Third Party Viral Specific T-cells (VSTs)

December 10, 2025 updated by: Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati

Third Party Viral Specific T-cells (VSTs) for Treatment of Viral Infections in Immunocompromised Patients

The purpose of this study is to demonstrate that viral specific T-cells (a type of white blood cell) can be generated from an unrelated donor and given safely to patients with viral infections.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Recruiting

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

Viral reactivation and infection is a major cause of morbidity in immunocompromised patients (including HSCT recipients). In this study we will draw blood from unrelated (third party) donors and use the blood to generate viral specific T-cells (VSTs) with specificity for Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), cytomegalovirus (CMV), adenovirus (ADV), BK virus (BKV), and JC Virus. The VSTs will be infused into immunocompromised children with specific viral infections (EBV, CMV, ADV, BKV , or JC virus). Cells will be selected for infusion based on the recipient's HLA type and the viral specificity of the cells.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
750

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Phase 2

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact

The name and contact information for the person who can answer enrollment questions for a clinical study. Each location where the study is being conducted may also have a specific contact, who may be better able to answer those questions.

Study Contact Backup

Study Locations

  • United States
    • Ohio
      • Akron, Ohio, United States, 44308
        • Recruiting
        • Akron Children's Hospital
        • Contact:
        • Principal Investigator:
          • Megan Sampson, MD
      • Cincinnati, Ohio, United States, 45229
        • Recruiting
        • Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center
        • Contact:
        • Principal Investigator:
          • Michael Grimley, MD
      • Cincinnati, Ohio, United States, 45219
        • Completed
        • University of Cincinnati Medical Center
      • Columbus, Ohio, United States, 43210
        • Recruiting
        • The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center - James Cancer Hospital
        • Principal Investigator:
          • Polina Shindiapina, MD, PhD
        • Contact:

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

2 days and older (Child, Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Immunocompromised patient with evidence of viral infection or reactivation
  • Age >1 day
  • Recipients who have had a stem cell transplant must be at least 21 days after stem cell infusion
  • Clinical status must allow tapering of steroids to < 0.5mg/kg prednisone or other steroid equivalent
  • Must be able to receive CTL infusion in Cincinnati
  • Informed consent obtained by PI or sub-investigator either in person or by phone

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Active acute GVHD grades II-IV
  • Uncontrolled bacterial or fungal infection
  • Uncontrolled relapse of malignancy requiring treatment with chemotherapy
  • Infusion of ATG or alemtuzumab within 2 weeks of VST infusion
  • Biopsy confirmed acute rejection of solid organ transplant OR empiric treatment of suspected but not confirmed acute rejection of solid organ transplant within the last 30 days

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: N/A
  • Interventional Model: Single Group Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Experimental: Viral Specific VST Infusion
3rd party VST infusion
Biological: Viral Specific VST Infusion

VSTs will be infused into immunocompromised patients with evidence of viral infection or reactivation defined as any of the following:

  • Blood adenovirus PCR ≥ 1,000
  • Blood CMV PCR ≥ 500
  • Blood EBV PCR ≥ 9,000
  • Plasma BKV PCR >1,000
  • Plasma JC Virus PCR > 1,000
  • Evidence of invasive adenovirus infection or disease, defined as the presence of adenoviral positivity by PCR or culture in one or more sites
  • Evidence of invasive CMV infection, eg pneumonitis, retinitis, colitis
  • Evidence of invasive EBV disease/infection, EBV-associated lymphoproliferation (EBV-LPD) defined as proven EBV-LPD by biopsy or probable EBV-LPD defined as an elevated EBV DNA level in the blood associated with clinical symptoms (adenopathy or fever or masses on imaging) but without biopsy confirmation, or EBV-associated malignancies
  • Evidence of symptomatic BK virus infection, which may include symptomatic hemorrhagic cystitis, or BK nephropathy
  • Evidence of PML or other CNS infection due to JC virus

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Successful production of viral specific T-cells
Time Frame: Within 30 days post culture initiation
Of the patients who had a VST culture initiated, successful production of VST cells is defined as meeting the protocol-defined release criteria.
Within 30 days post culture initiation
Percentage of patients who do not have infusional toxicity
Time Frame: Through 30 minutes post infusion
Patients will be monitored for infusional toxicity
Through 30 minutes post infusion
Incidence of GVHD associated with VST infusion
Time Frame: Through 30 days after infusion
Patients will be monitored for the development of VST associated GVHD
Through 30 days after infusion

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Presence of viral-specific T-cells
Time Frame: At 30 days after infusion
Presence of viral-specific T-cells in the participant's blood will be assessed by Elispot assay
At 30 days after infusion
Viral burden
Time Frame: At 30 days after infusion
The viral burden will be assessed using the protocol-defined efficacy assessment.
At 30 days after infusion

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Principal Investigator: Michael Grimley, MD, MD, Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
September 2, 2015

Primary Completion (Estimated)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
December 1, 2026

Study Completion (Estimated)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
December 1, 2027

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
August 21, 2015

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
August 21, 2015

First Posted (Estimated)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
August 25, 2015

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Estimated)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
December 16, 2025

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
December 10, 2025

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
December 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • 2015-4184

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

Yes

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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