth factor (TGF)-β receptor type 1 (TGFBR1; also known as activin receptor-like kinase 5 \[ALK5\]). Vactosertib inhibits the phosphorylation of the ALK5 substrates Smad2 and Smad3, as well as the intracellular signaling of TGF-β.
Fludarabine Phosphate
Fludarabine phosphate is rapidly dephosphorylated to 2-fluoro-ara-A and then phosphorylated intracellularly by deoxycytidine kinase to the active triphosphate, 2-fluoroara-ATP. This metabolite appears to act by inhibiting DNA polymerase alpha, ribonucleotide reductase and DNA primase, thus inhibiting DNA synthesis.
Cyclophosphamide
Cyclophosphamide is an alkylating agent that prevents cell division by cross-linking DNA strands and decreasing DNA synthesis. It is a cell cycle phase nonspecific agent. Cyclophosphamide also possesses potent immunosuppressive activity.
IL-2
Proleukin® (aldesleukin) has been shown to possess the biological activities of human native interleukin-2. In vitro studies performed on human cell lines demonstrate the immunoregulatory properties of Proleukin, including: a) enhancement of lymphocyte mitogenesis and stimulation of long-term growth of human interleukin-2 dependent cell lines; b) enhancement of lymphocyte cytotoxicity; c) induction of killer cell (lymphokine-activated (LAK) and natural (NK)) activity; and d) induction of interferon-gamma production. The in vivo administration of Proleukin in animals and humans produces multiple immunological effects in a dose dependent manner. These effects include activation of cellular immunity with profound lymphocytosis, eosinophilia, and thrombocytopenia, and the production of cytokines including tumor necrosis factor, IL-1 and gamma interferon. In vivo experiments in murine tumor models have shown inhibition of tumor growth
Natural Killer Cells
Adoptive NK cell therapy has demonstrated the potential for cancer immunotherapy in various malignancies with particular potential in hematologic malignancies including acute myeloid leukemia (AML), and colon cancer \[14, 19-23\]. This therapeutic approach is extremely well tolerated in patients even when massive numbers of cells are utilized (\~109 NK cells/kg). In fact, studies suggest that high doses of NK cells are not only well tolerated but have potential to lead to higher levels of efficacy.
Locations (1)
University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center, Case Comprehensive Cancer Center
Cleveland, Ohio, United States