HER2-specific CAR T Cell Locoregional Immunotherapy for HER2-positive Recurrent/Refractory Pediatric CNS Tumors

NCT03500991 | Active Not Recruiting Phase 1 DMC FDA Drug

• 1 other identifier: BrainChild-01
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 10
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

This is a Phase 1 study of central nervous system (CNS) locoregional adoptive therapy with autologous CD4 and CD8 T cells lentivirally transduced to express a HER2-specific chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) and EGFRt, delivered by an indwelling catheter in the tumor resection cavity or ventricular system in children and young adults with recurrent or refractory HER2-positive CNS tumors. A child or young adult with a refractory or recurrent CNS tumor will have their tumor tested for HER2 expression by immunohistochemistry (IHC) at their home institution or at Seattle Children's Hospital. If the tumor is HER2 positive and the patient meets all other eligibility criteria, including having a CNS catheter placed into the tumor resection cavity or into their ventricular system, and meets none of the exclusion criteria, then they can be apheresed, meaning T cells will be collected. The T cells will then be bioengineered into a second-generation CAR T cell that targets HER2-expressing tumor cells. The patient's newly engineered T cells will then be administered via the indwelling CNS catheter for two courses. In the first course they will receive a weekly dose of CAR T cells for three weeks, followed by a week off, an examination period, and then another course of weekly doses for three weeks. Following the two courses, patient's will undergo a series of studies including MRI to evaluate the effect of the CAR T cells and may have the opportunity to continue receiving additional courses of CAR T cells if the patient has not had adverse effects and if more of their T cells are available. The hypothesis is that an adequate amount of HER2-specific CAR T cells can be manufactured to complete two courses of treatment with three doses given on a weekly schedule followed by one week off in each course. The other hypothesis is that HER-specific CAR T cells safely can be administered through an indwelling CNS catheter to allow the T cells to directly interact with the tumor cells for each patient enrolled on the study safely can be delivered directly into the brain via indwelling catheter. Secondary aims of the study will include to evaluate CAR T cell distribution with the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), the extent to which CAR T cells egress or traffic into the peripheral circulation or blood stream, and, if tissues samples from multiple time points are available, also evaluate the degree of HER2 expression at diagnosis versus at recurrence.

Conditions

Central Nervous System Tumor, Pediatric; Glioma; Ependymoma; Medulloblastoma; Germ Cell Tumor; Atypical Teratoid/Rhabdoid Tumor; Primitive Neuroectodermal Tumor; Choroid Plexus Carcinoma; Pineoblastoma

Keywords

CNS, CAR T cell, HER2-positive, brain tumor; pediatric, young adults

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (2)

• Establish the safety, defined by the adverse events, of HER2-specific CAR T cell infusions delivered by a central nervous system (CNS) catheter into the tumor resection cavity or ventricular system

  The type, frequency, severity, and duration of adverse events as a result of HER2-specific CAR T cell infusion will be summarized

  up to 6 months

• Establish the feasibility, defined by the ability to produce and administer CAR T cell product, of HER2-specific CAR T cell product infusions delivered by a central nervous system (CNS) catheter into the tumor resection cavity or ventricular system

  The proportion of products successfully manufactured and infused will be measured

  28 days

Secondary Outcomes (3)

• Assess the distribution of CNS-delivered HER2-specific CAR T cells within the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and peripheral blood

  up to 6 months

• Assessment of whether HER2 expression changes in relapsed CNS tumors that were HER2 positive prior to treatment with CAR T cells

  28 days

• Assessment of disease response of HER2-expressing refractory or recurrent central nervous system (CNS) tumors to HER2 specific CAR T cell therapy delivered directly into the CNS

  up to 6 months

Other Outcomes (1)

• Analysis of CSF for biomarkers of anti-tumor CAR T cell functional activity

  up to 6 months

Study Arms (2)

ARM A (Tumor Cavity Infusion)

EXPERIMENTAL

patients with supratentorial tumors for which CAR T cells will be delivered into the tumor resection cavity Intervention: HER2-specific chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell

Biological: HER2-specific chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell

ARM B (Ventricular System Infusion)

EXPERIMENTAL

patients with either infratentorial tumors or leptomeningeal tumors for which the CAR T cells will be delivered into the fourth ventricle or lateral ventricle, respectively Intervention: HER2-specific chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell

Biological: HER2-specific chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell

Interventions

HER2-specific chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell BIOLOGICAL

