Phase I Trial of Prophylactic Donor-Derived IL-2-Activated NK Cell Infusion after Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation from a Matched Sibling Donor

Cell Therapy as a Way to Increase the Effectiveness of Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation

Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is a standard method for treating a number of pathologies, primarily blood diseases. Timely restoration of the immune system after HSCT is a critical factor associated with the development of complications such as relapses or secondary tumors and various infections, as well as the graft-versus-host reaction in allogeneic transplantation, which ultimately affects the survival of patients. Introduction into the recipient's body of immune system cells that are incapable of sensitization by recipient antigens during the period of immune reconstitution can increase the rate of restoration of the immune system, as well as reduce the risk of complications. This review presents the results of studies on cell therapy with various cell subpopulations of both bone marrow and mesenchymal origin during HSCT.

Genetically modified and unmodified cellular approaches to enhance graft versus leukemia effect, without increasing graft versus host disease: the use of allogeneic cytokine-induced killer cells

Although allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) represents a curative approach for many patients with hematological diseases, post-transplantation relapse occurs in 20-50% of cases, representing the primary cause of treatment failure and mortality. Alloreactive donor T cells are responsible for the graft versus leukemia (GvL) effect, which represents the key mechanism for the long-term curative effect of HCT. However, the downside is represented by graft versus host disease (GvHD), largely contributing to transplant-related mortality (TRM). Multiple factors play a role in regulating the delicate balance between GvL and GvHD, such as the optimization of the donor HLA and KIR match, the type of graft source, and the adaptive use of post-transplant cellular therapy. In addition to the standard donor lymphocyte infusion (DLI), several attempts were made to favor the GvL effect without increasing the GvHD risk. Selected DLI, NK DLI, activated DLI and more sophisticated genetically engineered cells can be employed. In this scenario, cytokine-induced killer (CIK) cells represent a suitable tool to boost GvL while minimizing GvHD. CIK cells are T lymphocytes activated in culture in the presence of monoclonal antibodies against CD3 (OKT3), interferon-gamma (IFN-g), and interleukin-2 (IL-2), characterized by the expression of markers typical of NK cells and T cells (CD3+, CD56+, with a prevalent CD8+ phenotype). CIK cells can mediate cytotoxicity through both MHC and non-MHC restricted recognition, which is the so-called "dual-functional capability" and display minimum alloreactivity. Allogeneic CIK cells showed a favorable rate of response, especially in the setting of minimal residual disease, with a rate of GvHD not exceeding 25%. Finally, the CIK cell platform can be adapted for chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) cell strategy, showing promising results in both preclinical and clinical settings. In this review, we describe the main immunological basis for the development of the GvL and the possible cellular therapy approaches used to boost it, with a particular focus on the use of CIK cells.

Recent Advances in Immune-Based Therapies for Acute Myeloid Leukemia

Despite advancements, acute myeloid leukemia (AML) remains unconquered by current therapies. Evidence of immune evasion during AML progression, such as HLA loss and T-cell exhaustion, suggests that antileukemic immune responses contribute to disease control and could be harnessed by immunotherapy. In this review, we discuss a spectrum of AML immunotherapy targets, encompassing cancer cell-intrinsic and surface antigens as well as targeting in the leukemic milieu, and how they can be tailored for personalized approaches. These targets are overviewed across major immunotherapy modalities applied to AML: immune checkpoint inhibitors, antibody-drug conjugates, therapeutic vaccines, bispecific/trispecific antibodies, and chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T and CAR-NK cells. Significance: Immune therapies in AML treatment show evolving promise. Ongoing research aims to customize approaches for varied patient profiles and clinical scenarios. This review covers immune surveillance mechanisms, therapy options like checkpoint inhibitors, antibodies, CAR-T/NK cells, and vaccines, as well as resistance mechanisms and microenvironment considerations.

New immune cell engagers for cancer immunotherapy

There have been major advances in the immunotherapy of cancer in recent years, including the development of T cell engagers - antibodies engineered to redirect T cells to recognize and kill cancer cells - for the treatment of haematological malignancies. However, the field still faces several challenges to develop agents that are consistently effective in a majority of patients and cancer types, such as optimizing drug dose, overcoming treatment resistance and improving efficacy in solid tumours. A new generation of T cell-targeted molecules was developed to tackle these issues that are potentially more effective and safer. In addition, agents designed to engage the antitumour activities of other immune cells, including natural killer cells and myeloid cells, are showing promise and have the potential to treat a broader range of cancers.

