Pre-emptive Anakinra for Cytokine Event Reduction
PACER
Pilot Study of Pre-emptive Anakinra for the Prevention of Severe Cytokine Release Syndrome in Children and Young Adults With B-Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Receiving Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR) T Cells
2 other identifiers
interventional
24
1 country
1
Brief Summary
Objectives: The primary objective of this study will be to evaluate the impact of pre-emptive use of anakinra on the rate of severe cytokine release syndrome (CRS) following CD19-directed chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy for B-acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) in children and young adults. Patient Population: Children and young adults \<25 years of age undergoing CAR T-cell therapy for B-ALL with bone marrow disease burden of ≥5% involvement or detectable peripheral blasts within 2 weeks of the initiation of lymphodepleting chemotherapy. Study Design: This is a pilot single arm study. The investigators will inquire into the efficacy and safety of using anakinra pre-emptively to reduce the rate of severe CRS in patients with \>/=5% bone marrow blasts or lymphoblasts in the peripheral blood. Treatment Plan: This is a single arm unblinded study in which patients will receive anakinra, 2.5 mg/kg (max 100mg), IV every 12 hours starting at the onset of persistent fever (fever \>38.5⁰ C x 2 occurrences separated by at least 4 hours in a 24 hour period). If there is persistence or progression of CRS, anakinra frequency will be increased to 2.5mg/kg IV (max 100mg), every 6 hours. Anakinra will be continued until 48 hours after resolution of CRS and ICANS, and at least 7 days post-CAR T infusion. If dose and frequency of anakinra is increased, the increased dose of anakinra will be continued until 48 hours after resolution of CRS and immune effector cell-associated neurotoxicity syndrome (ICANS) and at least 7 days post-CAR T infusion. For CRS worsening beyond dose escalation of anakinra, CRS will be managed as per standard of care management. Participants will be followed for 12 months following enrollment in the study and disease evaluations will be performed as per routine clinical care following CAR T-cell therapy.
Trial Health
Trial Health Score
Automated assessment based on enrollment pace, timeline, and geographic reach
participants targeted
Target at P25-P50 for phase_1
Started Aug 2025
Longer than P75 for phase_1
1 active site
Health score is calculated from publicly available data and should be used for screening purposes only.
Trial Relationships
Click on a node to explore related trials.
Study Timeline
Key milestones and dates
First Submitted
Initial submission to the registry
November 18, 2024
CompletedFirst Posted
Study publicly available on registry
November 25, 2024
CompletedStudy Start
First participant enrolled
August 1, 2025
CompletedPrimary Completion
Last participant's last visit for primary outcome
August 31, 2029
ExpectedStudy Completion
Last participant's last visit for all outcomes
February 28, 2030
June 15, 2025
June 1, 2025
4.1 years
November 18, 2024
June 12, 2025
Conditions
Keywords
Outcome Measures
Primary Outcomes (1)
Rate of Severe CRS within 30 days of CAR T-cell infusion
The rate of severe CRS, grade ≥3 CRS, as defined by the American Society of Transplantation and Cellular Therapy (ASTCT) consensus guidelines. Participants will have CRS grading each day of hospitalization and every clinical visit within the first 30 days of CAR T-cell infusion.
30 days of CAR-T infusion
Secondary Outcomes (8)
Complete Remission Rate
28-35 days post CAR-T infusion
Overall and event-free survival
Up to 12 months post CAR-T infusion
CRS and ICANS Severity
Up to 12 months post CAR-T infusion
Immune effector cell-associated hematotoxicity (ICAHT) Severity
Up to 12 months post CAR-T infusion
Use of tocilizumab or steroids
Within 30 days post CAR T infusion
- +3 more secondary outcomes
Study Arms (1)
Treatment Arm
EXPERIMENTALInterventions
Eligibility Criteria
Contact the study team to discuss eligibility requirements. They can help determine if this study is right for you.
