Neural Stem Cell Based Virotherapy of Newly Diagnosed Malignant Glioma

This is an open-label, phase 1, dose escalation trial that followed a 3x3 design. Three doses will be evaluated in the resectable cohorts: Cohort 1: 0.5x10\^8 NSCs loading 6.25x10\^10 vp; Cohort 2: 1.0x10\^8 NSCs loading 1.25x10\^11 vp; and Cohort 3: 1.5x10\^8 NSCs loading 1.875x10\^11 vp. Subjects enrolled have newly diagnosed high-grade glioma based on clinical and radiologic criteria; pathology will be confirmed at the time of surgical resection. Direct intra-tumoral injection of study product (NSC-CRAd-S-p7) will be done after resection but prior to closure. Subjects will then receive concomitant radiotherapy (RT) at a dose of 60Gy and chemotherapy with temozolomide (TMZ), 75 mg/m2, daily during RT. This will be followed by adjuvant TMZ dosed at 200 mg/m2 for 6 cycles. Subjects will be followed until disease progression with serial brain MRIs, and for survival up to 5 years. The non-resectable cohort will not opened due to limited product availability.

• Neural stem cells loaded with an oncolytic adenovirus (Biological), also known as NSC-CRAd-Survivin-pk7: The primary objectives are to evaluate the safety of the combined therapy and determine the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) for a future Phase II study.

Primary outcomes

• Percentage of Dose-limiting Toxicities [Two years]: Using a 3+3 dose escalation design, three to six patients were to be enrolled per dose in each of the 3 cohorts. If no patients in the cohort experienced a dose-limiting toxicity (DLT), then the next cohort enrolled a minimum of 3 patients. If one of three patients experienced a DLT, then 3 more patients were evaluated at that dose level. If none of these three additional patients experienced a DLT, then dose escalation occurs, unless this is the highest dose, in which case dose escalation is stopped and the highest dose is declared the MTD. If 1 or more of these additional 3 patients had a DLT, then three additional patients may be entered, after discussion with the sponsor, at the next lowest does level if only three patients were treated previously at that dose. If two or more patients experienced a DLT Dose escalation will be stopped; 3 more patients could be added with sponsor approval at the next lower dose level.

Secondary outcomes

• Assessment of Tumor Response. [Two years]: Per Response Assessment in Neuro-Oncology Criteria (RANO, 2017) for target lesions as assessed by MRI: Complete Response (CR): The enhancing tumor is no longer seen by neuroimaging; Partial Response (PR): Decrease of ≥ 50% in the product of two diameters with the patient on a stable or decreasing dose of steroids; Minor Response (MR): Decrease in diameter products of < 50% with the patient on a stable or decreasing dose of steroids; Stable Disease (SD): The scan shows no change. Patients should be receiving stable or decreasing doses of steroids; Progression (P): Increase of > 25% in tumor area (two diameters) provided that the patient has not had his/her dose of steroids decreased since the last evaluation period. A concomitant decrease in steroid dose will rule out a progression designation during the first two months after completion of radiation; Pseudoprogression (PP): Radiological changes without concomitant neurological changes.
• Progression-free Survival [two years]: Median progression-free survival
• Overall Survival [Two years]: Median overall survival

Sex: All, ages: 18 Years to any

Inclusion Criteria:

* Patients must have presumed malignant glioma based on clinical and radiologic evaluation (pathologic confirmation of malignant glioma must be made at the time of stereotactic biopsy or resection prior to NSC-CRAd-S-pk7 injection; if this is not possible, the injection will not be performed and the subject will no longer be eligible for the study).
* Tumor must be accessible for injection and must not be located in the brainstem, or contained within the ventricular system.
* Planning to undergo standard radiation/chemotherapy
* 18 years of age or older.
* Performance status must be KPS ≥ 70
* SGOT (AST) < 3x upper limit of normal
* Serum creatinine < 2mg/dl
* Platelets > 100,000/mm3 and WBC > 3000/mm3

Exclusion Criteria:

* Prior or ongoing liver disease including known cirrhosis, hepatitis B or C infection but not to exclude patients with a distant history of resolved hepatitis A infection.
* Immunosuppressive drugs (with exception of corticosteroid).
* Known HIV+ patients.
* Acute infections (viral, bacterial or fungal infections requiring therapy).
* Pregnant or breast-feeding patients.
* Evidence of metastatic disease or other malignancy (except squamous or basal cell skin cancers).
* Prior radiation therapy to the brain or prior treatment for brain tumor Other serious co-morbid illness or compromised organ function.

