Generalised EBV vaccine for progressive MS well-tolerated

ATA188 is a pre-manufactured, unrelated donor Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-targeted T cell immunotherapy for progressive MS. In a phase 1 study, ATA188 was well-tolerated by adults with progressive MS [1].

Previously, the same group had shown that treatment with an autologous EBV-targeted T cell immunotherapy may prevent progression in MS patients; 6 of 10 treated patients experienced both symptomatic and objective neurological improvement [2]. The study presented at the EAN evaluated safety and feasibility of monotherapy with ATA188 in EBV-seropositive adults with primary and secondary progressive MS. In this multicentre, open-label, single-arm, two-population, dose-escalation study, 4 dose cohorts, received 5.0x106, 1.0x107, 2.0x107, and 4.0x107 cells, respectively, on days 1, 8, and 15 in two cycles.

Preliminary results of 6 participants in cohort 1 and 6 participants in cohort 2 who had received ≥1 dose were presented. Both doses were well-tolerated, with no dose-limiting toxicities. In 7 of 12 (58%) participants treatment-emergent adverse events were seen: 4 of 6 in cohort 1 and 3 of 6 in cohort 2; all were grade 1 (17%) or grade 2 (42%). Rhinorrhoea, falls, contusion, and headache (n=2) were most common. In cohort 1, there were 3 participants who had upper respiratory infection symptoms, with 2 developing symptoms 2-5 months after treatment. Plasma inflammatory biomarkers (IL-2, IL-1β, TNF-α, IL-6) remained at or near baseline throughout treatment.

1. Pender M, et al. EAN 2019, EPO2229.
2. Pender M, et al. JCI Insight. 2018;3(22).

 



Posted on 27 August 201918 March 2021