Neural Stem Cell Based Virotherapy of Newly Diagnosed Malignant Glioma

Malignant gliomas have a very poor prognosis with median survival measured in months rather than years. It is a disease in great need of novel therapeutic approaches. Based on the encouraging results of our preclinical studies which demonstrate improved efficacy without added toxicity, the paradigm of delivering a novel oncolytic adenovirus via a neural stem cell line in combination with radiation and chemotherapy is well-suited for evaluation in newly diagnosed malignant gliomas. The standard-of-care allows application of virotherapy as neoadjuvant therapy and assessment of the cooperative effects with radiation/chemotherapy without altering the standard treatment.

This is an open-label, phase 1, dose escalation trial that followed a 3x3 design. Three doses will be evaluated in the resectable cohorts: Cohort 1: 0.5x10\^8 NSCs loading 6.25x10\^10 vp; Cohort 2: 1.0x10\^8 NSCs loading 1.25x10\^11 vp; and Cohort 3: 1.5x10\^8 NSCs loading 1.875x10\^11 vp. Subjects enrolled have newly diagnosed high-grade glioma based on clinical and radiologic criteria; pathology will be confirmed at the time of surgical resection. Direct intra-tumoral injection of study product (NSC-CRAd-S-p7) will be done after resection but prior to closure. Subjects will then receive concomitant radiotherapy (RT) at a dose of 60Gy and chemotherapy with temozolomide (TMZ), 75 mg/m2, daily during RT. This will be followed by adjuvant TMZ dosed at 200 mg/m2 for 6 cycles. Subjects will be followed until disease progression with serial brain MRIs, and for survival up to 5 years. The non-resectable cohort will not opened due to limited product availability.