Single-centre, first-in-man phase I/II trial to demonstrate safety and efficacy of MAGE-C2/HLA-A2 TCR T cells (MC2 TCR T cells) in advanced melanoma (MEL) and head-and-neck carcinoma (HNSCC).
In this patient study, the investigators target the Cancer Germline Antigen (CGA) MAGE-C2 (MC2), and use T cells with a young phenotype. MC2 is highly expressed in melanoma (MEL) and head-and-neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSSC), but not in healthy adult tissues. The investigators isolated MC2-specific TCRs from MEL patients who showed clinical responses following vaccination that were accompanied by significant frequencies of anti-MC2 CD8 T cells in blood and tumor without apparent side effects. Following extensive evaluation of in vitro anti-tumor and self-reactivities, the investigators have selected a TCR that recognizes the ALK epitope in the context of HLA-A2 for clinical development. Furthermore, preclinical studies showed that epigenetic pretreatment of tumor cells, but not normal cells, up-regulated MC2 gene expression and resulted in enhanced recognition of MC2 by the selected TCR. In parallel to the above studies, the investigators renewed their GMP protocol to process T cells, using stimulating antibodies and cytokines, to generate T cells with a young phenotype. In the current phase I/II study, the investigators explore the safety and anti-tumor efficacy of T cells engineered with the selected TCR in patients with MC2-positive MEL and HNSSC. The study contains the following unique elements: * CGA not targeted before by T cell therapy * New T cell processing method to generate young T cells * Pretreatment of patients with epigenetic drugs * No chemotherapy prior to T cell infusion Leads: * Clinical PI: Astrid van der Veldt, MD, PhD * Clinical logistics: Karlijn de Joode, MD * T cell production: Monique de Beijer, PhD; and Cor Lamers, PhD * Coordinator/Preclinical PI: prof. Reno Debets, PhD
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
NA
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
20
Adoptive therapy with autologous MC2 TCR T cells combined with AZA/VP
Erasmus Medical Center
Rotterdam, Netherlands
RECRUITINGMaximum Tolerated Dose (MTD) of MC2 TCR T cells
MTD is determined using an accelerated titration phase with T cell doses as described in treatment arm; AEs are recorded according to CTCAE 5.0
Time frame: 1 year
Objective anti-tumor responses of MC2 TCR T cells
Anti-tumor responses are recorded according to RECIST v1.1 using the MTD from outcome 1
Time frame: 2 years
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