About this trial
People who have received a solid organ transplant can develop ongoing Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection in the blood, which increases the risk of a serious cancer called post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD). This study will test whether rituximab, a drug approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for several immune-related conditions, can safely clear EBV from the blood and help prevent PTLD when lowering immune-suppressing medications is not possible or effective. The study includes an initial smaller group focused on determining whether EBV can be cleared, followed by a larger group designed to determine whether treatment lowers the risk of developing PTLD. Researchers will also monitor side effects, transplant organ health, and immune system changes to better understand treatment safety and benefit.
Eligibility criteria
Qualifiers
Patients must have received a solid organ transplant.
Patients must not have a diagnosis of PTLD (confirmed with CT or PET imaging, and if there are concerning lesions present on imaging - a biopsy must be performed to rule out PTLD), or history of PTLD
Age ≥ 18
Patients must have EBV DNAemia ≥ 1000 IU/mL (plasma) on two consecutive measurements at least 1 week apart and within a 6-week period. The second measurement must be within 4 weeks of enrollment.
Disqualifiers
None
Trial design
Treatments tested in this trial
- Rituximab
Treatment groups
Locations
Sponsors and collaborators
Jennifer Amengual
Lead sponsor
Columbia University
Sponsor institution