Clinical Research Directory

Genetic Basis of Immunodeficiency

This study will examine the role of hereditary factors in different forms of severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID). Patients with immunodeficiencies may be eligible for this study. Candidates include: * Patients with diminished numbers of T cells or NK cells or both, or * Patients with normal T cell and NK cell numbers but diminished T cell, B cell, or NK cell function. Relatives of patients will also be studied. Participants will have blood samples collected for genetic analysis in studies related to SCID at the National Institutes of Health and other institutions.

Gene Transfer for Severe Combined Immunodeficiency, X-linked (SCID-X1) Using a Self-inactivating (SIN) Gammaretroviral Vector

Researchers are working on ways to treat SCID patients who don't have a matched brother or sister. One of the goals is to avoid the problems that happen with stem cell transplant from parents and unrelated people, such as repeat transplants, incomplete cure of the immune system, exposure to chemotherapy, and graft versus host disease. The idea behind gene transfer is to replace the broken gene by putting a piece of genetic material (DNA) that has the normal gene into the child's cells. Gene transfer can only be done if we know which gene is missing or broken in the patient. For SCID-X1, gene transfer has been done in the laboratory and in two previous clinical trials by inserting the normal gene into stem cells from bone marrow. The bone marrow is the "factory" inside the bones that creates blood and immune cells. So fixing the gene in the bone marrow stem cells should fix the immune problem, without giving chemotherapy and without risk of graft versus host disease, because the child's own cells are used, rather than another person's. Out of the 20 subjects enrolled in the two previous trials, 18 are alive with better immune systems after gene transfer. Two of the surviving subjects received gene corrected cells over 10 years ago. Gene transfer is still research for two reasons. One is that not enough children have been studied to tell if the procedure is consistently successful. Of the 20 children enrolled in the previous two trials, one child did not have correction of the immune system, and died of complications after undergoing stem cell transplant. The second important reason why gene transfer is research is that we are still learning about the side effects of gene transfer and how to do gene transfer safely. In the last two trials, 5 children have experienced a serious side effect. These children developed leukemia related to the gene transfer itself. Leukemia is a cancer of the white blood cells, a condition where a few white blood cells grow out of control. Of these children, 4 of the 5 have received chemotherapy (medication to treat cancer) and are currently in remission (no leukemia can be found by sensitive testing), whereas one died of gene transfer-related leukemia.

Immune Disorder HSCT Protocol

This study hypothesizes that a reduced intensity immunosuppressive preparative regimen will establish engraftment of donor hematopoietic cells with acceptable early and delayed toxicity in patients with immune function disorders. A regimen that maximizes host immune suppression is expected to reduce graft rejection and optimize donor cell engraftment.

Autologous Gene Therapy for Artemis-Deficient SCID

This study aims to determine if a new method can be used to treat Artemis-deficient Severe Combined Immunodeficiency (ART-SCID), a severe form of primary immunodeficiency caused by mutations in the DCLRE1C gene. This method involves transferring a normal copy of the DCLRE1C gene into stem cells of an affected patient. Participants will receive an infusion of stem cells transduced with a self-inactivating lentiviral vector that contains a normal copy of the DCLRE1C gene. Prior to the infusion they will receive sub-ablative, dose-targeted busulfan conditioning. The study will investigate if the procedure is safe, whether it can be done according to the methods described in the protocol, and whether the procedure will provide a normal immune system for the patient. A total of 24 newly diagnosed patients will be enrolled at the University of California San Francisco in this single-site trial and will be followed for 15 years post-infusion. It is hoped that this type of gene transfer may offer improved outcomes for ART-SCID patients who lack a brother or sister who can be used as a donor for stem cell transplantation or who have failed to develop a functioning immune system after a previous stem cell transplant.

Haplocompatible Transplant Using TCRα/β Depletion Followed by CD45RA-Depleted Donor Lymphocyte Infusions for Severe Combined Immunodeficiency (SCID)

Infants with severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) have a profound decrease in number and function of immune cells, and therefore remain highly vulnerable to infection. If not corrected this often leads to death. Hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) from matched sibling donor is the standard treatment for these patients, unfortunately though; most SCID patients lack a sibling donor. Building upon experience and existing data, the investigators are proposing a trial the goals of which are: to provide a conditioning regimen that is well tolerated, and provision of immune cells that altogether should establish rapid immune recovery providing protection from life threatening infections without increasing the risk of dangerous Graft-Versus-Host-Disease. Primary Objectives 1. To evaluate the safety of a TCRα/β/CD19-depleted graft with CD45RA-depleted DLI in infants with SCID 2. To estimate overall survival at 1 year post transplantation Exploratory Objectives 1. To evaluate the significant donor T cell reconstitution of a TCRα/β/CD19 depleted graft with CD45RA-depleted DLI at 1 year (+/-2 weeks). 2. To evaluate engraftment at day 30, 100, month 6, and years 1 to 10 post HCT. 3. To evaluate B cell reconstitution at years 1 to 10 post HCT. 4. To evaluate biomarkers of immune reconstitution at day 30, 60 100, month 6 and years 1 to 10; e.g. immunophenotype (including epigenetic profiling) of T, B, and NK cells, and assays to determine their function. 5. To evaluate clinical outcomes, post HCT. 6. To define the incidence and severity of acute (at day 100, month 6), and chronic (month 6, 12, 24) GVHD following HCT.

The Experience of Screening for SCID

This project will evaluate the impact of including Severe Combined Immunodeficiency into the newborn bloodspot screening panel. It will recruit parents and health professionals primarily from the sites where this new form of screening is being trialled well as additional sites where clinicians will be involved in the care of these babies and comparator groups are needed. The proposed work will consist of two work packages. The first, a mixed-methods study conducted with families from the point of screening information being returned through to the child's fifth birthday. The second, a qualitative interview study conducted with health professionals during the clinical evaluation phase of the national pilot programme.