Autologous CD4 and CD8 T cells lentivirally transduced to express a HER2 specific chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) and EGFRt given via indwelling central nervous system (CNS) catheter

ARM A (Tumor Cavity Infusion); ARM B (Ventricular System Infusion)

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 1 Year - 26 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Child (0-17), Adult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

• Age ≥ 1 and ≤ 26 years
• Histologically diagnosed HER2-positive Central Nervous System (CNS) tumor
• Evidence of refractory or recurrent CNS disease for which there is no standard therapy
• Able to tolerate apheresis, or has apheresis product available for use in manufacturing
• CNS reservoir catheter, such as an Ommaya or Rickham catheter
• Life expectancy ≥ 8 weeks
• Lansky or Karnofsky score ≥ 60
• If patient does not have previously obtained apheresis product, patient must have recovered from acute toxic effects of all prior chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and radiotherapy and discontinue the following prior to enrollment:
• ≥ 7 days post last chemotherapy/biologic administration
• half-lives or 30 days, whichever is shorter post last dose of anti-tumor antibody therapy
• Must be at least 30 days from most recent cell infusion
• All systemically administered corticosteroid treatment therapy must be stable or decreasing within 1 week prior to enrollment with maximum dexamethasone dose of 2.5 mg/m2/day. Corticosteroid physiologic replacement therapy is allowed.
• Adequate organ function
• Adequate laboratory values
• Patients of childbearing/fathering potential must agree to use highly effective contraception

You may not qualify if:

• Diagnosis of classic diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG)
• Presence of Grade ≥ 3 cardiac dysfunction or symptomatic arrhythmia requiring intervention
• Presence of primary immunodeficiency/bone marrow failure syndrome
• Presence of clinical and/or radiographic evidence of impending herniation
• Presence of active malignancy other than the primary CNS tumor under study
• Presence of active severe infection
• Pregnant or breastfeeding
• Subject and/or authorized legal representative unwilling or unable to provide consent/assent for participation in the 15-year follow up period
• Presence of any condition that, in the opinion of the investigator, would prohibit the patient from undergoing treatment under this protocol

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Seattle Children's Hospital: lead

Study Sites (1)

Seattle Children's Hospital

Seattle, Washington, 98105, United States

Location

Related Publications (2)

• Li X, Li W, Xu L, Song Y. Chimeric antigen receptor-immune cells against solid tumors: Structures, mechanisms, recent advances, and future developments. Chin Med J (Engl). 2024 Jun 5;137(11):1285-1302. doi: 10.1097/CM9.0000000000002818. Epub 2023 Aug 28.

  PMID: 37640679 DERIVED

• Vitanza NA, Johnson AJ, Wilson AL, Brown C, Yokoyama JK, Kunkele A, Chang CA, Rawlings-Rhea S, Huang W, Seidel K, Albert CM, Pinto N, Gust J, Finn LS, Ojemann JG, Wright J, Orentas RJ, Baldwin M, Gardner RA, Jensen MC, Park JR. Locoregional infusion of HER2-specific CAR T cells in children and young adults with recurrent or refractory CNS tumors: an interim analysis. Nat Med. 2021 Sep;27(9):1544-1552. doi: 10.1038/s41591-021-01404-8. Epub 2021 Jul 12.

  PMID: 34253928 DERIVED

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Central Nervous System Neoplasms; Glioma; Ependymoma; Medulloblastoma; Neoplasms, Germ Cell and Embryonal; Rhabdoid Tumor; Neuroectodermal Tumors, Primitive; Choroid Plexus Carcinoma; Pinealoma; Brain Neoplasms

Interventions

Automobiles

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Nervous System Neoplasms; Neoplasms by Site; Neoplasms; Nervous System Diseases; Neoplasms, Neuroepithelial; Neuroectodermal Tumors; Neoplasms by Histologic Type; Neoplasms, Glandular and Epithelial; Neoplasms, Nerve Tissue; Neoplasms, Complex and Mixed; Brain Diseases; Central Nervous System Diseases

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Motor Vehicles; Transportation; Technology, Industry, and Agriculture

Study Officials

• Rebecca Ronsley, MD

  Seattle Children's Hospital

  STUDY CHAIR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: phase 1
• Allocation: NON RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Medical Director, Immunotherapy

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: March 21, 2018
• First Posted: April 18, 2018
• Study Start: July 26, 2018
• Primary Completion: January 17, 2024
• Study Completion (Estimated): July 26, 2039
• Last Updated: December 17, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-12

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

US (1)