Background:
Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL),small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL) and B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia or lymphoma (ALL) are blood cancers that affect certain white blood cells. Advanced forms of these diseases are difficult to treat. CD19 is a protein often found on the surfaces of these cancer cells. Researchers can modify a person's own immune cells (T cells) to target CD19. When these modified T cells are returned to the body-a treatment called anti-CD19 chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy-they may help kill cancer cells.
Objective:
To test anti-CD19 CAR T cell therapy in people with CLL or SLL and ALL.
Eligibility:
People aged 18 years and older with CLL or SLL and ALL that has not been controlled with standard drugs.
Design:
Participants will be screened. They will have imaging scans and tests of their heart function. If a sample of tissue from their tumor is not available, a new one may be taken; the sample will be tested for CD19.
Participants will receive a drug to reduce the leukemia cells in their blood. Then they will undergo apheresis: Blood will be taken from the body through a needle. The blood will pass through a machine that separates out the T cells. The remaining blood will be returned to the body through a different needle. The collected T cells will be gene edited to make them attack cells with CD19.
Participants will take drugs to prepare them for treatment for 3 days. These drugs will start 5 days before the treatment. Then their own modified CAR T cells will be returned to their bloodstream. Participants will stay in the hospital for at least 9 days after the treatment.
Follow-up visits will continue for 5 years.
Malignancy criteria
Histologically confirmed participants with either CLL or SLL or B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia or lymphoma (ALL) via immunohistochemical or flow cytometry methods will be eligible. Participants with evidence of Richter s transformation of CLL/SLL are also eligible. Participants with Richter s transformation must have current or prior evidence of CLL, confirmed by review of a current or prior histological sample by NIH pathologists or confirmed by flow cytometry performed at the NIH.
Demonstration of CD19 expression on CLL/SLL or ALL, as assessed by the NCI Laboratory of Pathology or NIH Department of Laboratory Medicine Hematopathology section. For participants with pathologically confirmed Richter s transformation, the transformed cells must also have CD19 expression.
CD19 expression must be uniform meaning no populations of clearly CD19-negative CLL/SLL, Richter s or ALL cells are observed.
Participants who are receiving any other investigational agents.
Participants who have had prior CAR T-cell therapy.
Participants who have had a live-attenuated or viral vector-based vaccine in the last 60 days prior to pre-leukapheresis rituximab. Participants who plan to receive a live attenuated or viral vector-based vaccine within the first 100 days after CAR T-cell infusion.
Participants that require urgent therapy due to tumor mass effects or spinal cord compression.