UCMSCs as Front-line Approach of Treatment for Patients With aGVHD

NCT03847844 | Completed Phase 1 DMC

• 1 other identifier: POD0030/CP/R
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 26
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Background: Graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) is a devastating complication following allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) mediated by stimulation of antigen presenting cells (APCs) which leads to donor T-lymphocytes activation and target tissue destruction, particularly affecting the skin, gastrointestinal tract, and liver in acute setting. In recent years, researchers have discovered that the application of mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) as salvage treatment among steroid refractory GVHD patients improves outcomes without long-term risk association. On the other hand, the use of MSCs concurrently with steroids as front-line treatment for acute GVHD has yet to be researched on. The investigators hypothesize that this approach, as the MSCs will be administered at earlier stage of the disease, will increase survival rate and reduce mortality among aGVHD patients. Objective: In this study, the investigators aim to determine the efficacy and safety of allogeneic infusion of Cytopeutics® umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (Cyto-MSC) in combination of standard corticosteroid therapy as front-line approach for treatment of grade II-IV acute GVHD patients. Study design: This is a phase I/II clinical study involving patients who underwent an allogeneic HSCT for malignant or non malignant haematological disorders and developed grade II-IV acute GVHD. A total of 40 eligible patients will be recruited in this study. For Phase I open labelled study, 5 eligible patients will be recruited to receive Cyto-MSC (5 million UC-MSCs per kg bodyweight) and standard treatment. Meanwhile, for Phase II double blinded placebo controlled study, another 35 eligible patients will be recruited and randomized into 2 study groups where 15 patients will be assigned into Group A to receive Cyto-MSC (5 million UCMSCs per kg bodyweight) and standard treatment, meanwhile another 20 patients will be assigned into Group B to receive Placebo and standard treatment. Cyto-MSC or Placebo will be administered at Day 1 and Day 4. Another infusion of Cyto-MSC or Placebo will be given at Day 7 if the patient shows no or partial response based on GvHD grading criteria. All patients will be assessed up until 6 months follow-up which include medical history, clinical and physical evaluations, pathology investigations, biomarkers and immune cell subsets analysis, as well as quality of life questionnaires.

Conditions

Acute-graft-versus-host Disease

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (6)

• Rate of Complete Response (CR) at Day 28

  28 days

• Rate of Partial Response (PR) at Day 28

  28 days

• Rate of PR and CR at Day 14

  14 days

• Percentage of patient requiring MMF rescue during treatment

  6 months

• Rate of long term complication incidence

  6 months

• Rate of chronic clinical response incidence

  6 months

Secondary Outcomes (10)

• Overall survival (OS) rate at 3 months

  3 months

• Correlation between response to Cyto-MSC at Day 14 and Day 28 to survival at 90 days

  90 days

• Relapse-free survival at 3 months

  3 months

• Disease relapse at 3 months

  3 months

• Incidence of infection

  6 months

Study Arms (2)

Group A

EXPERIMENTAL

Cyto-MSC (5 million UCMSCs per kg bodyweight) and standard treatment

Biological: Umbilical cord derived mesenchymal stem cell

Group B

PLACEBO COMPARATOR

Placebo (normal saline) and standard treatment

Other: Placebo

Interventions

Umbilical cord derived mesenchymal stem cell BIOLOGICAL

Umbilical cord derived mesenchymal stem cell

Also known as: Cyto-MSC

Group A

Placebo OTHER

Normal saline

Group B

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 16 Years+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Child (0-17), Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Patient age 16 and above
• Patient who has undergone an allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) receiving allograft either from HLA-matched related donor (MRD), HLA-matched unrelated donor (MUD), Unrelated Cord Blood (UCB) or Haploidentical donor and developed grade II-IV acute graft versus host disease (acute GVHD) involving the skin, GI tract and/or liver based on 1994 Consensus Conference on Acute GVHD Grading
• Patient and/or parent(s) or legal guardian(s) and assent form signed informed consent. Assent form will be obtained for patients aged less than 18 years. Investigators will obtain the permission of the parents or guardians for the participation of the minor in the research, and to solicit assent from the minor

You may not qualify if:

• Patient who has enrolled in another investigational drug trial or stem cell related trial or has completed the aforesaid within (3) months
• Patient with HIV or syphilis (Patient should be screened for HIV and VDRL up to 6 months prior to study start)
• Patient with Hepatitis B (HBV) or Hepatitis C (HCV). All patients must be screened for HBV and HCV up to 6 months prior to study start using the routine hepatitis virus laboratory. Patients who are positive for HBsAg or HBcAb will be eligible if they are negative for HBV-DNA, these patients should receive prophylactic antiviral therapy. Patients who are positive for anti-HCV antibody will be eligible if they are negative for HCV-RNA
• Patient has creatinine clearance of ≤50mL/min or creatinine is ≥200 µmol/L
• Patient had undergone or on other immune-modulatory treatments such as interferon or Thalidomide over the last 12 months
• Patient with progressive underlying disease or not in complete remission (CR) at the time of transplant
• Any other severe co-morbidities which the doctor deems as a contraindication to cell therapy
• Adults under law protection or without ability to consent
• The patient has previous history or on-going psychiatric illness
• Patient has received an HSCT transplant for a solid tumor disease
• Patient has a known hypersensitivity to dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO)
• Patient is a female who is pregnant, lactating, or is planning a pregnancy during study participation, or in the follow-up period

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Cytopeutics Sdn. Bhd.: lead
• Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman: collaborator

Study Sites (1)

Hospital Ampang

Ampang, Selangor, 68000, Malaysia

Location

Study Officials

• Sen Mui Tan

  Hospital Ampang

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: phase 1
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: TRIPLE
• Who Masked: PARTICIPANT, CARE PROVIDER, INVESTIGATOR
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: INDUSTRY
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: February 14, 2019
• First Posted: February 20, 2019
• Study Start: February 1, 2019
• Primary Completion: July 18, 2023
• Study Completion: August 31, 2023
• Last Updated: January 2, 2026

Record last verified: 2025-12

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

MY (1)