Participant flow

Outcome results

• Percentage of Dose-limiting Toxicities (Primary), Number, Percentage of dose-limiting toxicities: Arm B/Cohort 1 0; Arm B/Cohort 2 0; ArmB/Cohort 3 17
• Assessment of Tumor Response. (Secondary), Number, Percentage of participants: Total Cohort 8
• Progression-free Survival (Secondary), Median, Months: Total Cohort 9.1 (8.5 to 36)
• Overall Survival (Secondary), Median, Months: Total Cohort 18.4 (6.5 to 36)

Adverse events

Time frame: Two years and 7 months

Serious adverse events by term

Other adverse events by term

4 more terms not shown.

• Tobias AL, Thaci B, Auffinger B, Rincon E, Balyasnikova IV, Kim CK, Han Y, Zhang L, Aboody KS, Ahmed AU, Lesniak MS. The timing of neural stem cell-based virotherapy is critical for optimal therapeutic efficacy when applied with radiation and chemotherapy for the treatment of glioblastoma. Stem Cells Transl Med. 2013 Sep;2(9):655-66. doi: 10.5966/sctm.2013-0039. Epub 2013 Aug 7. PMID 23926209
• Ahmed AU, Thaci B, Tobias AL, Auffinger B, Zhang L, Cheng Y, Kim CK, Yunis C, Han Y, Alexiades NG, Fan X, Aboody KS, Lesniak MS. A preclinical evaluation of neural stem cell-based cell carrier for targeted antiglioma oncolytic virotherapy. J Natl Cancer Inst. 2013 Jul 3;105(13):968-77. doi: 10.1093/jnci/djt141. PMID 23821758
• Ahmed AU, Tyler MA, Thaci B, Alexiades NG, Han Y, Ulasov IV, Lesniak MS. A comparative study of neural and mesenchymal stem cell-based carriers for oncolytic adenovirus in a model of malignant glioma. Mol Pharm. 2011 Oct 3;8(5):1559-72. doi: 10.1021/mp200161f. Epub 2011 Jun 30. PMID 21718006
• Ahmed AU, Thaci B, Alexiades NG, Han Y, Qian S, Liu F, Balyasnikova IV, Ulasov IY, Aboody KS, Lesniak MS. Neural stem cell-based cell carriers enhance therapeutic efficacy of an oncolytic adenovirus in an orthotopic mouse model of human glioblastoma. Mol Ther. 2011 Sep;19(9):1714-26. doi: 10.1038/mt.2011.100. Epub 2011 May 31. PMID 21629227
• Ulasov IV, Sonabend AM, Nandi S, Khramtsov A, Han Y, Lesniak MS. Combination of adenoviral virotherapy and temozolomide chemotherapy eradicates malignant glioma through autophagic and apoptotic cell death in vivo. Br J Cancer. 2009 Apr 7;100(7):1154-64. doi: 10.1038/sj.bjc.6604969. Epub 2009 Mar 10. PMID 19277041
• Nandi S, Ulasov IV, Tyler MA, Sugihara AQ, Molinero L, Han Y, Zhu ZB, Lesniak MS. Low-dose radiation enhances survivin-mediated virotherapy against malignant glioma stem cells. Cancer Res. 2008 Jul 15;68(14):5778-84. doi: 10.1158/0008-5472.CAN-07-6441. PMID 18632631
• Ulasov IV, Zhu ZB, Tyler MA, Han Y, Rivera AA, Khramtsov A, Curiel DT, Lesniak MS. Survivin-driven and fiber-modified oncolytic adenovirus exhibits potent antitumor activity in established intracranial glioma. Hum Gene Ther. 2007 Jul;18(7):589-602. doi: 10.1089/hum.2007.002. PMID 17630837
• Results publication: Fares J, Ahmed AU, Ulasov IV, Sonabend AM, Miska J, Lee-Chang C, Balyasnikova IV, Chandler JP, Portnow J, Tate MC, Kumthekar P, Lukas RV, Grimm SA, Adams AK, Hebert CD, Strong TV, Amidei C, Arrieta VA, Zannikou M, Horbinski C, Zhang H, Burdett KB, Curiel DT, Sachdev S, Aboody KS, Stupp R, Lesniak MS. Neural stem cell delivery of an oncolytic adenovirus in newly diagnosed malignant glioma: a first-in-human, phase 1, dose-escalation trial. Lancet Oncol. 2021 Aug;22(8):1103-1114. doi: 10.1016/S1470-2045(21)00245-X. Epub 2021 Jun 29. PMID 34214495

• Study Protocol and Statistical Analysis Plan (PDF, 2017-04-21)

• Maciej S Lesniak, MD, Principal investigator, Northwestern University

NIH grants: P50CA221747