ALBERT

Description: Humanized anti-Tac is a genetically engineered human IgG1 monoclonal antibody specific for Tac, the alpha subunit of the interleukin-2 (IL- 2) receptor, and blocks IL-2-dependent activation of human T lymphocytes. The safety, pharmacokinetics, and immunosuppressive activity of humanized anti-Tac were evaluated in 20 patients who developed acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) after allogeneic marrow transplantation. Patients had developed acute GVHD at 5 to 26 (median, 14) days after transplantation and had failed to respond to primary therapy with glucocorticoids. Sequential groups of 4 patients each received a single 1-hour infusion of antibody in escalating doses of 0.5, 1.0, or 1.5 mg/kg; 8 additional patients were then treated with 1.5 mg/kg. A second infusion of antibody was administered after 11 to 48 (median, 16) days in 8 patients who had transient improvement of GVHD after the first infusion. Acute side effects, limited to chills in 1 patient and diaphoresis in another, were observed during or shortly after the antibody infusion. Overall improvement of acute GVHD occurred in 8 patients, 6 of whom were treated with a single antibody infusion and 2 with two infusions. Four responses were complete and 4 were partial. Three additional patients had improvement in one organ but progression in another. Responses occurred in 9 of 16 cases with skin disease, 3 of 15 with liver disease, and 6 of 12 with gastrointestinal disease. Two patients survive at 529 and 645 days after antibody treatment. Two patients died after relapse of leukemia. Sixteen patients died of infection or organ failure between 5 and 211 (median, 55) days. The terminal elimination half-life of the antibody was 44 to 363 hours, with a harmonic mean of 79, 88, and 94 hours, respectively, for the three doses studied. Absolute peripheral blood T-lymphocyte counts remained unchanged during the 56 days after infusion of the antibody. A fraction of circulating T cells expressed the alpha chain of the IL-2 receptor that, in some patients, was bound by antibody in vivo up to 28 days after treatment. No patient developed a measurable antibody response to humanized anti-Tac. Humanized anti-Tac has a long half-life after intravenous injection in humans, superior to any rodent monoclonal antibody specific for human T cells, and does not appear to induce antibody formation in recipients of marrow transplants. Improvement of steroid-refractory GVHD in 40% of patients after only one or two antibody infusions indicates that humanized anti-Tac is immunosuppressive.

Description: In the interval from December 1987 to November 1990, 196 consecutive patients with chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) received unrelated donor marrow transplantation using marrow procured by the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP) at 21 NMDP-affiliated marrow transplant centers. Baseline donor and recipient data as well as follow-up data were obtained systematically in all cases by the NMDP. The median interval from the initiation of a search for an unrelated donor to bone marrow transplantation was 8.4 months (range, 1.7 to 34.6 months). Median age of the recipients was 33.3 years (4.5 to 54.5 years). Seventy-five recipients were female and 121 were male. At time of transplant, 115 patients were in chronic phase, 51 in accelerated phase, 14 in blast crisis, and 16 in a second or subsequent chronic phase. In 133 cases, donors and recipients were identical at the HLA A, B, and DR loci using standard serologic typing, and in 63 cases, there was nonidentity at one HLA locus. Patients were prepared for transplantation with a combination of high-dose chemotherapy and total body irradiation (N = 169) or with high-dose chemotherapy only (N = 27). Thirty-five patients received marrow depleted ex vivo of T lymphocytes, whereas 161 patients received non-T-depleted marrow. One hundred seventy-four of 196 patients engrafted (absolute neutrophil count 〉 or = 500/mm3 for 3 consecutive days). The median time to engraftment was 22 days (6 to 69 days). Twenty-two patients failed to engraft, and an additional 10 patients experienced late graft failure. The incidence of grades III or IV acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) was 0.54 +/- 0.10, and that of extensive chronic GVHD was 0.52 +/- 0.12. A lower incidence of both grades III and IV acute GVHD (P = .0003) and of extensive chronic GVHD (P = .01) were independently associated with use of T-depleted marrow. The actuarial incidence of hematologic relapse at 2 years is 0.11 +/- 0.06. The 2-year actuarial incidence of disease-free survival for patients transplanted in first chronic phase within 1 year of diagnosis is 0.45 +/- 0.21, in chronic phase more than 1 year from diagnosis is 0.36 +/- 0.11, in accelerated phase is 0.27 +/- 0.12, in second or subsequent chronic phase is 0.22 +/- 0.21, and in blast crisis is 0. Fifteen of 55 patients transplanted at 40 to 50 years of age survive.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Description: Acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) is most often treated with high dose glucocorticoids, but less than half of patients have durable overall improvement. Previous phase I and phase II studies suggested that treatment with a CD5-specific immunotoxin (XomaZyme-CD5 Plus) could ameliorate symptoms of GVHD. In a randomized, double-blind trial, we compared XomaZyme-CD5 Plus and glucocorticoids versus placebo and glucocorticoids as initial therapy for 243 patients who developed acute GVHD after allogeneic marrow transplantation. The study drug (XomaZyme. CD5-Plus or an identical appearing placebo) was administered at a dose of 0.1 mg/kg body weight on each of 14 consecutive days. All patients were treated concomitantly with a standard regimen of methylprednisolone. At the time of entry on study, 94% of patients had a rash, 56% had hyperbilirubinemia, 61% had diarrhea, and 84% had nausea and vomiting. At 3, 4, and 5 weeks after starting treatment, symptom severity was less in the CD5 group than in the placebo group. At 4 weeks, 40% of patients assigned to the CD5 group had complete response compared with 25% of those assigned to the control group (P = .019). At 6 weeks, 44% of patients assigned to the CD5 group had complete response as compared with 38% in the placebo group (P = .36). Clinical extensive chronic GVHD developed in 65% of patients in the CD5 group compared with 72% in the control group (P = .35). Survival at 1 year after treatment was 49% in the CD5 group and 45% in the control group (P = .68). Side effects required close monitoring and appropriate adjustment of treatment. The combined administration of a CD5-specific immunotoxin and glucocorticoids controls GVHD manifestations more effectively than treatment with glucocorticoids alone during the first 5 weeks after starting treatment. Use of this immunotoxin does not result in any long-term clinical benefit for patients with acute GVHD.

