CMV CTLs in Neonates With CMV Infection

Patients with moderate or severe CMV disease less than 21 days old who have a maternal donor who has a CMV response to the peptivators will be screened. All patients will receive treatment with valganciclovir or ganciclovir. There is a safety run in with treatment with CMV CTLs in cohort 1 and if found to be safe, will proceed to cohort 2 for randomization to receive antiviral therapy with or without CMV CTLs. Funding source: FDA OOPD

Given the vulnerability and poor outcomes of preterm neonates and neonates in general to viral infection, including the need for prolonged antiviral therapy for 6 or more months to achieve just modest improvements in sensorineural functions, CMV CTL therapy offers a promising alternative. CMV CTL treatment will build on the hosts innate immune capacity to create a more effective and permanent defense against collateral injury arising from CMV infections. Patients who meet all inclusion/exclusion criteria with a maternal donor who meet all donor criteria will be enrolled onto study. Cohort 1 is a safety run-in; the first 3 patients enrolled will be treated with anti-viral and CMV CTLs. The external DSMB will review the data from the first patient, and if there are no adverse events or dose-limiting toxicities observed, approve patient 2, and then 3, 28 days after the prior patients last CTL infusion. Assuming there are no adverse events in any of the first 3 patients, the study will proceed to Cohort 2. Cohort 2 will be randomized 1:1 to either anti-viral treatment alone or anti-viral treatment plus CMV CTLs. Patients who are randomized to receive CMV CTLs will get their first infusion on Day 0. If the patient fails to achieve a CR, they may receive one infusion every 2 weeks up to 5 maximum CMV CTL infusions as long as there are no DLTs or AEs observed