Sponsors & Collaborators
Study Sites (1)
Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago
Chicago, Illinois, 60611, United States
Related Publications (26)
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PMID: 36906275BACKGROUNDRejeski K, Subklewe M, Aljurf M, Bachy E, Balduzzi A, Barba P, Bruno B, Benjamin R, Carrabba MG, Chabannon C, Ciceri F, Corradini P, Delgado J, Di Blasi R, Greco R, Houot R, Iacoboni G, Jager U, Kersten MJ, Mielke S, Nagler A, Onida F, Peric Z, Roddie C, Ruggeri A, Sanchez-Guijo F, Sanchez-Ortega I, Schneidawind D, Schubert ML, Snowden JA, Thieblemont C, Topp M, Zinzani PL, Gribben JG, Bonini C, Sureda A, Yakoub-Agha I. Immune effector cell-associated hematotoxicity: EHA/EBMT consensus grading and best practice recommendations. Blood. 2023 Sep 7;142(10):865-877. doi: 10.1182/blood.2023020578.
PMID: 37300386BACKGROUNDKineret. Package Insert. Biovitrum AB. December 18th.
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PMID: 30592986BACKGROUNDStrati P, Jallouk A, Deng Q, Li X, Feng L, Sun R, Adkins S, Johncy S, Cain T, Steiner RE, Ahmed S, Chihara D, Fayad LE, Iyer SP, Horowitz S, Nastoupil LJ, Nair R, Hassan A, Daoud TE, Hawkins M, Rodriguez MA, Shpall EJ, Ramdial JL, Kebriaei P, Hong DS, Westin JR, Neelapu SS, Green MR. A phase 1 study of prophylactic anakinra to mitigate ICANS in patients with large B-cell lymphoma. Blood Adv. 2023 Nov 14;7(21):6785-6789. doi: 10.1182/bloodadvances.2023010653. No abstract available.
PMID: 37389847BACKGROUNDLiang EC, Albittar A, Portuguese AJ, Huang JJ, Wuliji N, Wu Q, De Los Reyes J, Pin N, Torkelson A, Kirchmeier DR. Planned Interim Analysis of a Phase 2 Investigator-Initiated Trial of Anakinra to Prevent CRS and Neurotoxicity after Treatment with Lisocabtagene Maraleucel. Transplantation and Cellular Therapy. 2024;30(2):S179-S80.
BACKGROUNDFrigault MJ, Gallagher KM, Wehrli M, Valles B, Casey K, Lindell K, Trailor M, Cho H, Brown JL, Horick NK. A phase II trial of anakinra for the prevention of CAR-T cell mediated neurotoxicity. Blood. 2021;138:2814.
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PMID: 37400640BACKGROUNDHines MR, Keenan C, Maron Alfaro G, Cheng C, Zhou Y, Sharma A, Hurley C, Nichols KE, Gottschalk S, Triplett BM, Talleur AC. Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis-like toxicity (carHLH) after CD19-specific CAR T-cell therapy. Br J Haematol. 2021 Aug;194(4):701-707. doi: 10.1111/bjh.17662. Epub 2021 Jul 15.
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PMID: 34672243BACKGROUNDLichtenstein DA, Schischlik F, Shao L, Steinberg SM, Yates B, Wang HW, Wang Y, Inglefield J, Dulau-Florea A, Ceppi F, Hermida LC, Stringaris K, Dunham K, Homan P, Jailwala P, Mirazee J, Robinson W, Chisholm KM, Yuan C, Stetler-Stevenson M, Ombrello AK, Jin J, Fry TJ, Taylor N, Highfill SL, Jin P, Gardner RA, Shalabi H, Ruppin E, Stroncek DF, Shah NN. Characterization of HLH-like manifestations as a CRS variant in patients receiving CD22 CAR T cells. Blood. 2021 Dec 16;138(24):2469-2484. doi: 10.1182/blood.2021011898.
PMID: 34525183BACKGROUNDDiorio C, Vatsayan A, Talleur AC, Annesley C, Jaroscak JJ, Shalabi H, Ombrello AK, Hudspeth M, Maude SL, Gardner RA, Shah NN. Anakinra utilization in refractory pediatric CAR T-cell associated toxicities. Blood Adv. 2022 Jun 14;6(11):3398-3403. doi: 10.1182/bloodadvances.2022006983. No abstract available.
PMID: 35395068BACKGROUNDSummerlin J, Wells DA, Anderson MK, Halford Z. A Review of Current and Emerging Therapeutic Options for Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis. Ann Pharmacother. 2023 Jul;57(7):867-879. doi: 10.1177/10600280221134719. Epub 2022 Nov 9.
