Research on YTS109 Cell in Patients With Recurrent/Refractory Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemia

The Safety and Efficacy of YTS109 Cell for Relapsed/Refractory Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemia Patients After Receiving Three or More Lines of Therapy.

This is a Phase I, single-arm, open-label, dose-escalation and dose-expansion study. The primary objective is to evaluate the safety, tolerability, efficacy, pharmacokinetics, and pharmacodynamics of YTS109 STAR-T cell therapy in patients with autoimmune hemolytic anemia who have failed ≥3 lines of therapy.

This study set up two dosage groups: 1e6 STAR+T cells/kg and 2e6 STAR+T cells/kg. With the starting dose of 1e6 STAR+T cells/kg, it was conducted according to the traditional 3+3 design rule. In this study, if the safety was good but the efficacy was not satisfactory at the dosage level of 2e6 STAR+T cells/kg, SRC could decide whether to continue increasing the dose to 3e6 STAR+T cells/kg based on the clinical preclinical data, cumulative safety, tolerance, preliminary efficacy, PK and other results.

If the subject shows no response (NR) or experiences recurrence after remission, a second infusion may be administered-provided the patient voluntarily consents and the investigator, after comprehensive assessment, determines that the potential benefits outweigh the risks. The investigator may decide on the timing of re-infusion, the use of lymphodepleting pretreatment, and the dose and number of re-infusions based on prior safety, efficacy, and pharmacokinetic (PK) data.

Inclusion Criteria:

• 18 ≤ Age ≤ 60 years, regardless of gender.

• A definitive diagnosis of Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemia (AIHA) or Evans Syndrome [including warm antibody-type, mixed warm-cold antibody-type, and cold antibody-type hemolytic anemia (cold agglutinin disease)] has been established, with diagnostic criteria referenced from the Chinese Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemia in Adults (2023 Edition).

• Patients who have undergone at least three failed treatment attempts, whose anemia symptoms (hemoglobin < 100 g/L) persist despite conventional therapy, and who remain unresponsive or experience recurrence after disease remission. Definition of Conventional Therapy: Treatment with glucocorticoids and/or rituximab, combined with any one or more of the following interventions: splenectomy, cyclosporine, cyclophosphamide, azathioprine, mycophenolate mofetil, bendamustine, fludarabine, bortezomib, or other pharmacological agents, as well as biologic agents including anti-CD38 monoclonal antibodies, BTK inhibitors, Syk inhibitors, complement inhibitors, etc.

• Adequate Organ Function:

  1. Liver Function:

     Serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) ≤ 3 × upper limit of normal (ULN); Total bilirubin ≤ 2.0 × ULN (excluding Gilbert syndrome, where total bilirubin ≤ 3.0 × ULN).

  2. Renal Function:

     Creatinine clearance (CrCl) ≥ 60 ml/minute (calculated using the Cockcroft-Gault formula).

  3. Oxygen Saturation (SpO₂): ≥ 92%.

• ECOG performance status≤2.

• Subjects of childbearing potential will be required to follow contraception requirements from the time of enrollment until the end of the 12-month safety follow-up period.

• The subjects voluntarily participate in the study, sign the informed consent, demonstrate good compliance, and cooperate with follow-up.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Diagnosis of lymphoproliferative tumor
• Other hereditary or acquired hemolytic diseases (Secondary AIHA caused by drugs or infection)
• The platelet count in peripheral blood<30×10^9/L
• Pregnant or breast-feeding subjects
• Receive any of the following treatments within the specified time before cell infusion: a.anti-CD20 monoclonal antibodies <12 weeks, b.sutimlimab or other marketed biologics <5 half-lives,c.plasma exchange <4 weeks, d.post-splenectomy <12 weeks, e. BTK inhibitors, anti-CD38 monoclonal antibody, Syk inhibitors, BAFF inhibitors < 5 half-lives.
• Previously received organ or stem cell transplantation
• History of new thrombosis or organ infarction in the past 6 months
• Diagnosis of the active stage of the connective tissue disease.
• Have active infections, such as sepsis, bacteremia, fungemia, uncontrolled pulmonary infection and active tuberculosis, etc.
• Positive hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) or hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg); positive hepatitis B e antibody (HBe-Ab) or hepatitis B core antibody (HBc-Ab), and the HBV-DNA copy number is above the lower limit of the measurable capacity; positive hepatitis C (HCV) antibody; positive human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) antibody; positive syphilis test.
• Underwent major surgery within 4 weeks before screening, as determined by the investigator to be unsuitable for enrollment.
• Have malignant tumors within 5 years before enrollment, except tumors with negligible risk of metastasis or death and curable tumors, such as adequately treated cervical carcinoma in situ, cutaneous basal cell carcinoma, etc.
• Have any of the following cardiovascular diseases: a.Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) ≤45%, b. presence of active heart disease or congestive heart failure (New York Heart Association [NYHA] Class III or IV)), c.severe arrhythmias requiring treatment, d.have myocardial infarction, bypass surgery, or stent placement within the 6 months before the study, e.other heart diseases judged by the researcher to be unsuitable for enrollment.
• Have a history of live attenuated vaccines within 6 weeks before enrollment.
• Have a history of epilepsy or other active central nervous system diseases.
• Have an allergy to the ingredients of the medicine used in this study.
• Previously received CAR-T cell therapy.
• Patients considered to be ineligible for the study by the investigator for reasons other than the above.