This phase I trial tests the safety, side effects and best dose of NEXI-001 when given with decitabine and lymphodepleting chemotherapy in treating patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) or myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) that has come back after a period of improvement (relapsed) or that has not responded to previous treatment (refractory) following an allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation from a matched donor. NEXI-001 is a type of chimeric antigen receptor T cell therapy in which a patient's T cells (a type of immune system cell) are changed in the laboratory so they will attack cancer cells. T cells are taken from a patient's blood. Then the gene for a special receptor that binds to a certain protein on the patient's cancer cells is added to the T cells in the laboratory. The special receptor is called a chimeric antigen receptor (CAR). Large numbers of the CAR T cells are grown in the laboratory and given to the patient by infusion for treatment of certain cancers. Decitabine is in a class of medications called hypomethylation agents. It works by helping the bone marrow produce normal blood cells and by killing abnormal cells in the bone marrow. Lymphodepleting chemotherapy, with fludarabine and cyclophosphamide, helps kill cancer cells in the body and helps prepare the body for the new CAR-T cells. Giving NEXI-001 with decitabine and lymphodepleting chemotherapy may be safe and tolerable in treating patients with relapsed or refractory AML or MDS following an allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation from a matched donor.
PRIMARY OBJECTIVES: I. Characterize the safety of allogeneic CD8+ leukemia-associated antigens specific T cells NEXI-001 (NEXI-001) combined with decitabine. II. Determine the recommended phase 2 dose (RP2D) for NEXI-001 T cells combined with decitabine. SECONDARY OBJECTIVES: I. Investigate the preliminary anti-leukemic activity of NEXI-001 T cells combined with decitabine based on: Ia. Complete response (CR) rate; Ib. Overall response rate (ORR); Ic. Median duration of response; Id. 1-year overall survival (OS); Ie. 1-year progression-free survival (PFS). II. Cumulative incidence of acute graft-versus-host disease (aGVHD) of grades 2-4 and 3-4 at day 100 post first infusion of NEXI-001. III. Cumulative incidence of chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGVHD) of all grades at 1 year post first infusion of NEXI-001. IV. Characterize the T cells in the NEXI-001 product by immunophenotype and tumor antigen specificity. V. Characterize NEXI-001 T cells in peripheral blood (PB) and bone marrow (BM) by immunophenotype and tumor antigen specificity. VI. Expansion and persistence of NEXI-001 T cells in PB and BM. EXPLORATORY OBJECTIVES: I. Evaluate the effect of the following factors on the safety and efficacy of NEXI-001 T cells combined with decitabine: Ia. NEXI-001 T-cell immunophenotype; Ib. Persistence of NEXI-001 T cells in PB and BM; Ic. Blood levels of the antigen-specific NEXI-001 T cells; Id. Biomarkers of activation, proliferation, and exhaustion of T cells; Ie. The expression of tumor associated antigen (TAAs) and checkpoint molecules on AML blasts. OUTLINE: This is a dose-escalation study of decitabine in combination with NEXI-001, fludarabine and cyclophosphamide. DONOR: Donors undergo leukapheresis on study. PATIENTS: Patients may receive bridging therapy per standard of care ≥ 14 days prior to the start of cycle 1. Patients receive decitabine intravenously (IV) over 1 hour once per day (QD) on day -3, -5 or -10 to day -1, lymphodepletion chemotherapy with fludarabine IV over 30 minutes QD and cyclophosphamide IV over 60 minutes QD on day -5 to -3 and then receive NEXI-001 IV over 30 minutes QD on days 1, 8 and 15 of cycle 1. Cycles repeat every 33 or 38 days in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. If NEXI-001 cells remain and treatment criteria are met, patients may receive and additional cycle of decitabine IV over 1 hour QD on day -5 to -1 and NEXI-001 IV QD on days 1, 8 and 15 in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Patients undergo echocardiography (ECHO) during screening, bone marrow aspirate and/or bone marrow biopsy, positron emission tomography (PET)/computed tomography (CT) scan or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and blood sample collection throughout the study. After completion of study treatment, patients are followed up within 30 days and every 3 months for up to 1 year.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
NA
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Given IV
Undergo blood sample collection
Undergo bone marrow aspiration
Undergo bone marrow biopsy
Undergo PET/CT
Given IV
Given IV
Undergo ECHO
Given IV
Undergo leukapheresis
Undergo MRI
Undergo PET/CT
Incidence of adverse events (AEs)
AEs will be graded according to the National Cancer Institute Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events version 5.0, with the following exceptions: cytokine Release Syndrome will be graded according to the consensus criteria published by the American Society for Transplantation and Cellular Therapy, Immune effector Cell-Associated Neurotoxicity Syndrome, acute graft versus host disease (GVHD) grading according to Magic Consortium criteria and chronic GVHD grading according to National Health Institute Consensus criteria.
Time frame: Up to 1.5 years
Dose limiting toxicity
Defined as grade 3 or higher non-hematological AE excluding toxicities unequivocally related to underlying disease, intercurrent illness or alternative etiology, and with the following exceptions: grade 3 or higher cytokine release syndrome/neurotoxicity that responds to appropriate medical intervention within 72 hours before improving to \< grade 2 and grade 3-4 GVHD if responsive to therapy within 14-21 days.
Time frame: Up to completion of cycle 1
Overall response
By the 2022 European Leukemia Net criteria for acute myeloid leukemia (AML)/myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS). Will be analyzed using the Kaplan-Meier method.
Time frame: Up to 1.5 years
Complete response
By morphologic, multiparametric flow cytometry, and real time quantitative polymerase chain reaction criteria. Will be analyzed using the Kaplan-Meier method.
Time frame: Up to 1.5 years
Duration of response
Will be analyzed using the Kaplan-Meier method.
Time frame: From the starting date of response to the date of disease progression, up to 1.5 years
Progression free survival
Will be analyzed using the Kaplan-Meier method.
Time frame: From starting study therapy to the first observation of disease progression or date of death, whichever comes first, up to 1.5 years
Overall survival
Will be analyzed using the Kaplan-Meier method.
Time frame: From starting study therapy to the date of death, up to 1.5 years
Determine the immunophenotype of NEXI-001 T cells
In peripheral blood (PB) and bone marrow (BM) by flow cytometry techniques.
Time frame: Up to 1.5 years
Incidence of acute GVHD
Of grades 2-4 and 3-4 (grading according to Magic Consortium criteria). Will be calculated using death and disease progression as competing risks.
Time frame: Up to 1.5 years
Incidence of chronic GVHD
Of all grades (grading according to Lee et al. 2017). Will be calculated using death and disease progression as competing risks.
Time frame: Up to 1.5 years
Persistence/antigen specificity of NEXI-001 T cells
In PB and BM by multimer-based staining over time.
Time frame: Up to 1.5 years
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