Adoptive Transfer of Tumor Infiltrating Lymphocytes for Biliary Tract Cancers

A Phase 2 Study to Evaluate the Efficacy and Safety of Adoptive Transfer of Autologous Tumor Infiltrating Lymphocytes in Patients With Locally Advanced, Recurrent, or Metastatic Biliary Tract Cancers

This is a Phase 2 study to evaluate the efficacy, using objective response rate, of a non-myeloablative lymphodepleting preparative regimen followed by infusion of autologous Tumor Infiltrating Lymphocytes (TIL) and high-dose aldesleukin in patients with locally advanced, recurrent, or metastatic biliary tract cancer. These are low-incidence cancers carry a poor prognosis. Participants will include patients with biliary tract cancers (BTC), including cholangiocarcinoma (both intrahepatic and extrahepatic) and gallbladder cancer, who are and are physically able to tolerate non-myeloablative chemotherapy and high-dose aldesleukin.

This Phase 2 study will be conducted in conjunction with companion protocol (Cell Harvest and Preparation to Support Adoptive Cell Therapy Clinical Protocols and Pre-Clinical Studies) as described below:

Cell Preparation:

Patients with evaluable locally advanced, recurrent, or metastatic biliary tract cancers who have lesions that can be resected or biopsied with minimum morbidity will undergo resection or biopsy of tumor. Tumor Infiltrating Lymphocytes (TIL) will be obtained while enrolled on the companion protocol Cell Harvest and Preparation to Support Adoptive Cell Therapy Clinical Protocols and Pre-Clinical Studies. Separate tumor procurement(s) may be performed under the companion protocol to obtain TIL if initial tumor procurement(s) could not successfully generate TIL. The TIL will be grown and expanded for this trial according to standard operating procedures submitted in the IND. The TIL will be assessed for potency by interferon-gamma release.

Treatment Phase:

Once cells exceed the potency requirement and are projected to exceed the minimum number specified in the COA, the patient will be registered on this study and receive the lymphocyte depleting preparative regimen consisting of fludarabine and cyclophosphamide, followed by infusion of up to 2x1011 lymphocytes (minimum of 1x109 cells) and administration of high-dose intravenous aldesleukin. It is anticipated that TIL that meet the COA will not be achievable in approximately 20% of patients who undergo resection. These patients may undergo a second resection to grow TIL, if another suitable lesion exists. Approximately 6 weeks (+/- 2 weeks) after TIL administration, patients will undergo a complete tumor evaluation and evaluation of toxicity and immunologic parameters. Patients will receive one course of treatment. The start date of the course will be the start date of the chemotherapy; the end date will be the day of the first post-treatment evaluation. Patients may undergo a second treatment. Patients will receive no other experimental agents while on this protocol.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Measurable locally advanced, recurrent, or metastatic biliary tract carcinoma (including intrahepatic or extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma, gallbladder cancer, or ampullary carcinoma).

• Patients with locally advanced disease should be unresectable by conventional surgical approaches.

• Patients with distant metastatic spread must be refractory to approved standard systemic therapies (such as gemcitabine, cisplatin, or equivalents) if they are eligible to receive these treatments.

• Patients must be co-enrolled on the companion protocol HCC 17-220 (Cell Harvest and Preparation to Support Adoptive Cell Therapy Clinical Protocols and Pre-Clinical Studies) and have available TIL cultures for therapy.

• Patients with 3 or fewer brain metastases that are less than 1 cm in diameter and asymptomatic are eligible. Lesions that have been treated with stereotactic radiosurgery must be clinically stable for 1 month after treatment for the patient to be eligible. Patients with surgically resected brain metastases are eligible.

• Greater than or equal to 18 years of age and less than or equal to age 75

• Able to understand and sign the Informed Consent Document

• Clinical performance status of ECOG 0 or 1

• Life expectancy of greater than three months

• Patients of both genders who are of child-bearing potential must be willing to practice birth control from the time of enrollment on this study and for up to four months after receiving the treatment.

• Serology:

  • Seronegative for HIV antibody. (The experimental treatment being evaluated in this protocol depends on an intact immune system. Patients who are HIV seropositive can have decreased immune-competence and thus be less responsive to the experimental treatment and more susceptible to its toxicities.)
  • Seronegative for hepatitis B antigen, and seronegative for hepatitis C antibody. If hepatitis C antibody test is positive, then patient must be tested for the presence of antigen by RT-PCR and be HCV RNA negative.

• Women of child-bearing potential must have a negative pregnancy test because of the potentially dangerous effects of the treatment on the fetus.

• Hematology

  • Absolute neutrophil count greater than 1000/mm3 without the support of filgrastim
  • WBC ≥ 3000/mm3
  • Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm3
  • Hemoglobin > 8.0 g/dl

• Chemistry

  • Serum ALT/AST ≤ to 3.5 times the upper limit of normal
  • Serum creatinine ≤ to 1.6 mg/dl
  • Total bilirubin ≤ to 2.0 mg/dl, except in patients with Gilbert's Syndrome who must have a total bilirubin less than 3.0 mg/dl.

• More than four weeks must have elapsed since any prior systemic therapy at the time the patient receives the preparative regimen, and patients' toxicities must have recovered to a clinically manageable level (except for toxicities such as alopecia or vitiligo). (Note: Patients may have undergone minor surgical procedures within the past 3 weeks, as long as all toxicities have recovered to grade 1 or less)

Exclusion Criteria:

• Women of child-bearing potential who are pregnant or breastfeeding because of the potentially dangerous effects of the treatment on the fetus or infant.

• Any form of primary immunodeficiency (such as Severe Combined Immunodeficiency Disease).

• Concurrent opportunistic infections (The experimental treatment being evaluated in this protocol depends on an intact immune system. Patients who have decreased immune competence may be less responsive to the experimental treatment and more susceptible to its toxicities).

• Active systemic infections (e.g.: requiring anti-infective treatment), coagulation disorders or any other active major medical illnesses.

• History of clinically significant major organ autoimmune disease

• Concurrent systemic steroid therapy.

• History of severe immediate hypersensitivity reaction to any of the agents used in this study.

• History of active coronary or ischemic symptoms.

• Documented LVEF of less than or equal to 45%; note: testing is required in patients with:

  • Age > 65 years' old
  • Clinically significant atrial and or ventricular arrhythmias including but not limited to: atrial fibrillation, ventricular tachycardia, second or third degree heart block or have a history of ischemic heart disease, chest pain.

• Documented FEV1 less than or equal to 60% predicted tested in patients with:

  • A prolonged history of cigarette smoking (20 pk/year of smoking within the past 2 years).
  • Symptoms of respiratory dysfunction

• Patients who are receiving any other investigational agents.