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PMID: 34605776BACKGROUNDShakoory B, Carcillo JA, Chatham WW, Amdur RL, Zhao H, Dinarello CA, Cron RQ, Opal SM. Interleukin-1 Receptor Blockade Is Associated With Reduced Mortality in Sepsis Patients With Features of Macrophage Activation Syndrome: Reanalysis of a Prior Phase III Trial. Crit Care Med. 2016 Feb;44(2):275-81. doi: 10.1097/CCM.0000000000001402.
PMID: 26584195BACKGROUNDSonmez HE, Demir S, Bilginer Y, Ozen S. Anakinra treatment in macrophage activation syndrome: a single center experience and systemic review of literature. Clin Rheumatol. 2018 Dec;37(12):3329-3335. doi: 10.1007/s10067-018-4095-1. Epub 2018 Apr 16.
PMID: 29663156BACKGROUNDMehta P, Cron RQ, Hartwell J, Manson JJ, Tattersall RS. Silencing the cytokine storm: the use of intravenous anakinra in haemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis or macrophage activation syndrome. Lancet Rheumatol. 2020 Jun;2(6):e358-e367. doi: 10.1016/S2665-9913(20)30096-5. Epub 2020 May 4.
PMID: 32373790BACKGROUNDCharlesworth JEG, Kavirayani A. Intravenous anakinra for the treatment of haemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis/macrophage activation syndrome: A systematic review. Eur J Haematol. 2023 Sep;111(3):458-476. doi: 10.1111/ejh.14029. Epub 2023 Jun 21.
PMID: 37344166BACKGROUNDNorelli M, Camisa B, Barbiera G, Falcone L, Purevdorj A, Genua M, Sanvito F, Ponzoni M, Doglioni C, Cristofori P, Traversari C, Bordignon C, Ciceri F, Ostuni R, Bonini C, Casucci M, Bondanza A. Monocyte-derived IL-1 and IL-6 are differentially required for cytokine-release syndrome and neurotoxicity due to CAR T cells. Nat Med. 2018 Jun;24(6):739-748. doi: 10.1038/s41591-018-0036-4. Epub 2018 May 28.
PMID: 29808007BACKGROUNDGiavridis T, van der Stegen SJC, Eyquem J, Hamieh M, Piersigilli A, Sadelain M. CAR T cell-induced cytokine release syndrome is mediated by macrophages and abated by IL-1 blockade. Nat Med. 2018 Jun;24(6):731-738. doi: 10.1038/s41591-018-0041-7. Epub 2018 May 28.
PMID: 29808005BACKGROUNDMcNerney KO, Si Lim SJ, Ishikawa K, Dreyzin A, Vatsayan A, Chen JJ, Baggott C, Prabhu S, Pacenta HL, Philips C, Rossoff J, Stefanski HE, Talano JA, Moskop A, Verneris M, Myers D, Karras NA, Brown P, Bonifant CL, Qayed M, Hermiston M, Satwani P, Krupski C, Keating AK, Baumeister SHC, Fabrizio VA, Chinnabhandar V, Egeler E, Mavroukakis S, Curran KJ, Mackall CL, Laetsch TW, Schultz LM. HLH-like toxicities predict poor survival after the use of tisagenlecleucel in children and young adults with B-ALL. Blood Adv. 2023 Jun 27;7(12):2758-2771. doi: 10.1182/bloodadvances.2022008893.
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PMID: 29385370BACKGROUND
MeSH Terms
Conditions
Interventions
Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)
Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)
Central Study Contacts
Study Design
- Study Type
- interventional
- Phase
- phase 1
- Allocation
- NA
- Masking
- NONE
- Purpose
- TREATMENT
- Intervention Model
- SINGLE GROUP
- Sponsor Type
- OTHER
- Responsible Party
- PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
- PI Title
- Assistant Professor of Pediatrics
Study Record Dates
First Submitted
November 18, 2024
First Posted
November 25, 2024
Study Start
August 1, 2025
Primary Completion (Estimated)
August 31, 2029
Study Completion (Estimated)
February 28, 2030
Last Updated
June 15, 2025
Record last verified: 2025-06
Data Sharing
- IPD Sharing
- Will not share