Immunotherapy Targeted Against Cytomegalovirus in Patients With Newly-Diagnosed WHO Grade IV Unmethylated Glioma

I-ATTAC: Improved Anti-Tumor Immunotherapy Targeted Against Cytomegalovirus in Patients With Newly-Diagnosed WHO Grade IV Unmethylated Glioma

This single-arm phase II study will assess the impact of tetanus pre-conditioning and adjuvant Granulocyte Macrophage Colony Stimulating Factor (GM-CSF) on overall survival of patients newly diagnosed with World Health Organization (WHO) Grade IV glioblastoma who have undergone definitive tumor resection, are cytomegalovirus (CMV) positive and unmethylated, and completed standard temozolomide (TMZ) and radiation treatment. After completion of the standard of care radiotherapy with concurrent TMZ, patients will receive 1 cycle of dose-intensified TMZ followed by pp65-loaded dendritic cell (DC) vaccination beginning on day 23.

Approximately 64 patients with resected, newly-diagnosed WHO Grade IV glioma who are CMV positive and in which the Methylguanine Methyltransferase (MGMT) is not methylated will be accrued to this study before standard of care radiation therapy (RT) and concurrent TMZ, with the goal of treating 48 patients with dose-intensified temozolomide and pp65 loaded dendritic cell vaccine after completion of standard RT and TMZ.

All enrolled patients will undergo a leukapheresis for the generation of DCs. Patients will then receive approximately 6 weeks of the standard of care radiation therapy (RT) and concurrent TMZ at a standard targeted dose of 75 mg/m2/day. For patients whose initial leukapheresis yields less than 3 vaccines, repeat leukapheresis may be obtained. At the post-RT clinic visit, a single post-RT cycle of dose-intensified TMZ (100 mg/m2/day for 21 days) will be given. On day 23 (± 2 days) of the cycle, patients will receive the first of 3 pp65 DC vaccines. Vaccines #1-3 will be given every two weeks (± 2 days). All patients will receive up to a total of 10 DC vaccines, with vaccines administered every 35 days (± 7 days) after the third vaccine, given bilaterally at the groin site unless progression occurs with no further cycles of TMZ. DC vaccines will be given intradermally (i.d.) and divided equally to both inguinal regions. Before the first DC vaccination, patients will receive 0.5 mL of Td (tetanus and diphtheria toxoids adsorbed) intramuscularly into the deltoid muscle to ensure adequate immunity to the tetanus antigen. Patients will undergo leukapheresis again for immunologic monitoring with a specific assessment of baseline antigen-specific cellular and humoral immune responses if needed for further DC generations 14 (± 2) days after vaccine #3. Prior to pp65 DC vaccination #4,(3±1) weeks after leukapheresis 2, the vaccine site will receive a pre-conditioning intradermal injection of Td. Up to 16 patients will receive 111-Indium labeled DCs at the 4th vaccine followed by SPECT/CT imaging immediately, and at 1 and 2 days after injections.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Age ≥ 18 years
• Newly diagnosed World Health Organization (WHO) Grade IV Glioma with definitive resection prior to the consent, with a residual radiographic contrast enhancing disease on the postoperative computed tomography (CT) or Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) of <1 cm in maximal diameter in any plane.
• Able to receive standard of care radiation and chemotherapy for approximately 6 weeks duration and of more than 54 Gray (GY)
• MRI post radiation therapy (RT) does not show progressive disease outside the radiation field
• Enough tumor tissue available for determination of methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) gene promoter status (must be unmethylated) or prior pathology report available confirming MGMT gene promoter status
• Cytomegalovirus (CMV) Seropositive
• Karnofsky Performance Status (KPS) of ≥ 70%
• Hemoglobin ≥ 9.0 g/dl, absolute neutrophil count (ANC) ≥ 1,000 cells/µl, platelets ≥ 100,000 cells/µl prior to starting TMZ cycle 1 (patient must meet these criteria within 4 weeks after the end of XRT/TMZ to be eligible)
• Serum creatinine ≤ 3 times institutional upper limit of normal (ULN) for age, aspartate aminotransferase (AST) ≤ 3 times institutional upper limit of normal for age
• Bilirubin ≤ 1.5 times upper limit of normal prior to starting TMZ cycle 1 (Exception: Patient has known Gilbert's Syndrome or patient has suspected Gilbert's Syndrome, for which additional lab testing of direct and/or indirect bilirubin supports this diagnosis. In these instances, a total bilirubin of ≤ 3.0 x ULN is acceptable.)
• Signed informed consent approved by the Institutional Review Board
• Female patients must not be pregnant or breastfeeding. Female patients of childbearing potential (defined as < 2 years after last menstruation or not surgically sterile) must use a highly effective contraceptive method (allowed methods of birth control, [i.e. with a failure rate of < 1% per year] are implants, injectables, combined oral contraceptives, intrauterine device [IUD; only hormonal], sexual abstinence or vasectomized partner) during the trial and for a period of > 6 months following the last administration of trial drug(s). Female patients with an intact uterus (unless amenorrhea for the last 24 months) must have a negative serum pregnancy test within 48 hours prior to first study procedure (leukapheresis).
• Fertile male patients must agree to use a highly effective contraceptive method (allowed methods of birth control [i.e. with a failure rate of < 1% per year] include a female partner using implants, injectables, combined oral contraceptives, intrauterine devices (IUDs) [only hormonal], sexual abstinence or prior vasectomy) during the trial and for a period of > 6 months following the last administration of trial drugs.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Pregnant or breastfeeding.