Description: The pharmacokinetics, safety, and efficacy in marrow transplantation of FK506-based immunosuppression for graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) prophylaxis was evaluated in an open label pilot study of 18 patients. Patients more than 12 years of age (median, 35 years; range, 15 to 50 years) with advanced hematologic malignancies receiving HLA-matched sibling marrow grafts were randomized to receive FK506 alone, FK506 and methotrexate (MTX), or FK506 and methyl-prednisolone. Of 17 evaluable patients, all had evidence of sustained marrow engraftment. The median time to an absolute neutrophil count of greater than 500/microL was 15 days for patients receiving FK506 alone or FK506 plus methylprednisolone and 23 days for FK506 plus short MTX. Pharmacokinetic studies did not show any significant difference in clearance of FK506 when administered alone or in combination with methylprednisolone or MTX. The mean bioavailability after oral administration in these same three groups was 0.49 +/- 0.1, 0.27 +/- 0.12, and 0.16 +/- 0.08, respectively (P = .003). The decrease in bioavailability may have resulted from an exacerbation of radiation-induced gastroenteritis by MTX. The most significant adverse effect associated with the administration of FK506 was nephrotoxicity, which occurred in 14 of 18 patients (78%). The mean glomerular filtration rate, determined by clearance of (99MTc)DTPA, decreased to 56% (+/- 18%) of the pretransplant baseline level by week 8 (P = .002). Eight of 18 patients (44%) developed grades II-IV acute GVHD, predominantly of the skin and gastrointestinal tract. The actuarial probability of transplant-related mortality during the first 100 days was 24%. The actuarial probability of 1-year disease-free survival was 39%. In conclusion, although bioavailability of FK506 may be affected in patients receiving MTX, this study suggests that FK506 may have a role in the management of patients after allogeneic marrow transplantation.

Description: Sixty-eight patients with moderate (n = 15) or severe (n = 53) aplastic anemia were entered into a prospective, randomized, two-arm treatment study comparing antihuman thymocyte globulin (ATG), lower-dose methylprednisolone (LDM) and oxymetholone to ATG, higher-dose methylprednisolone (HDM), and oxymetholone. There were no differences between the two groups when comparing age, sex, etiology of aplasia, disease duration, severity of aplasia, or pretherapy granulocyte counts. Side effects of LDM and HDM were similar. Of the 64 patients evaluable for response to therapy, 12 of 33 (36%) who received LDM had complete, partial, or minimal responses compared with 15 of 31 patients (48%) who received HDM (P = .33). Actuarial survival at 4 years is 43% for patients in the LDM group and 47% for patients in the HDM group (P = .99). Causes of death included hemorrhage, infection, evolution to acute leukemia, and complications of subsequent bone marrow transplantation. Long-term complications included paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (n = 3), evolution to myelodysplasia or acute leukemia (n = 6), and recurrent aplasia (n = 6). We were unable to show a significant difference in toxicity, response rate, or survival for patients treated with ATG, oxymetholone, and LDM compared with patients who received ATG, oxymetholone, and HDM.