Post-Transplant Maintenance Therapy in Acute Myeloid Leukemia

Allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (allo-HCT) is potentially curative for patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML). However, the post-transplant relapse rate ranges from 40 to 70%, particularly with reduced intensity conditioning, and remains a major cause of treatment failure for these patients due to the limited efficacy of salvage therapy options. Strategies to mitigate this risk are urgently needed. In the past few years, the basic framework of post-transplant maintenance has been shaped by several clinical trials investigating targeted therapy, chemotherapy, and immunomodulatory therapies. Although the practice of post-transplant maintenance in AML has become more common, there remain challenges regarding the feasibility and efficacy of this strategy. Here, we review major developments in post-transplant maintenance in AML, along with ongoing and future planned studies in this area, outlining the limitations of available data and our future goals.

Adoptive cellular therapy after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation

Effective cellular therapy using CD19 chimeric antigen receptor T-cells for the treatment of advanced B-cell malignancies raises the question of whether the administration of adoptive cellular therapy (ACT) posttransplant could reduce relapse and improve survival. Moreover, several early phase clinical studies have shown the potential beneficial effects of administration of tumor-associated antigen-specific T-cells and natural killer cells posttransplant for high-risk patients, aiming to decrease relapse and possibly improve survival. In this article, we present an in-depth review of ACT after transplantation, which has the potential to significantly improve the efficacy of this procedure and revolutionize this field.

A pilot study of cord blood-derived natural killer cells as maintenance therapy after autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation

Natural killer (NK) cell based immunotherapy is an emerging strategy in hematologic malignancies because allogeneic NK cells can provide potent antitumor immunity without inducing graft-versus-host disease. Thus, we expanded cord blood-derived NK (CB-NK) cells ex vivo from random (MHC mismatched and KIR mismatched) donors, and investigate the feasibility and efficacy of repeated infusions CB-NK cells as maintenance therapy after autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (ASCT). Thirty-one patients with acute myeloid leukemia and high-risk lymphoma received ASCT and the adoptive CB-NK cell multiple infusions for maintenance therapy. Patients received a median dose of 5.98 × 107/kg (range, 1.87-17.69 × 107/kg) CB-NK cells and 23 patients completed four infusions, 8 patients received three infusions. Only mild infusion reactions occurred in 15.5% of 116 infusions. Compared to a contemporaneous cohort of 90 patients who did not receive NK cell therapy, the adoptive transfer of CB-NK cells as maintenance treatment showed a tendency of difference in decreasing the relapse rate between CB-NK group and control group (9.7% vs 24.4%). The patients who receiving NK cell infusions had a better PFS and OS than controls (4 year PFS, 84.4 ± 8.3% vs 73.5 ± 5.4%; and 4 year OS, 100% vs 78.1 ± 5.4%) . These findings demonstrate safety and validity of maintenance therapy using CB-NK cells multiple infusions after ASCT, and it is worthy of further clinical trial verification.

Immunotherapy for myelodysplastic syndrome and acute myeloid leukemia: where do we stand?

INTRODUCTION

Myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) and acute myeloid leukemia (AML) are generally characterized by a poor prognosis with currently available therapies. Immunotherapies have already seen success in treating a variety of malignant disorders, and their role in managing myeloid cancers is evolving rapidly.

AREAS COVERED

This is a review of the immunotherapies tested in MDS and AML, including immune checkpoint inhibitors, bispecific antibodies, and cell therapies such as chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy, T cell receptor (TCR) engineered T cells, and natural killer (NK) cells, with a focus on clinical trials conducted to date and future directions.

EXPERT OPINION

Initial clinical trials exploring checkpoint inhibitors in MDS and AML have demonstrated high toxicity and disappointing efficacy. However, ongoing trials adding novel checkpoint inhibitors to standard therapy are more promising. Technological advances are improving the outlook for bispecific antibodies, and cellular therapies like adoptive NK cell infusion have favorable efficacy and tolerability in early trials. As our understanding of the immune microenvironment in MDS and AML improves, the role for immunotherapy in the treatment of these diseases will become clearer.

