CMV-MVA Triplex Vaccination in HLA-Matched Related Stem Cell Donors for the Prevention of CMV Infection in Patients Undergoing Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant

Placebo-Controlled and Randomized Phase 2 Trial of CMV-MVA Triplex Vaccination in HLA-Matched Related Stem Cell Donors to Enhance CMV-Specific Immunity and Prevent CMV Viremia in Recipients After Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant

This phase II clinical trial tests how well the cytomegalovirus-modified vaccinica Ankara (CMV-MVA) Triplex vaccine given to human leukocyte antigens (HLA) matched related stem cell donors works to prevent cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection in patients undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplant. The CMV-MVA Triplex vaccine works by causing an immune response in the donors body to the CMV virus, creating immunity to it. The donor then passes that immunity on to the patient upon receiving the stem cell transplant. Giving the CMV-MVA triplex vaccine to donors may help prevent CMV infection of patients undergoing stem cell transplantation.

Study Overview

• Status: Recruiting
• Conditions: Acute Myeloid Leukemia; Hodgkin Lymphoma; Myelofibrosis; Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia; Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia; Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma; Myelodysplastic Syndrome; Hematopoietic and Lymphoid System Neoplasm; Myeloproliferative Neoplasm; Chronic Myeloid Leukemia, BCR-ABL1 Positive
• Intervention / Treatment: Procedure: Biospecimen Collection; Biological: Multi-peptide CMV-Modified Vaccinia Ankara Vaccine; Procedure: Pheresis; Procedure: Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation; Drug: Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor; Drug: Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation Conditioning Regimen; Drug: Stem Cell Mobilization Therapy; Drug: Placebo Administration

Detailed Description

PRIMARY OBJECTIVE:

I. To determine whether multi-peptide CMV-modified vaccinia Ankara vaccine (Triplex) is safe and effective in protecting against CMV events defined as viremia requiring antiviral preemptive therapy (PET) or CMV end organ disease.

SECONDARY OBJECTIVE:

I. To examine if Triplex vaccination of hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HCT) donors has an impact on CMV events.

OUTLINE: Donors are randomized to 1 of 2 arms.

ARM I:

DONORS: Donors receive Triplex vaccine intramuscularly (IM) on day 0 and then undergo stem cell mobilization with granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) on days 5 to 9 and apheresis for peripheral blood stem cell collection on days 10 to 14 per standard of care. Donors may optionally undergo blood sample collection on study.

RECIPIENTS: Recipients undergo pre-transplant conditioning on days -60 to 0 and undergo HCT with the donor peripheral blood stem cells within 9 weeks of donor vaccination on day 0. Recipients undergo blood sample collection on study.

ARM II:

DONORS: Donors receive placebo IM on day 0 and undergo stem cell mobilization with G-CSF on days 5 to 9 and apheresis for peripheral blood stem cell collection on days 10 to 14 per standard of care. Donors may optionally undergo blood sample collection on study.

RECIPIENTS: Recipients undergo pre-transplant conditioning on days -60 to 0 and undergo HCT with the donor peripheral blood stem cells within 9 weeks of donor vaccination on day 0. Recipients undergo blood sample collection on study.

After completion of study treatment, donors follow up on days 90, 180 and 365 after vaccination and recipients follow up on days 14, 28, 42, 56, 70, 100, 140, 180, 270, and 365 after transplantation.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Estimated): 216
• Phase: Phase 2

Contacts and Locations

• Study Contact: Name: Vaibhav Agrawal, MD; Phone Number: 626-359-8111; Email: vagrawal@coh.org

Study Locations

• United States
  • California
    • Duarte, California, United States, 91010
      • Recruiting
      • City of Hope Medical Center
      • Principal Investigator: Vaibhav Agrawal
      • Contact: Vaibhav Agrawal; Phone Number: 62705 626-256-4673; Email: vagrawal@coh.org
  • Georgia
    • Atlanta, Georgia, United States, 30342
      • Recruiting
      • Northside Hospital
      • Principal Investigator: Scott R. Solomon
      • Contact: Scott R. Solomon, MD; Phone Number: 404-255-1930; Email: ssolomon@bmtga.com
  • Massachusetts
    • Boston, Massachusetts, United States, 02115
      • Recruiting
      • DFCI/BWH Brigham and Women's Hospital
      • Principal Investigator: Lindsey Baden, MD
      • Contact: Lindsey Baden, MD; Phone Number: 617-732-6801; Email: lbaden@bwh.harvard.edu

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult; Older Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• DONORS: Documented informed consent of the participant and/or legally authorized representative

