This study is designed to test if CSJ148 can prevent HCMV replication after stem cell transplantation.

This study is randomized, double-blinded, and placebo-controlled. 80 Patients will be enrolled and randomized to CSJ148 and placebo in a ratio of 3:1. Patients undergoing stem cell transplantation will be enrolled into the study. The study will consist of a screening period, a baseline visit, approximately 3-month treatment exposure period, an end-of-therapy visit, a follow-up period, and a study completion evaluation approximately 3.5 months after the last dose of study drug is administered.

Inclusion Criteria:

Patients eligible for inclusion in this study had to fulfill all of the following criteria:

1. Written informed consent must be obtained before any assessment was performed.
2. Male and female patients at least 18 years of age.
3. Patients weighed between 45 -120 kg to participate in the study, and had a body mass index (BMI) within the range of 18 - 34 kg/m2
4. Scheduled to undergo allogeneic bone marrow, peripheral blood stem cell, or cord blood transplantation (transplant may be related or unrelated, T-cell depleted or non-T-cell depleted, myeloablative or non-myeloablative/reduced intensity, haploidentical) and began conditioning chemotherapy within 48 hours of planned dosing day.
5. Patient seropositive for HCMV before transplantation; donor could be seropositive or seronegative for HCMV (donor positive/recipient or donor negative/recipient positive). Historical patient HCMV serology data collected within the last 12 months or local assays could be used to qualify the patient for enrollment.
6. Able to communicate well with the investigator, to understand and comply with the requirements of the study.

Exclusion Criteria:

Patients fulfilling any of the following criteria were not eligible for inclusion in this study:

1. Use of other investigational drugs at the time of enrollment, or within 5 half-lives of enrollment, or until the expected PD (pharmacodynamic) effect has returned to baseline, whichever is longer; or longer if required by local regulations.

2. History of hypersensitivity to any of the study drugs or to drugs of similar chemical classes.

3. Karnofsky performance score <50%.

4. Had HCMV-related organ disease within 6 months prior to enrollment.

5. Detectable HCMV infection (positive pp65 antigenemia or plasma HCMV DNA polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays prior to enrollment from samples collected within 14 days prior to enrollment. Local assays could be used to qualify the patient for enrollment.

6. Received any of the following within 30 days prior to enrollment: ganciclovir, valganciclovir, foscarnet, cidofovir, acyclovir (>25 mg/kg/day IV), valacyclovir (>3 gm/day oral), famciclovir (>1500 mg/day oral), HCMV immune globulin, immune globulin (>500 mg/kg), or any other medication with anti-HCMV activity.

7. Required mechanical ventilation within 7 days prior to enrollment.

8. Received any vasopressors or other agents for hemodynamic support within 7 days prior to enrollment. These agents included but are not limited to epinephrine, metaraminol, norepinephrine, dopamine, vasopressin, phenylephrine, and dobutamine.

9. Impaired renal function requiring dialysis.

10. Any surgical or medical condition which might increase the risk for thrombotic events if given immunoglobulins. These conditions included cryoglobulinemia, monoclonal gammopathies, and hypertriglyceridemia (fasting level >1000 mg/dL). The investigator should make this determination in consideration of the subject's medical history and laboratory data.

11. Severe liver disease or liver injury as indicated one or more of the following:

    • Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) >5-times the upper limit of normal (ULN).
    • Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) >5-times the upper limit of normal.
    • Gamma-glutamyl transferase (γ-GT) >5-times the upper limit of normal.
    • Serum total bilirubin (TBL) >3-times the upper limit of normal.

12. Pregnant or nursing (lactating) women, where pregnancy was defined as the state of a female after conception and until the termination of gestation, confirmed by a positive human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) laboratory test.

13. Women of child-bearing potential, defined as all women physiologically capable of becoming pregnant, unless they were using effective methods of contraception during dosing of study treatment.

    Effective contraception methods included:

    • Total abstinence (when this is in line with the preferred and usual lifestyle of the subject). Periodic abstinence (e.g., calendar, ovulation, symptothermal, post-ovulation methods) and withdrawal are not acceptable methods of contraception.
    • Female sterilization (have had surgical bilateral oophorectomy with or without hysterectomy) or tubal ligation at least six weeks before taking study treatment. In case of oophorectomy alone, only when the reproductive status of the woman was confirmed by follow up hormone level assessment.
    • Male sterilization (at least 6 months prior to screening). For female patients on the study, the vasectomized male partner should be the sole partner for that subject.
    • Barrier methods of contraception: Condom or Occlusive cap (diaphragm or cervical/vault caps) with spermicidal foam/gel/film/cream/ vaginal suppository.
    • Use of oral, injected or implanted hormonal methods of contraception or other forms of hormonal contraception that have comparable efficacy (failure rate < 1%), for example hormone vaginal ring or transdermal hormone contraception.
    • Placement of an intrauterine device (IUD) or intrauterine system (IUS). In case of use of oral contraception women would have been stable on the same pill for a minimum of 3 months before taking study treatment. Women were considered post-menopausal and not of child bearing potential if they had 12 months of natural (spontaneous) amenorrhea with an appropriate clinical profile (e.g., age appropriate, history of vasomotor symptoms) or had surgical bilateral oophorectomy (with or without hysterectomy) or tubal ligation at least six weeks ago. In the case of oophorectomy alone, only when the reproductive status of the woman had been confirmed by follow up hormone level assessment was she considered not of child bearing potential.

14. History of positive HIV (ELISA and Western blot) test result. Testing was not required. No additional exclusions were applied by the investigator, in order to ensure that the study population was representative of all eligible patients.

Novartis is committed to sharing with qualified external researchers, access to patient-level data and supporting clinical documents from eligible studies. These requests are reviewed and approved by an independent review panel on the basis of scientific merit. All data provided is anonymized to respect the privacy of patients who have participated in the trial in line with applicable laws and regulations.

This trial data availability is according to the criteria and process described on www.clinicalstudydatarequest.com