Umbilical Cord Derived Mesenchymal Stromal Cells For The Treatment of Severe Steroid-resistant Graft Versus Host Disease

UMBILICAL CORD DERIVED MESENCHYMAL STROMAL CELLS (UC-MSC) FOR THE TREATMENT OF SEVERE (GRADE III-IV) STEROID-RESISTANT GRAFT VERSUS HOST DISEASE (GvHD): A PHASE I/II TRIAL

MESENCHYMAL STROMAL CELLS (MSC) have shown promising albeit not always consistent therapeutic effects in the treatment of severe steroid-resistant acute Graf versus Host Disease. Remarkably, in all reported clinical studies the toxicity of Mesenchymal stromal cells administration has been found consistently negligible. The investigators believe that Umbilical Cord (UC) derived Mesenchymal stromal cells may represent a stronger immunosuppressive tool for such clinical emergency and no data suggest any change in the safety profile of these cells. For this reason, and in the best interest of the patient, the investigators plan to test the safety and activity of Umbilical Cord Mesenchymal stromal cells when given sequentially to another partially effective treatment of steroid resistant acute graf versus host disease such as Pentostatin.

Inclusion Criteria:

Patients are required to meet the following inclusion criteria:

1. Patients with steroid refractory grade III-IV classic acute graft versus host disease (GvHD)occurring within 100 days after transplant or induced by donor lymphocyte infusions (DLI) or T-cell add back. Steroid refractory graft versus host disease (GvHD)is defined according to Pidala and Anasetti10 as follows: a) progression of at least 1 overall grade within 3 days of optimal steroid treatment; b) failure to demonstrate any overall grade improvement over 5 to 7 days; c) incomplete response by 14 days of 2 mg/kg/day of steroid therapy.
2. Patients with persistent, recurrent, or late acute graft versus host disease (GvHD) (features of acute graft versus host disease occurring beyond 100 days, often during withdrawal of immune suppression).
3. Patients with an overlap syndrome in which diagnostic or distinctive features of chronic graft versus host disease (GvHD) and acute graft versus host disease (GvHD) appear together79.

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Inability to obtain written informed consent