CAR T Cells to Target GD2 for DMG

The CARMIGO Trial is a single-centre, non-randomised, open label Phase I clinical trial of an Advanced Therapy Investigational Medicinal Product (ATIMP) in children and young adults aged 2-16 years with Diffuse Midline Glioma (DMG).

The ATIMP for this study is cryopreserved autologous patient-derived T-cells transduced with GD2CAR vector to generate GD2CAR T-cells.

Patients will undergo an unstimulated leucapheresis for the generation of the ATIMP which will take approximately 15 days to generate.

Patients will have an intraventricular catheter (Ommaya catheter) placed following enrolment and prior to GD2 CAR T cell infusion to allow monitoring, and treatment if necessary, of increased intracranial pressure (ICP).

Patients will receive lymphodepleting (LD) chemotherapy with fludarabine 30mg/m2 administered over 4 days (Day -6 to Day -3) and cyclophosphamide 60mg/kg administered over 2 days (Day -4 and Day-3).

All patients will be treated on Theme 1 of the study (intravenous CAR T administration) at one of the three dose levels (Dose Level 1: 3 x10^7 GD2 CAR T cells/m2; Dose Level 2: 10 x10^7 GD2 CAR T cells/m2; Dose Level 3: 30 x10^7 GD2 CAR T cells/m2) following LD chemotherapy as described above. Patients with no/partial response at Day 28 (or disease progression after initial CR beyond Day 28) and in the absence of severe/persisting toxicity related to the ATIMP, will be potentially eligible for Theme 2 of the study where they can receive Dose 2, a single dose of 30 x 10^6 CD19CAR T-cells intraventricularly via an Ommaya reservoir following LD chemotherapy as described above.

The study will evaluate the feasibility of generating the ATIMP, the safety of administering GD2CAR T-cell therapy, the tolerability of the GD2CAR T cell in patients and how effectively GD2CAR T-cells engraft, expand and persist following administration in patients with DMG.

Following infusion of GD2CAR T-cell therapy patients will be monitored for between 2-4 weeks as an inpatient. Following discharge, patients will enter the interventional follow up phase and be followed up for 1 year. Patients will be seen at 6 weeks post infusion then 3 monthly until 1 year post GD2CAR T-cell infusion.

If patients relapse within the first year post last GD2CAR T-cell infusion they will come off the interventional follow up and will be followed up annually until the end of trial is declared.

After completing the 1 year interventional phase of the study all patients, irrespective of whether they progressed or responded to treatment, will enter long term follow up until the end of trial is declared.

Inclusion criteria

• Age ≥ 2 and ≤ 16 years
• Tissue diagnosis of H3K27M mutant Diffuse Midline Glioma.
• Radiographically evident tumour restricted to the brain stem or spinal cord.
• At least 6 weeks following completion of radiation therapy.
• At least 3 weeks or 5 half-lives, whichever is shorter, after treatment with agents on other early phase clinical trial
• Performance status: Karnofsky (age ≥ 10 years) or Lansky (age < 10) score ≥ 40% allowing for stable neurological deficit due to DMG
• Absolute neutrophil count ≥1.5 x109/L and platelet count ≥ 100 x109/L
• Total bilirubin < 1.5 ULN and ALT < 2.5 ULN
• Serum creatine < 1.5 ULN for age.
• For post-pubertal subjects agreement to have a pregnancy test, use adequate contraception (if applicable)
• Written informed consent

Exclusion criteria

• Systemic corticosteroid therapy ≥ 0.05 mg/kg dexamethasone daily (or equivalent) at time of RQR8/huK28Z CAR T cell infusion
• Tumour involvement of the thalamus or supratentorial lesions, cerebellar vermis or hemispheres (pontocerebellar peduncle involvement is allowed)
• Clinical or radiological evidence of true tumour progression
• Active hepatitis B, C or HIV infection
• Inability to tolerate leukapheresis
• Pre-existing significant neurological disorder not related to DMG
• Clinically significant systemic illness or medical condition (e.g., significant cardiac, pulmonary, hepatic or other organ dysfunction), that in the judgement of the investigator is likely to interfere with assessment of safety or efficacy of the investigational regimen and its requirements.
• Any contraindication to lymphodepletion or to the use of Cyclophosphamide or Fludarabine as per the local SmPC
• Any contraindication to the use of Anticoagulant Citrate Dextrose Solution
• Any contraindication to Ommaya reservoir insertion (or similar catheter)
• Known allergy to albumin, DMSO or EDTA
• Primary immunodeficiency or history of autoimmune disease (e.g., Crohn's, rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus) requiring systemic immunosuppression /systemic disease modifying agents within the last 2 years
• Prior treatment with investigational or approved gene therapy or cell therapy products
• Life expectancy <3 months
• Use of rituximab (or rituximab biosimilar) within the last 3 months prior to RQR8/huK28Z CAR T cell infusion
• Post-pubertal subjects who are pregnant or breastfeeding