Clinical Research Directory

Trial to Study Anti- HCMV Therapy in Breast Cancer Patients With Progressive Intracranial Metastases and CMV Infection

This is a phase II trial with an initial safety lead-in evaluating the efficacy, safety, neurocognitive, and quality-of-life outcomes of anti-cytomegalovirus (CMV) therapy and standard-of-care (SOC) in patients with anti-human cytomegalovirus (HCMV)-reactivated brain metastases. Male and female patients, aged ≥18 years, who have metastatic breast cancer with progressive brain metastases and CMV viremia (\> 250 copies/ml) or positive CMV IgG or IgM will be eligible to participate in the trial. Patients can proceed with SRS as long as at least 1 lesion which is 2 cm or less in a noncritical area in the brain is spared as per the discretion of treating neurosurgeon/radiation oncologist. At least 10 patients will be enrolled in the initial safety lead-in followed by the Phase II trial which will include 18 patients. Anti-HCMV therapy, oral Valganciclovir will be given to patients at 900 mg twice a day for 2 weeks. After the induction period, the maintenance will be continued with valganciclovir at 450 mg twice daily for 4 weeks (28 days).

Valganciclovir vs. Letermovir for CMV Prophylaxis in Heart Transplant

The purpose of this study is to compare the safety and efficacy of letermovir with valganciclovir for prevention of Cytomegalovirus (CMV) viremia in moderate to high risk serostatus heart transplant recipients.

Expansion of Virus-Specific Lymphocytes for Cell Therapy

Infections and reactivation of human cytomegalovirus (CMV), adenovirus, Epstein-barr and polyoma virus infections are frequent causes of morbidity and mortality and are a source of serious complications in patients undergoing allogeneic bone marrow transplantation. In this project we will prepare specific T lymphocytes from blood donor, select cells CMV-specific by interferon gamma capture and treat patients with CMV viral infections. These cells will be used as antiviral therapy in transplanted patients whom do not respond to conventional therapies or in patients whose conventional therapy may be toxic in the context of transplantation. In this context, CMV reactivation can lead to serious complications in patients, such as irreversible neurological changes, pulmonary, gastrointestinal and ophthalmologic complications, among others, in addition to prolonged hospitalizations, leading to significant morbidity and mortality , both in the health sector public as private. This project may represent an important therapeutic modality using cell of the shelf as a source of therapy for different patients and contributing to reduced morbidity / mortality after transplantation, as well as a reduction in the hospitalization period.

Cytomegalovirus Prophylaxis With Letermovir in Heart Transplant Recipients

CMV infection is the most prevalent infection after heart transplantation (HTX), occurring in up to 40-60% of the recipients. It most frequently occurs within the first 6 months after transplantation and commonly presents as an asymptomatic viral replication. Viral syndrome or tissue-invasive disease (gastroenteritis, pneumonitis, myocarditis or meningitis) are much less common. Even though CMV infection is generally treatable with virostatic therapy and/or CMV-specific immunoglobulins, direct effects of CMV infection (viral syndrome and tissue-invasive disease) and general and transplant-specific indirect effects of CMV infection have been associated with significant morbidity and mortality in HTX patient population, mainly due to graft loss, development of malignancies, or opportunistic infections. According to the latest consensus paper on CMV prophylaxis and treatment in solid organ transplant recipients, valgancyclovir (or its active form gancyclovir) represents a virostatic therapy of choice for CMV prophylaxis and treatment after HTX. However, valgancyclovir has an array of side effects including hematological (leukopenia, neutropenia, anemia, thrombocytopenia), neurologic (headache, insomnia), gastrointestinal (decreased appetite, diarrhea, vomiting and dyspepsia) and psychiatric (depression) disorders. These can either expose HTX patients to additional complications (e.g. leukopenia and/or neutropenia can result in systemic fungal infections), decrease patients' quality of life, or mandate a decrease in valgancyclovir dose, which exposes patients to an increased risk for CMV reactivation. Recently, letermovir (a novel CMV viral terminase inhibitor), was approved for CMV prophylaxis in allogeneic bone marrow transplant recipients as the placebo-controlled study showed that significantly less patients, treated with letermovir, developed CMV disease (37% vs. 60%; P\<0.001) and there was also a trend towards lower all-cause mortality. Data on bone marrow transplant recipients additionally suggest that letermovir is generally well tolerated with side effects limited to mild gastrointestinal symptoms (diarrhea, nausea). Importantly, myelosuppresive side effects of letermovir occur very rarely. Some encouraging data does exist on the use of letermovir in kidney transplant recipients, where a recently published proof-of-concept trial (N=27) suggested comparable safety and efficacy of leteremovir (N=18) and valgancyclovir (N=9): both treatment regimens resulted in similar time-course of viral load reduction and viral clearance and were well tolerated in terms of adverse events. Currently, a Phase III clinical trial is ongoing in renal transplant recipients (Clinicaltrials.gov: NCT03443869) to confirm this pilot data. However, to date, there is no published data on the use of letermovir in patients after HTX. Based on the results in kidney transplantation, the aim of this pilot study is thus to evaluate the effects of letermovir-based CMV prophylaxis in heart transplant recipients. The primary objective of the study is to investigate the efficacy of letermovir-based CMV prophylaxis in patients after heart transplantation. The secondary objectives of the study are: * to investigate the tolerability of letermovir-based CMV prophylaxis in patients after heart transplantation. * to explore the potential correlation between letermovir-based CMV prophylaxis and restitution of cell-regulated immunity in patients after heart transplantation.