• Women of childbearing potential and men who are sexually active and not willing/able to use medically acceptable forms of contraception.

• Patients with known potentially anaphylactic allergic reactions to gadolinium- diethylenetriamine penta-acetic acid (DTPA).

• Patients who cannot undergo MRI or SPECT due to obesity or to having certain metal in their bodies (specifically pacemakers, infusion pumps, metal aneurysm clips, metal prostheses, joints, rods, or plates).

• Patients with evidence of tumor in the brainstem, cerebellum, or spinal cord, radiological evidence of multifocal disease, or leptomeningeal disease.

• Severe, active comorbidity, including any of the following:

  1. Unstable angina and/or congestive heart failure requiring hospitalization;
  2. Transmural myocardial infarction within the last 6 months;
  3. Acute bacterial or fungal infection requiring intravenous antibiotics at the time of study initiation;
  4. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease exacerbation or other respiratory illness r requiring hospitalization or precluding study therapy;
  5. Known hepatic insufficiency resulting in clinical jaundice and/or coagulation defects;
  6. Known Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and Hepatitis C positive status;
  7. Major medical illnesses or psychiatric impairments that, in the investigator's opinion, will prevent administration or completion of protocol therapy;
  8. Active connective tissue disorders, such as lupus or scleroderma that, in the opinion of the treating physician, may put the patient at high risk for radiation toxicity.

• Co-medication that may interfere with study results; e.g. immuno-suppressive agents other than corticosteroids

• Prior, unrelated malignancy requiring current active treatment with the exception of cervical carcinoma in situ and adequately treated basal cell or squamous cell carcinoma of the skin. (Treatment with tamoxifen or aromatase inhibitors or other hormonal therapy that may be indicated in the prevention of prior cancer disease recurrence, are not considered current active treatment.)

• Patients are not permitted to have had any other conventional therapeutic intervention other than steroids prior to enrollment outside of the standard of care chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Patients who receive previous inguinal lymph node dissection, radiosurgery, brachytherapy, or radiolabeled monoclonal antibodies will be excluded

• Current, recent (within 4 weeks of the administration of this study agent), or planned participation in an experimental drug study.

• Known history of autoimmune disease (with the exceptions of medically-controlled hypothyroidism and Type I Diabetes Mellitus).