Complex interactions of cellular players in chronic Graft-versus-Host Disease

Chronic Graft-versus-Host Disease is a life-threatening inflammatory condition that affects many patients after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Although we have made substantial progress in understanding disease pathogenesis and the role of specific immune cell subsets, treatment options are still limited. To date, we lack a global understanding of the interplay between the different cellular players involved, in the affected tissues and at different stages of disease development and progression. In this review we summarize our current knowledge on pathogenic and protective mechanisms elicited by the major involved immune subsets, being T cells, B cells, NK cells and antigen presenting cells, as well as the microbiome, with a special focus on intercellular communication of these cell types via extracellular vesicles as up-and-coming fields in chronic Graft-versus-Host Disease research. Lastly, we discuss the importance of understanding systemic and local aberrant cell communication during disease for defining better biomarkers and therapeutic targets, eventually enabling the design of personalized treatment schemes.

Novel Immunotherapeutics: Perspectives on Checkpoints, Bispecifics, and Vaccines in Development

Over the past decade, the advent of molecular techniques and deeper understanding of the tumor microenvironment (TME) have enabled the development of a multitude of immunotherapy targets and approaches. Despite the revolutionary advancement in immunotherapy, treatment resistance remains a challenge leading to decreased response rate in a significant proportion of patients. As such, there has recently been an evolving focus to enhance efficacy, durability, and toxicity profiles of immunotherapy. Although immune checkpoint inhibitors have revolutionized cancer treatment with many already-approved antibodies and several others in the pipeline, bispecific antibodies build on their success in an attempt to deliver an even more potent immune response against tumor cells. On the other hand, vaccines comprise the oldest and most versatile form of immunotherapy. Peptide and nucleic acid vaccines are relatively simple to manufacture compared with oncolytic virus-based vaccines, whereas the dendritic cell vaccines are the most complex, requiring autologous cell culture. Nevertheless, a crucial question in the development of cancer vaccines is the choice of antigen whereby shared and patient-private antigen approaches are currently being pursued. There is hope that cancer vaccines will join the repertoire of successful novel immunotherapeutics in the market. Better insights into the impact of immunotherapy on effector T cells and other immune cell populations in the TME shall be a major priority across the immune-oncology discipline and can help identify predictive biomarkers to evaluate response to treatment and identify patients who would most likely benefit from immunotherapy.

The infusion of ex vivo, interleukin-15 and -21-activated donor NK cells after haploidentical HCT in high-risk AML and MDS patients-a randomized trial

Clinical effect of donor-derived natural killer cell infusion (DNKI) after HLA-haploidentical hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) was evaluated in high-risk myeloid malignancy in phase 2, randomized trial. Seventy-six evaluable patients (aged 21-70 years) were randomized to receive DNKI (N = 40) or not (N = 36) after haploidentical HCT. For the HCT conditioning, busulfan, fludarabine, and anti-thymocyte globulin were administered. DNKI was given twice 13 and 20 days after HCT. Four patients in the DNKI group failed to receive DNKI. In the remaining 36 patients, median DNKI doses were 1.0 × 10⁸/kg and 1.4 × 10⁸/kg on days 13 and 20, respectively. Intention-to-treat analysis showed a lower disease progression for the DNKI group (30-month cumulative incidence, 35% vs 61%, P = 0.040; subdistribution hazard ratio, 0.50). Furthermore, at 3 months after HCT, the DNKI patients showed a 1.8- and 2.6-fold higher median absolute blood count of NK and T cells, respectively. scRNA-sequencing analysis in seven study patients showed that there was a marked increase in memory-like NK cells in DNKI patients which, in turn, expanded the CD8⁺ effector-memory T cells. In high-risk myeloid malignancy, DNKI after haploidentical HCT reduced disease progression. This enhanced graft-vs-leukemia effect may be related to the DNKI-induced, post-HCT expansion of NK and T cells. Clinical trial number: NCT02477787.

