A Multi-Institution Study of TGFβ Imprinted, Ex Vivo Expanded Universal Donor NK Cell Infusions as Adoptive Immunotherapy in Combination With Gemcitabine and Docetaxel in Patients With Relapsed or Refractory Pediatric Bone and Soft Tissue

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Started >3 years ago More information No known activity More information High burden on patient More information

Trial Details

Sponsor: Nationwide Children's Hospital (other)

Phase: 1/2

Start date: Nov. 14, 2022

Planned enrollment: 50

Trial ID: NCT05634369
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More trial details at ClinicalTrials.gov More info

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Investigational Drug AI Analysis

chevron Show for: GEM/DOX + TGFBi expanded NK cells (TGF-beta imprinted NK cells)

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Goal: Evaluate safety and preliminary efficacy of adding universal-donor, TGFβ-imprinted (TGFβi), ex vivo–expanded NK cell infusions to gemcitabine/docetaxel (GEM/DOX) as salvage therapy in relapsed or refractory pediatric bone and soft-tissue sarcomas, and to estimate 6-month progression-free survival within disease-specific cohorts. Additional goals include characterizing toxicities and correlating in vivo persistence/phenotype of infused NK cells with outcomes.

Patients: Children, adolescents, and young adults aged 2–40 years with relapsed or refractory osteosarcoma, Ewing sarcoma, rhabdomyosarcoma, or non-rhabdomyosarcoma soft-tissue sarcoma, with measurable disease by RECIST 1.1, prior 1–4 lines of cytotoxic therapy for relapse, adequate organ function and performance status (Karnofsky or Lansky ≥60), and no CNS metastases or marrow-only disease. Key exclusions include prior cellular therapies (e.g., CAR-T), active uncontrolled illness, pregnancy, concurrent anticancer agents, strong CYP3A4 inducers or diazepam, and steroid use beyond specified prophylaxis.

Design: Multi-center, open-label, single-arm phase 1/2 study with rolling safety/toxicity assessment. Part 1 enrolls initial patients across four histology cohorts to evaluate dose-limiting toxicities; Part 2 expands two selected cohorts in a two-stage design to assess 6-month PFS. Planned enrollment approximately 50 participants; allocation is non-randomized.

Treatments: Gemcitabine on days 1 and 8 and docetaxel on day 8 of 21-day cycles, with prophylactic dexamethasone on days 7–9 and peg-filgrastim on day 9; universal-donor TGFβ-imprinted, ex vivo–expanded NK cells infused on day 12 (up to 6 NK-cell doses within a total of up to 8 cycles). TGFβi NK cells are an investigational, off-the-shelf adoptive cellular immunotherapy engineered by ex vivo activation/expansion in the presence of TGF-β, which imprints a durable, pro-inflammatory phenotype with reduced susceptibility to TGF-β–mediated immunosuppression in the tumor microenvironment. Mechanistically, TGFβ imprinting modulates SMAD signaling and enhances cytokine production (e.g., IFN-γ, TNF-α) with context-dependent effects on cytotoxic machinery and receptor expression. Human efficacy and safety data for this combination have not yet been reported; the trial’s phase 1 component focuses on feasibility and DLTs, and phase 2 estimates 6-month PFS.

Outcomes: Primary endpoints: Part 1—dose-limiting toxicities; stopping rule if ≥2 of 6 DLTs. Part 2—6-month progression-free survival from treatment initiation. Secondary endpoints include objective response by RECIST 1.1 assessed every two cycles and frequency/characterization of DLTs. Exploratory endpoints assess TGFβi NK-cell persistence, phenotype, and cytolytic function in peripheral blood during treatment and correlate with clinical outcomes.

Burden on patient: Moderate to high. Patients receive intensive 21-day cycles with multiple infusions (gemcitabine days 1 and 8, docetaxel day 8, peg-G-CSF day 9, NK cells day 12) for up to 8 cycles, requiring frequent visits. Serial imaging every two cycles is similar to salvage therapy standards, but added investigational NK-cell infusion visits increase logistics and potential travel. Exploratory correlative blood sampling on days 1, 8, and 12 starting cycle 2 adds repeated phlebotomy beyond routine labs. No protocol-mandated biopsies are described, mitigating burden somewhat, but overall visit frequency and monitoring for toxicities and DLTs during the phase 1/2 study elevate participation demands.

Last updated: Oct 2025

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Sites (22)

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University of Alabama

South Birmingham, Alabama, 35233, United States

[email protected] / 205-683-9285

Status: Recruiting

Phoenix Children's Hospital

Phoenix, Arizona, 85016, United States

[email protected] / 602-933-0920

Status: Recruiting

Arkansas Children's Hospital

Little Rock, Arkansas, 72202, United States

[email protected] / 501-364-1494

Status: Recruiting

Children's Hospital of Los Angeles

Los Angeles, California, 90027, United States

[email protected] / 323-361-2121

Status: Recruiting

Stanford University

Palo Alto, California, 94304, United States

[email protected] / 650-723-5535

Status: Recruiting

Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital

St. Petersburg, Florida, 33701, United States

[email protected] / 727-767-3513

Status: Recruiting

Nemours Jacksonville

Jacksonville, Florida, 32207, United States

[email protected] / 904-697-3793

Status: Recruiting

University of Florida

Gainesville, Florida, 32610, United States

[email protected] / 352-273-9120

Status: Recruiting

University of Miami

Miami, Florida, 33136, United States

[email protected] / 305-243-4830

Status: Recruiting

Washington University/St Louis Childrens

St Louis, Missouri, 63110, United States

[email protected] / 314-454-6018

Status: Recruiting

Montefiore Medical Center

The Bronx, New York, 10467, United States

[email protected] / 718-741-2342

Status: Recruiting

Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center

Buffalo, New York, 14263, United States

[email protected] / 716-845-2333

Status: Recruiting

Duke Children's Hospital/Duke Health

Durham, North Carolina, 27710, United States

[email protected] / 919-668-1102

Status: Recruiting

Levine Cancer Institute

Charlotte, North Carolina, 28203, United States

[email protected] / 704-381-9900

Status: Recruiting

University of North Carolina

Chapel Hill, North Carolina, 27599, United States

[email protected] / 919-966-1178

Status: Recruiting

Cleveland Clinic

Cleveland, Ohio, 44195, United States

[email protected] / 216 444-9085

Status: Recruiting

Nationwide Children's Hospital

Columbus, Ohio, 43205, United States

[email protected] / 6147225634

Status: Recruiting

Children's Hospital of Philadelphia

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19104, United States

[email protected] / 215-290-2299

Status: Recruiting

Vanderbilt University Medical Center

Nashville, Tennessee, 37232, United States

[email protected] / 615-936-1762

Status: Recruiting

UT Southwestern

Dallas, Texas, 75390, United States

[email protected] / 214-456-2382

Status: Recruiting

University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center

Houston, Texas, 77030, United States

[email protected] / 832-728-9791

Status: Recruiting

Primary Children's Hospital

Salt Lake City, Utah, 84113, United States

[email protected] / 801-662-4700

Status: Recruiting