title: Viraemia, immunogenicity, and survival outcomes of cytomegalovirus chimeric epitope vaccine supplemented with PF03512676 (CMVPepVax) in allogeneic haemopoietic stem-cell transplantation: randomised phase 1b trial.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Patients seropositive for cytomegalovirus (CMV) and undergoing allogeneic haemopoietic stem-cell transplantation (HCT) are at risk for CMV reactivation. Stimulating viral immunity by vaccination might achieve CMV viraemia control without the need for antiviral agents. CMVPepVax is a chimeric peptide composed of a cytotoxic CD8 T-cell epitope from CMV pp65 and a tetanus T-helper epitope. It is formulated with the adjuvant PF03512676, a Toll-like receptor 9 agonist, which augments cellular immunity. We aimed to assess safety, immunogenicity, and possible clinical benefit of the CMVPepVax vaccine in patients undergoing HCT.
  
  
  METHODS
  We did a randomised, open-label, phase 1b trial at one transplant centre in the USA. Eligible patients were CMV-seropositive, positive for HLA-A*0201, aged 18-75 years, and undergoing HCT from a matched-related or matched-unrelated donor. Patients were reassessed for eligibility on day 28 after HCT. We randomly allocated patients to either the CMVPepVax vaccine or observation, in blocks stratified by CMV donor serostatus. CMVPepVax was administered subcutaneously on days 28 and 56. The primary outcome was safety, which consisted of secondary graft failure, grade III-IV acute GVHD, non-relapse mortality by day 100, serious adverse events related to the vaccine (judged by the data and safety monitoring committee [DSMC]) grade 3-4 adverse events related to the vaccine (judged by the DSMC) within 2 weeks of vaccination, and development of double-strand (ds) DNA autoantibodies. Statistical analyses included all randomised patients and were done per-protocol. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT01588015. This trial is closed to accrual and the final analysis is presented in this report.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Between Oct 31, 2012, and Nov 5, 2014, 36 eligible patients were allocated to either CMVPepVax (n=18) or observation (n=18), with no adverse effect on HCT (no secondary graft failures in either group) or cases of acute GVHD (seven patients assigned vaccine and six under observation had acute GVHD of grade 2 or less), and no unexpected adverse events. Compared with observation, better relapse-free survival was recorded in patients allocated the vaccine (seven vs one; hazard ratio [HR] 0·12, 95% CI 0·01-0·94; p=0·015). No patients had non-relapse mortality by day 100. One serious adverse event (grade 1 fever) was attributed to CMVPepVax but resolved within 48 h. Four patients assigned the vaccine had a serious adverse event, which was unrelated to the vaccine (grade 3 thrombocytopenia, grade 3 device-related infection, grade 2 nausea, and grade 1 fever), compared with nine patients under observation (grade 4 maculopapular rash, grade 3 nausea, grade 3 infection, grade 3 thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpurea, grade 2 nausea, grade 2 generalised muscle weakness, grade 2 infection, grade 1 fever, and grade 1 fatigue; p=0·16). 54 grade 3-4 adverse events were reported in patients assigned the vaccine compared with 91 in patients who were under observation (p=0·2). No patients had grade III-IV acute GVHD or developed dsDNA autoantibodies.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results show safety and immunogenicity of the CMVPepVax vaccine. The prospect of substantial clinical benefits warrant testing in a phase 2 trial.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  National Cancer Institute.
authors: Department of Hematology and Hematopoietic cell Transplantation, Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope, City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center, Duarte, CA, USA.
authors: Ryotaro
authors: R
authors: Nakamura
authors: Department of Experimental Therapeutics, Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope, City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center, Duarte, CA, USA.
authors: Corinna
authors: C
authors: La Rosa
authors: Division of Biostatistics, Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope, City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center, Duarte, CA, USA.
authors: Jeffrey
authors: J
authors: Longmate
authors: Department of Hematology and Hematopoietic cell Transplantation, Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope, City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center, Duarte, CA, USA.
authors: Jennifer
authors: J
authors: Drake
authors: Department of Hematology and Hematopoietic cell Transplantation, Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope, City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center, Duarte, CA, USA.
authors: Cynthia
authors: C
authors: Slape
authors: Department of Experimental Therapeutics, Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope, City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center, Duarte, CA, USA.
authors: Qiao
authors: Q
authors: Zhou
authors: Department of Experimental Therapeutics, Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope, City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center, Duarte, CA, USA.
authors: Melanie G
authors: MG
authors: Lampa
authors: Department of Hematology and Hematopoietic cell Transplantation, Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope, City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center, Duarte, CA, USA.
authors: Margaret
authors: M
authors: O'Donnell
authors: Department of Hematology and Hematopoietic cell Transplantation, Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope, City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center, Duarte, CA, USA.
authors: Ji-Lian
authors: JL
authors: Cai
authors: Department of Hematology and Hematopoietic cell Transplantation, Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope, City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center, Duarte, CA, USA.
authors: Len
authors: L
authors: Farol
authors: Department of Hematology and Hematopoietic cell Transplantation, Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope, City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center, Duarte, CA, USA.
authors: Amandeep
authors: A
authors: Salhotra
authors: Department of Hematology and Hematopoietic cell Transplantation, Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope, City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center, Duarte, CA, USA.
authors: David S
authors: DS
authors: Snyder
authors: Department of Hematology and Hematopoietic cell Transplantation, Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope, City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center, Duarte, CA, USA.
authors: Ibrahim
authors: I
authors: Aldoss
authors: Department of Hematology and Hematopoietic cell Transplantation, Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope, City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center, Duarte, CA, USA.
authors: Stephen J
authors: SJ
authors: Forman
authors: University of Minnesota Medical Center, Medicine/Blood and Marrow Transplantation, Minneapolis, MN, USA.
authors: Jeffrey S
authors: JS
authors: Miller
authors: Department of Virology, Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope, City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center, Duarte, CA, USA.
authors: John A
authors: JA
authors: Zaia
authors: Department of Experimental Therapeutics, Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope, City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center, Duarte, CA, USA. Electronic address: ddiamond@coh.org.
authors: Don J
authors: DJ
authors: Diamond
mesh_terms: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003587:Cytomegalovirus; D003586:Cytomegalovirus Infections / Q000517:prevention & control*; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D018984:Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D006086:Graft vs Host Disease; D018380:Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009838:Oligodeoxyribonucleotides / Q000008:administration & dosage; D051217:Toll-Like Receptor 9 / Q000819:agonists; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014614:Vaccines, Synthetic / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014765:Viral Vaccines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014766:Viremia / Q000517:prevention & control*; D014775:Virus Activation; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D018984:Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte; D009838:Oligodeoxyribonucleotides; C483020:ProMune; D051217:Toll-Like Receptor 9; D014614:Vaccines, Synthetic; D014765:Viral Vaccines