Description: Eighty-eight children 0.5 to 17 years of age (median, 9 years of age) received an unrelated donor marrow transplant for treatment of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML; n = 16), acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) in first or second remission (n = 15) or more advanced stage (n = 28), acute myeloid leukemia (AML; n = 13), or other hematologic diseases (n = 16) between June 1985 and April 1993. All patients were conditioned with cyclophosphamide and total body irradiation and received a combination of methotrexate and cyclosporine as graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) prophylaxis. Fourty-six patients received transplants from HLA-identical donors and 42 patients received transplants from donors who were minor-mismatched at one HLA-A or B or D/DRB1 locus. The Kaplan-Meier estimates of disease-free survival and relapse were 75% and 0% for patients with CML, 47% and 20% for ALL in first or second remission, 10% and 60% for ALL in relapse or third remission, 46% and 46% for AML in first remission (n = 1) or more advanced disease (n = 12), and 29% and 69% for other diseases. HLA disparity was not significantly associated with lower disease-free survival, but the results suggest more relapses in HLA-matched recipients and there was significantly more transplant-related mortality in mismatched recipients (51% v 24%, P = .04). Most deaths were due to infections associated with acuteor chronic GVHD and occurred within the first 2 years after transplantation. Granulocyte engraftment occurred in all evaluable patients. Sixty-three percent of HLA-matched and 57% of HLA-mismatched recipients were discharged home disease-free at a median of 98 and 103 days, respectively, after transplantation (P = not significant [NS]). The incidence of grades II-IV acute GVHD was 83% in HLA-matched and 98% in HLA-mismatched recipients (P = .009). The incidence of chronic GVHD was 60% in HLA-matched and 69% in HLA- mismatched recipients (P = NS). One or multiple late adverse events such as cataracts, osteonecrosis of the hip or knee, restrictive or obstructive pulmonary disease, and hypothyroidism have occurred in 11 of 33 (33%) surviving patients. Immunosuppression was discontinued in 58% of surviving patients, including all 12 patients surviving more than 3.2 years, all of whom have a Lansky or Karnofsky score of 100%.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Description: Acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) is most often treated with high dose glucocorticoids, but less than half of patients have durable overall improvement. Previous phase I and phase II studies suggested that treatment with a CD5-specific immunotoxin (XomaZyme-CD5 Plus) could ameliorate symptoms of GVHD. In a randomized, double-blind trial, we compared XomaZyme-CD5 Plus and glucocorticoids versus placebo and glucocorticoids as initial therapy for 243 patients who developed acute GVHD after allogeneic marrow transplantation. The study drug (XomaZyme. CD5-Plus or an identical appearing placebo) was administered at a dose of 0.1 mg/kg body weight on each of 14 consecutive days. All patients were treated concomitantly with a standard regimen of methylprednisolone. At the time of entry on study, 94% of patients had a rash, 56% had hyperbilirubinemia, 61% had diarrhea, and 84% had nausea and vomiting. At 3, 4, and 5 weeks after starting treatment, symptom severity was less in the CD5 group than in the placebo group. At 4 weeks, 40% of patients assigned to the CD5 group had complete response compared with 25% of those assigned to the control group (P = .019). At 6 weeks, 44% of patients assigned to the CD5 group had complete response as compared with 38% in the placebo group (P = .36). Clinical extensive chronic GVHD developed in 65% of patients in the CD5 group compared with 72% in the control group (P = .35). Survival at 1 year after treatment was 49% in the CD5 group and 45% in the control group (P = .68). Side effects required close monitoring and appropriate adjustment of treatment. The combined administration of a CD5-specific immunotoxin and glucocorticoids controls GVHD manifestations more effectively than treatment with glucocorticoids alone during the first 5 weeks after starting treatment. Use of this immunotoxin does not result in any long-term clinical benefit for patients with acute GVHD.

Description: In the interval from December 1987 to November 1990, 196 consecutive patients with chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) received unrelated donor marrow transplantation using marrow procured by the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP) at 21 NMDP-affiliated marrow transplant centers. Baseline donor and recipient data as well as follow-up data were obtained systematically in all cases by the NMDP. The median interval from the initiation of a search for an unrelated donor to bone marrow transplantation was 8.4 months (range, 1.7 to 34.6 months). Median age of the recipients was 33.3 years (4.5 to 54.5 years). Seventy-five recipients were female and 121 were male. At time of transplant, 115 patients were in chronic phase, 51 in accelerated phase, 14 in blast crisis, and 16 in a second or subsequent chronic phase. In 133 cases, donors and recipients were identical at the HLA A, B, and DR loci using standard serologic typing, and in 63 cases, there was nonidentity at one HLA locus. Patients were prepared for transplantation with a combination of high-dose chemotherapy and total body irradiation (N = 169) or with high-dose chemotherapy only (N = 27). Thirty-five patients received marrow depleted ex vivo of T lymphocytes, whereas 161 patients received non-T-depleted marrow. One hundred seventy-four of 196 patients engrafted (absolute neutrophil count 〉 or = 500/mm3 for 3 consecutive days). The median time to engraftment was 22 days (6 to 69 days). Twenty-two patients failed to engraft, and an additional 10 patients experienced late graft failure. The incidence of grades III or IV acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) was 0.54 +/- 0.10, and that of extensive chronic GVHD was 0.52 +/- 0.12. A lower incidence of both grades III and IV acute GVHD (P = .0003) and of extensive chronic GVHD (P = .01) were independently associated with use of T-depleted marrow. The actuarial incidence of hematologic relapse at 2 years is 0.11 +/- 0.06. The 2-year actuarial incidence of disease-free survival for patients transplanted in first chronic phase within 1 year of diagnosis is 0.45 +/- 0.21, in chronic phase more than 1 year from diagnosis is 0.36 +/- 0.11, in accelerated phase is 0.27 +/- 0.12, in second or subsequent chronic phase is 0.22 +/- 0.21, and in blast crisis is 0. Fifteen of 55 patients transplanted at 40 to 50 years of age survive.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)