  • Assent, when appropriate, will be obtained per institutional guidelines
• DONORS: Age: 18 and above

• RECIPIENTS: Documented informed consent of the participant and/or legally authorized representative

  • Assent, when appropriate, will be obtained per institutional guidelines
• RECIPIENTS: Participant must be willing to comply with study and/or follow-up procedures, including willingness to be followed for one year post-HCT
• RECIPIENTS: Age: 18 and above
• RECIPIENTS: Karnofsky performance score ≥ 70 or ECOG ≤ 2
• RECIPIENTS: Planned HCT for the treatment of the following hematologic malignancies: lymphoma (Hodgkin and Non-Hodgkin), myelodysplastic syndrome, acute lymphoblastic leukemia in first or second remission, acute myeloid leukemia in first or second remission, chronic myelogenous leukemia (in first chronic or accelerated phase, or in second chronic phase), chronic lymphocytic leukemia, myeloproliferative disorders and myelofibrosis. Patients with multiple myeloma are excluded
• RECIPIENTS: CMV seropositive
• RECIPIENTS: Planned related HCT with 8/8 (A, B, C, DRB1) high resolution human leukocyte antigen (HLA) donor allele matching
• RECIPIENTS: Conditioning and immunosuppressive regimens according to institutional guidelines are permitted. Patients may receive myeloablative, reduced intensity, or nonmyeloablative conditioning
• RECIPIENTS: Total bilirubin ≤ 2 X upper limit of normal (ULN) (unless has Gilbert's disease)
• RECIPIENTS: Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) ≤ 2.5 x ULN
• RECIPIENTS: Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) ≤ 2.5 x ULN
• RECIPIENTS: Creatinine clearance of ≥ 60 mL/min per 24 hour urine test or the Cockcroft-Gault formula
• RECIPIENTS: Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) ≥ 50% Note: To be performed within 45 days prior to day 1 of protocol therapy
• RECIPIENTS: If able to perform pulmonary function tests: forced vital capacity (FVC) and diffusion capacity of carbon monoxide (DLCO) (diffusion capacity) ≥ 50% of predicted (corrected for hemoglobin). If unable to perform pulmonary function tests: oxygen (O2) saturation > 92% on room air Note: To be performed within 45 days prior to day 1 of protocol therapy

• RECIPIENTS: Seronegative for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) antigen (Ag)/antibody (Ab) combo, hepatitis C virus (HCV)*, active hepatitis B virus (HBV) (surface antigen negative), and syphilis (rapid plasma reagin [RPR])

  • If seropositive for HIV, HCV or HBV, nucleic acid quantitation must be performed. Viral load must be undetectable
• RECIPIENTS: Meets other institutional and federal requirements for infectious disease titer requirements Note: Infectious disease testing to be performed within 45 days prior to day 1 of protocol therapy
• RECIPIENTS: Women of childbearing potential (WOCBP): Negative urine or serum pregnancy test. If the urine test is positive or cannot be confirmed as negative, a serum pregnancy test will be required

• RECIPIENTS: Agreement by females and males of childbearing potential* to use an effective method of birth control (hormonal or barrier method) or abstain from heterosexual activity prior to study entry and for up to 90 days post-HCT.

  • Childbearing potential defined as not being surgically sterilized (men and women) or have not been free from menses for > 1 year (women only)

Exclusion Criteria:

• DONORS: Any prior transplant to day 1 of protocol therapy
• DONORS: Chemotherapy, radiation therapy, biological therapy, immunotherapy within 21 days prior to day 1 of protocol therapy
• DONORS: Receipt of any vaccine (licensed or investigational) within 30 days prior to and after of the study vaccine
• DONORS: Unfit to undergo standard stem cell mobilization and apheresis e.g. abnormal blood counts, history of stroke, uncontrolled hypertension
• DONORS: Sickling hemoglobinopathy including hemoglobin S (HbSS), sickle cell trait (HbAS), hemoglobin sickle C disease (HbSC)
• DONORS: Donors with impaired cardiac function are excluded. Electrocardiography is routine for potential HCT donors over 60 years old and those with a history of heart disease. Subjects in whom cardiac function is abnormal (excluding 1st degree branch block, sinus bradycardia, sinus tachycardia or non-specific T wave changes) are ineligible for Triplex vaccination
• DONORS: Positive for HIV, active hepatitis B (HBV), hepatitis C (HCV) or human T-cell lymphotropic virus (HTLV-I/II)
• DONORS: Severe psychiatric illness. Mental deficiency sufficiently severe as to make compliance with the donation procedure unlikely, and making informed consent impossible
• DONORS: Females only: Pregnant or breastfeeding
• DONORS: Any other condition that would, in the investigator's judgment, contraindicate the patient's participation in the clinical study due to safety concerns with clinical study procedures
• DONORS: Prospective participants who, in the opinion of the investigator, may not be able to comply with all study procedures (including compliance issues related to feasibility/logistics)
• RECIPIENTS: Any prior investigational CMV vaccine
• RECIPIENTS: Experimental anti-CMV chemotherapy in the last 6 months
• RECIPIENTS: Prior allogeneic (allo) transplant for any condition
• RECIPIENTS: Live attenuated vaccines
• RECIPIENTS: Medically indicated subunit (Engerix-B for HBV; Gardasil for HPV) or killed vaccines (e.g. influenza, pneumococcal, or allergy treatment with antigen injections)
• RECIPIENTS: Allergy treatment with antigens injections
• RECIPIENTS: Alemtuzumab or any equivalent in vivo T-cell depleting agent
• RECIPIENTS: Antiviral medications with known therapeutic effects on CMV such as valganciclovir/ganciclovir (GCV/VAL), foscarnet (FOS), cidofovir, brincidofovir (CMX-001), maribavir. Acyclovir has no known therapeutic efficacy against CMV and is allowable as standard of care to prevent herpes simplex virus (HSV)
• RECIPIENTS: Prophylactic therapy with CMV immunoglobulin or prophylactic antiviral CMV treatment
• RECIPIENTS: Other investigational product - concurrent enrollment in other clinical trials using any investigational new drug (IND) drugs with unknown effects on CMV or with unknown toxicity profiles is prohibited
• RECIPIENTS: Other medications that might interfere with the evaluation of the investigational product
• RECIPIENTS: Diagnosis with autoimmune disease
• RECIPIENTS: Females only: Pregnant women and women who are lactating. The risks of Triplex to pregnant women are unknown. Because there is an unknown but potential risk for adverse events in nursing infants secondary to treatment of the mother. Breastfeeding should be discontinued if the mother is enrolled on this study
• RECIPIENTS: Any other condition that would, in the investigator's judgment, contraindicate the patient's participation in the clinical study due to safety concerns with clinical study procedures
• RECIPIENTS: Prospective participants who, in the opinion of the investigator, may not be able to comply with all study procedures (including compliance issues related to feasibility/logistics)

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: Quadruple

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Arm I (Triplex vaccination); DONORS: Donors receive Triplex vaccine IM on day 0 and then undergo stem cell mobilization with G-CSF on days 5 to 9 and apheresis for peripheral blood stem cell collection on days 10 to 14 per standard of care. Donors may optionally undergo blood sample collection on study. RECIPIENTS: Recipients undergo pre-transplant conditioning on days -60 to 0 and undergo HCT with the donor peripheral blood stem cells within 9 weeks of donor vaccination on day 0. Recipients undergo blood sample collection on study.	Procedure: Biospecimen Collection; Undergo blood sample collection; Other Names: Biological Sample Collection; Biospecimen Collected; Specimen Collection; Biological: Multi-peptide CMV-Modified Vaccinia Ankara Vaccine; Given IM; Other Names: CMV-MVA Triplex Vaccine; Multi-antigen CMV-Modified Vaccinia Ankara Vaccine; Procedure: Pheresis; Undergo apheresis; Other Names: Apheresis; Apheresed; Blood Component Removal; Collection, Apheresis/Leukapheresis; Hemapheresis; Procedure: Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation; Undergo HCT with donor peripheral blood stem cells; Other Names: Allogeneic; Allogeneic Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation; Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplantation; HSC; HSCT; Stem Cell Transplantation, Allogeneic; Drug: Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor; Undergo stem cell mobilization with G-CSF; Other Names: G-CSF; Granulocyte Colony Stimulating Factor; GCSF; Colony Stimulating Factor 3; Colony-Stimulating Factor (Granulocyte); Colony-Stimulating Factor 3; CSF3; G CSF; Pluripoietin; Drug: Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation Conditioning Regimen; Receive pre transplant conditioning; Other Names: HCT Conditioning Regimen; HSCT Conditioning Regimen; Stem Cell Transplant Conditioning; Drug: Stem Cell Mobilization Therapy; Undergo stem cell mobilization with G-CSF; Other Names: Stem-cell mobilization; Chemomobilization; Hematopoietic Stem Cell Mobilization; Mobilization Therapy
Placebo Comparator: Arm II (Placebo); DONORS: Donors receive placebo IM on day 0 and undergo stem cell mobilization with G-CSF on days 5 to 9 and apheresis for peripheral blood stem cell collection on days 10 to 14 per standard of care. Donors may optionally undergo blood sample collection on study. RECIPIENTS: Recipients undergo pre-transplant conditioning on days -60 to 0 and undergo HCT with the donor peripheral blood stem cells within 9 weeks of donor vaccination on day 0. Recipients undergo blood sample collection on study.	Procedure: Biospecimen Collection; Undergo blood sample collection; Other Names: Biological Sample Collection; Biospecimen Collected; Specimen Collection; Procedure: Pheresis; Undergo apheresis; Other Names: Apheresis; Apheresed; Blood Component Removal; Collection, Apheresis/Leukapheresis; Hemapheresis; Procedure: Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation; Undergo HCT with donor peripheral blood stem cells; Other Names: Allogeneic; Allogeneic Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation; Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplantation; HSC; HSCT; Stem Cell Transplantation, Allogeneic; Drug: Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor; Undergo stem cell mobilization with G-CSF; Other Names: G-CSF; Granulocyte Colony Stimulating Factor; GCSF; Colony Stimulating Factor 3; Colony-Stimulating Factor (Granulocyte); Colony-Stimulating Factor 3; CSF3; G CSF; Pluripoietin; Drug: Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation Conditioning Regimen; Receive pre transplant conditioning; Other Names: HCT Conditioning Regimen; HSCT Conditioning Regimen; Stem Cell Transplant Conditioning; Drug: Stem Cell Mobilization Therapy; Undergo stem cell mobilization with G-CSF; Other Names: Stem-cell mobilization; Chemomobilization; Hematopoietic Stem Cell Mobilization; Mobilization Therapy; Drug: Placebo Administration; Given IM