The prevention of disease relapse after allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation in acute myeloid leukemia

Disease relapse represents by far the most frequent cause of hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) failure. Patients with acute leukemia suffering relapse after HCT have limited conventional treatment options with little possibility of cure and represent, de facto, suitable candidates for the evaluation of novel cellular and biological-based therapies. Donor lymphocyte infusions (DLI) has been one of the first cellular therapies adopted to treat post HCT relapse of acute leukemia patients and still now, it is widely adopted in preemptive and prophylactic settings, with renewed interest for manipulated cellular products such as NK-DLI. The acquisition of novel biological insights into pathobiology of leukemia relapse are translating into the clinic, with novel combinations of target therapies and novel agents, helping delineate new therapeutical landscapes. Hypomethylating agents alone or in combination with novel drugs demonstrated their efficacy in pre-clinical models and controlled trials. FLT3 inhibitors represent an essential therapeutical instrument incorporated in post-transplant maintenance strategies. The Holy grail of allogeneic transplantation lies in the separation of graft-vs.-host disease from graft vs. tumor effects and after more than five decades, is still the most ambitious goal to reach and many ways to accomplish are on their way.

Antitumor immunity induced by antibody-based natural killer cell engager therapeutics armed with not-alpha IL-2 variant

Harnessing innate immunity is emerging as a promising therapeutic approach in cancer. We report here the design of tetraspecific molecules engaging natural killer (NK) cell-activating receptors NKp46 and CD16a, the β-chain of the interleukin-2 receptor (IL-2R), and a tumor-associated antigen (TAA). In vitro, these tetraspecific antibody-based natural killer cell engager therapeutics (ANKETs) induce a preferential activation and proliferation of NK cells, and the binding to the targeted TAA triggers NK cell cytotoxicity and cytokine and chemokine production. In vivo, tetraspecific ANKETs induce NK cell proliferation and their accumulation at the tumor bed, as well as the control of local and disseminated tumors. Treatment of non-human primates with CD20-directed tetraspecific ANKET leads to CD20⁺ circulating B cell depletion, with minimal systemic cytokine release and no sign of toxicity. Tetraspecific ANKETs, thus, constitute a technological platform for harnessing NK cells as next-generation cancer immunotherapies.

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Tetraspecific ANKETs constitute a technological platform to harness NK cells in cancer

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Tetraspecific ANKETs target NKp46, CD16a, IL-2Rβ, and a tumor antigen

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Tetraspecific ANKETs stimulate NK cell proliferation, activation, and antitumor functions

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In vivo, tetraspecific ANKETs promote NK cell tumor accumulation and antitumor activity

Maintenance therapy for AML after allogeneic HCT

Allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplant (allo-HCT) for eligible patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) in first complete remission is a central treatment paradigm to achieve durable remission. However, disease relapse after allo-HCT remains a significant concern and generally portends a poor prognosis. There is significant interest regarding the role for maintenance therapy after allo-HCT for patients with high risk of relapse, regardless of the presence of measurable residual disease. While there are currently no therapies approved for maintenance therapy for AML after allo-HCT, there are a number of ongoing investigations examining the role of maintenance therapies that include targeted agents against FLT3-ITD or IDH mutations, hypomethylating agents, immunomodulatory therapies and cellular therapies. In this review, we examine the current landscape and future strategies for maintenance therapy for AML after allo-HCT.

Optimization of Donor Lymphocyte Infusion for AML Relapse After Allo-HCT in the Era of New Drugs and Cell Engineering

Donor lymphocyte infusion (DLI) is a key strategy for the treatment of AML relapse after allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (allo-HCT) and has been used for either prophylactic, pre-emptive, or therapeutic purposes. However, the prognosis of these patients remains dismal even after DLI infusion (2-year overall survival, ~25%), and the efficacy is achieved at the cost of toxicities such as graft-versus-host (GVH) disease. Attempts to optimize DLI efficacy and safety, such as dose/timing modification and the use of cytoreduction, before DLI have been performed previously. Recently, a great number of novel targeted and immunomodulatory agents have emerged. Some of them, such as hypomethylating agents, FLT3 and Bcl-2 inhibitors, have been used in combination with DLI, aiming to enhance the graft-versus-leukemia effect. Moreover, manipulation of the DLI graft through cell selection (e.g., donor NK cells) or cell engineering (donor CAR-T cells) has shown potentially superior anti-tumor effects but less GVH effect than conventional DLI in clinical trials. This review summarizes the recent advances on the use of DLI for the prophylaxis/treatment of AML relapse and discusses future strategies which may further improve the treatment efficacy.