Treatment of High Risk Acute Leukemia With CD40 Ligand and IL-2 Gene Modified Autologous Skin Fibroblasts and Tumor Cells
This research study is to determine the safety and dosage of special cells that may make the patients own immune system fight the leukemia. To do this we will put special genes into cells called fibroblasts that we have grown in the laboratory from a skin sample. The genes we put in these fibroblasts make them produce substances called CD40 Ligand (CD40L) and interleukin-2 (IL-2). These are natural substances that may help the immune system kill leukemia cells. Some of these fibroblasts producing CD40L and IL-2 mixed with a small quantity of the leukemic cells will then be put back into the body.
Studies of cancers in animals and in cell lines suggest that substances like CD40L and IL-2 when mixed with cancer cells do help the body to recognize and kill these cancer cells. A treatment using IL-2 has been previously used in more than 40 children with neuroblastoma and similar treatments are being used in adults with other cancers. Some of the patients have shown significant tumor responses. However, we do not know if this treatment will work and we do not know the right amount of each of the special cells to use, so different patients will get different combination and numbers of cells.
The purpose of this study is to learn the side effects and safe dosage of these special cells.
Treatment of Chronic Lymphocytic B-Leukemia With IL-2 and CD-40 Autologous Tumor Cells
Lymphocytic B-Leukemia (B-CLL) w/Human IL-2 Gene Modified & Human CD40 Ligand-Expressing Autologous Tumor Cells
Treatment of B-CLL With Human IL-2 and CD40 Ligand and Plasmid Gene Modified Autologous Tumor Cells
Treatment of B-Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (B-CLL) With Autologous CD40 Ligand and IL-2-Expressing Tumor Cells