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Time from transplantation to cytomegalovirus (CMV) disease or pre-emptive treatment following CMV reactivation (efficacy)	A stratified Cox regression analysis of time to CMV disease or positron emission tomography (PET) following CMV reactivation prior to Day 180 post-HCT will be performed. The estimated hazard ratio and its 95% confidence interval will be calculated. Secondary analyses will include the Fine-Gray model for competing risk.	From hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HCT) to day 180
Occurrence of non-relapse mortality (safety in HCT-recipients)	A stratified Cox regression analysis of time to CMV disease or PET following CMV reactivation prior to Day 180 post-HCT will be performed. The estimated hazard ratio and its 95% confidence interval will be calculated. Secondary analyses will include the Fine-Gray model for competing risk.	Up to day 100 post HCT
Incidence of severe acute graft versus host disease (aGHVD) (safety in HCT-recipients)	Severe aGHVD defined as grades 3-4. A stratified Cox regression analysis of time to CMV disease or PET following CMV reactivation prior to Day 180 post-HCT will be performed. The estimated hazard ratio and its 95% confidence interval will be calculated. Secondary analyses will include the Fine-Gray model for competing risk.	Up to 100 days post HCT
Incidence of severe adverse events (AEs) (safety in HCT-recipients)	Probably or definitely related to the vaccination per Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events version 5.0. A stratified Cox regression analysis of time to CMV disease or PET following CMV reactivation prior to Day 180 post-HCT will be performed. The estimated hazard ratio and its 95% confidence interval will be calculated. Secondary analyses will include the Fine-Gray model for competing risk.	Within 2 weeks from transplantation and up to 1 year post HCT
Incidence of grade 3 and higher AEs (safety in HCT-donors)	A stratified Cox regression analysis of time to CMV disease or PET following CMV reactivation prior to Day 180 post-HCT will be performed. The estimated hazard ratio and its 95% confidence interval will be calculated. Secondary analyses will include the Fine-Gray model for competing risk.	Within 14 days

