# Immune manipulation to generate tumor immunity and regulate GVHD after allogeneic HCT

> **NIH NIH P01** · DANA-FARBER CANCER INST · 2020 · $612,765

## Abstract

Project Summary
Disease relapse and graft versus host disease (GVHD) continue to be major obstacles to improving outcomes
for patients with hematologic malignancies undergoing allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation. Project 1
will develop and implement a series of novel clinical trials to address these issues in 3 Specific Aims. Aim 1
focuses on immune based strategies to prevent relapse for patients with myeloid malignancies undergoing HCT.
These include clinical studies to examine the safety and impact of checkpoint blockade with ipilumumab
administered early after allo-HCT in patients with myeloid malignancies at high risk of relapse based on genomic
profiling prior to transplant. We will also complete a prospective phase 2 placebo controlled randomized trial of
autologous leukemia cell vaccines genetically engineered to secrete GM-CSF (GVAX) administered
prophylactically to patients with myeloid leukemias entering allo-HCT with active disease. A third trial will
evaluate the impact of novel personal peptide vaccines after HCT designed to target leukemia-specific
neoantigens and minor histocompatibility antigens based on genomic characterization of recipient leukemia cells
compared with normal donor cells. Aim 2 focuses on patients who have relapsed despite allo-HCT and will test
the efficacy and safety of a strategy that combines checkpoint blockade with adoptive cellular therapy
manipulated to deplete regulatory T cells. Aim 3 will determine the safety and efficacy of combined IL-2 and
ibrutinib therapy in patients with steroid-refractory chronic GVHD.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9995443
- **Project number:** 5P01CA229092-02
- **Recipient organization:** DANA-FARBER CANCER INST
- **Principal Investigator:** Robert Jon Soiffer
- **Activity code:** P01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $612,765
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** — → —

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9995443

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9995443, Immune manipulation to generate tumor immunity and regulate GVHD after allogeneic HCT (5P01CA229092-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9995443. Licensed CC0.

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