PD-1 Knockout Engineered T Cells for Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma.

A Dose-escalation Phase I Trial of PD-1 Knockout Engineered T Cells for the Treatment of Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma

This study will evaluate the safety of PD-1 knockout engineered T cells in treating metastatic advanced renal cancer. Blood samples will also be collected for research purposes.

This is a dose-escalation study of ex-vivo knocked-out, expanded, and selected PD-1 knockout-T cells from autologous origin. Patients are assigned to 1 of 3 treatment groups to determine the maximal tolerant dose. After the lower number of cycles are considered tolerant, an arm of the next higher number of cycles will be open to next patients. Biomarkers and immunological markers are collected and analyzed as well.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Pathologically verified stage IV Renal cancer with measurable lesions (On CT: longest diameter of tumoral lesion >=10 mm, shorted diameter of lymph node >=15 mm; measurable lesions should not have been irradiated)
• Progressed after all standard treatment
• Performance score: 0-1
• Expected life span: >= 6 months
• Toxicities from prior treatment has resolved. Washout period is 4 weeks for chemotherapy, and 2 weeks for targeted therapy
• Major organs function normally
• Women at pregnant ages should be under contraception
• Willing and able to provide informed consent

Exclusion Criteria:

• Pathology is mixed type
• Emergent treatment of tumor emergency is needed
• Poor vasculature
• Coagulopathy, or ongoing thrombolytics and/or anticoagulation
• Blood-borne infectious disease, e.g. hepatitis B
• History of mandatory custody because of psychosis or other psychological disease inappropriate for treatment deemed by treating physician
• With other immune diseases, or chronic use of immunosuppressants or steroids
• Compliance cannot be expected
• Other conditions requiring exclusion deemed by physician