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Time-to viremia (CMV-related events)	The number and percentage of recipients who receive treatment prior to the study recommended level of CMV viremia for PET will be tabulated by treatment group. Total days on antivirals for CMV reactivation (induction, maintenance, and total) will be assessed for each HCT recipient with treatment groups compared using Wilcoxson's rank sum test. Other characterizations of viremia and response to therapy will be descriptive in nature.	From transplantation to the date of two consecutive CMV quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) > 500 gc/mL/465 IU/mL or single event of CMV qPCR >1500 CMV gc/mL/1,395 IU/mL, assessed up to 1 year post HCT
Duration of viremia (CMV-related events)	The number and percentage of recipients who receive treatment prior to the study recommended level of CMV viremia for PET will be tabulated by treatment group. Total days on antivirals for CMV reactivation (induction, maintenance, and total) will be assessed for each HCT recipient with treatment groups compared using Wilcoxson's rank sum test. Other characterizations of viremia and response to therapy will be descriptive in nature.	Up to 1 year post HCT
Incidence of late CMV viremia (CMV-related events)	The number and percentage of recipients who receive treatment prior to the study recommended level of CMV viremia for PET will be tabulated by treatment group. Total days on antivirals for CMV reactivation (induction, maintenance, and total) will be assessed for each HCT recipient with treatment groups compared using Wilcoxson's rank sum test. Other characterizations of viremia and response to therapy will be descriptive in nature.	Between days 100-365 post HCT
Use of antiviral drugs (CMV-related events)	Triggered by clinically significant viremia or CMV disease.	Up to 1 year post HCT
Incidence of aGVHD and chronic GVHD (transplant-related events)	Estimated using the Kaplan-Meier or Fine-Gray estimators, as appropriate, and compared using the log-rank test or the corresponding sub-distribution test of Gray.	Up to 1 year post HCT
Incidence of relapse (transplant-related events)	Estimated using the Kaplan-Meier or Fine-Gray estimators, as appropriate, and compared using the log-rank test or the corresponding sub-distribution test of Gray.	Up to 1 year post HCT
Incidence of infections (transplant-related events)	Estimated using the Kaplan-Meier or Fine-Gray estimators, as appropriate, and compared using the log-rank test or the corresponding sub-distribution test of Gray.	Up to 1 year post HCT
Levels and kinetics of CMV-specific T cell immunity, combined with immunophenotyping, and functional studies (immunological function)	Generalized estimating equations will be used to estimate the effect of Triplex on log10-transformed concentration of CMV-specific T cells measured post-HCT. Initial regression model will include an indicator variable for Triplex vaccine status of the donor, study day as a categorical variable, and vaccine status by study day interaction term (saturated model). For each post-HCT day, difference in average log-10 concentration between study arms and its 95% confidence interval will be calculated. Primary analysis will include all post-HCT measurements. Additional analyses will be conducted in which measurements after CMV reactivation are excluded.	Up to 1 year post HCT
Cumulative number of CMV specific antiviral treatment days (CMV-related events)	These are found in the medical record as treatments after diagnosis of viral reactivation. The precise days are found in the Medical Record.	Up to 1 year post HCT
Incidence of CMV disease (CMV-related events)	Evaluate if biopsy contains elements of cytomegalovirus and whether it is associated with CMV-associated pathology.	Up to 1 year post HCT
Time to engraftment (transplant-related events)	Time to neutrophil and platelet engraftment.	Up to 1 year post HCT
Non-relapse mortality (transplant-related events)	Mortality post-transplant not related to relapse.	Up to 1 year post HCT
All-cause mortality (transplant-related events)	All mortality is secondary to transplant.	Up to 1 year post HCT

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: City of Hope Medical Center
• Collaborators: National Cancer Institute (NCI)
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Vaibhav Agrawal, MD, City of Hope Medical Center

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): July 12, 2024
• Primary Completion (Estimated): January 1, 2028
• Study Completion (Estimated): January 1, 2029

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: September 22, 2023
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: September 22, 2023
• First Posted (Actual): September 28, 2023

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): March 10, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: March 6, 2026
• Last Verified: March 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Pathologic Processes; Neoplasms; Chronic Disease; Disease Attributes; Immune System Diseases; Neoplasms by Histologic Type; Hematologic Diseases; Lymphatic Diseases; Lymphoproliferative Disorders; Immunoproliferative Disorders; Leukemia, B-Cell; Lymphoma; Leukemia, Myeloid; Bone Marrow Diseases; Leukemia, Lymphoid; Leukemia; Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms; Hemic and Lymphatic Diseases; Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute; Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Chronic, B-Cell; Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma; Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin; Myelodysplastic Syndromes; Myeloproliferative Disorders; Hodgkin Disease; Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive; Primary Myelofibrosis; Peptides; Amino Acids, Peptides, and Proteins; Proteins; Investigative Techniques; Therapeutics; Clinical Laboratory Techniques; Diagnostic Techniques and Procedures; Diagnosis; Surgical Procedures, Operative; Biological Factors; Carbohydrates; Transplantation; Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; Glycoproteins; Glycoconjugates; Cell Transplantation; Cell- and Tissue-Based Therapy; Biological Therapy; Colony-Stimulating Factors; Hematopoietic Cell Growth Factors; Cytokines; Specimen Handling; Stem Cell Transplantation; Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor; Blood Component Removal; Hematopoietic Stem Cell Mobilization
• Other Study ID Numbers: 23008 (Other Identifier: City of Hope Medical Center); P30CA033572 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract); NCI-2023-06837 (Registry Identifier: CTRP (Clinical Trial Reporting Program)); R01CA266783 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: Yes
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No
• product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.: No