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RecruitingNCT03266653Updated Oct 23, 2026

EBV-specific Cytotoxic T-lymphocytes (CTLs) for Refractory EBV Infection

A Phase 2 interventional study of cytotoxic t-lymphocytes in Epstein-Barr Virus Infections and Primary Immune Deficiency Disorder, sponsored by New York Medical College. Recruiting at 8 sites in United States. Open to participants aged 1 Month to 79 Years. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-10-23.

Sponsored by New York Medical College · Phase 2, Interventional, and Treatment

From the registry’s dates

  • Started Jul 2020; still recruiting 6 years 4 months later.
Phase
Phase 2
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
20
Allocation
Not applicable
Ages
1 Month to 79 Years
Sex
All
01

Study summary

Related donor Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) specific cytotoxic T cells (CTLs) manufactured with the Miltenyi CliniMACS Prodigy Cytokine Capture System will be administered in children, adolescents and young adults with refractory EBV infection post Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation (AlloHSCT), with primary immunodeficiencies (PID) or post solid organ transplant.

Funding Source: FDA OOPD

02

Conditions studied

  • Epstein-Barr Virus Infections
  • Primary Immune Deficiency Disorder
03

In context

Epstein-Barr Virus Infections

175 studies on the registry are indexed under Epstein-Barr Virus Infections; 60 are open to participants now.

This study's planned enrollment of 20 is below the median of 28 across 114 interventional studies indexed under Epstein-Barr Virus Infections.

Browse Epstein-Barr Virus Infections studies →

Lead sponsor

New York Medical College is the lead sponsor of 71 studies on the registry; 24 are open to participants now.

Of its 6 completed or terminated interventional studies of FDA-regulated products, 0 (0%) have results posted.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
1 Month to 79 Years
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
No

Eligibility criteria

1. Patients with Epstein-Barr virus infections post HSCT, primary immunodeficiencies or post solid organ transplant with:

  • Increasing or persistent quantitative EBV RT-PCR DNA copies despite two weeks of appropriate anti-viral therapy and/or
  • progressive clinical symptoms attributable to EBV, including proven colitis, lymphadenopathy, hepatomegaly, splenomegaly AND/OR
  • Medical intolerance to anti-viral therapies including:
  • intolerance to rituximab Consent: Written given (by patient or legal representative) prior to any study-related procedures.

Performance Status > 30% (Lansky \< 16 yrs and > 16 yrs) Age: 0.1 to 79.99 years Females of with a negative urine pregnancy test

2 Donor Eligibility 5.2.1 Related donor available with a T-cell response to the EBV MACS® GMP PepTivator antigen(s) causing the therapy- EBV infection.

a. Third Party Related Allogeneic Donor: If original donor is not available or does not have a T-cell response: third party related allogeneic donor (family donor > 1 HLA A, B, DR match to recipient) with IgG positive to EBV and/or a T-cell response at least to the viral MACS® GMP PepTivator EBV Select (containing among other antigens, NA-1, LMP2A and BZLF-1).

AND Allogeneic donor disease screening is complete similar to hematopoietic stem cell donors (Appendix 1).

AND Obtained informed consents by donor or donor legally authorized representative prior to donor collection.

3 Patient exclusion criteria:

A patient meeting any of the following criteria is not eligible for the present study:

Patient with acute > grade 2 or extensive chronic GVHD at the time of CTL infusion Patient receiving (>0.5 mg/kg prednisone equivalent) at the time of CTL infusion Patient treated with donor lymphocyte infusion (DLI) within 4 weeks prior to CTL infusion Patient with poor performance status determined by Karnofsky (patients >16 years) or Lansky (patients ≤16 years) score ≤30% Concomitant enrollment in another experimental clinical trial investigating the treatment of refractory EBV infection Any medical condition which could compromise participation in the study according to the investigator's assessment Known infection Female patient of childbearing age who is pregnant or breast-feeding or not willing to use an effective method of during study treatment.

Known to iron dextran Patients unwilling or unable to comply with the protocol or unable to give informed consent.

Known human anti-mouse antibodies

Terms in these criteria, in plain language(11)

Underlined terms in the criteria open these too. Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.

Allogeneic and autologous transplant

Stem cell (bone marrow) transplants. Allogeneic uses cells from a donor; autologous uses your own cells, collected earlier and given back.

Biopsy and archival tissue

A biopsy takes a small piece of tissue to examine. “Archival tissue” is a sample already taken, for example at diagnosis, and kept by the hospital.

Whether a stored sample will do depends on when it was taken, how much there is and what the study needs. Ask whether the study accepts your stored sample or needs a new biopsy.

Informed consent

Before you join, the study team explains what taking part involves — its purpose, what happens, the risks and possible benefits — and answers your questions, so you can decide freely. Consent is usually recorded on a form (the informed consent form, ICF) signed by you or, where the law allows, by someone legally authorised to decide for you.

You can keep asking questions during the study, you are told of new information that matters, and you can choose to leave at any time.

Karnofsky performance status (KPS)

A 0–100 scale of how well someone can carry out everyday activities. 100 is no complaints and no signs of illness; 70 is able to look after yourself but not to work or keep up normal activity; 50 is needing considerable help and frequent medical care.

Studies often ask for 60 or 70 and above. Your doctor gives the score.

Childbearing potential

Able to become pregnant: from the first period until menopause, unless permanently unable to through surgery (removal of the womb, or of both ovaries or both fallopian tubes).

Criteria for people of childbearing potential usually ask for a negative pregnancy test and for contraception during the study and for a time after it.

Relapsed and refractory

Relapsed: the illness came back after treatment had worked. Refractory: it did not respond to treatment, or stopped responding while still on it.

GVHD (graft-versus-host disease)

After a transplant from a donor, the donor’s immune cells attack the recipient’s body, often the skin, gut or liver.

Corticosteroids (steroids)

Anti-inflammatory medicines such as prednisone, prednisolone and dexamethasone — not the anabolic steroids used for muscle.

Studies differ in what they allow: check which steroid medicines, routes (tablets, injections, creams, inhalers, eye drops) and doses this study accepts.

HIV

The human immunodeficiency virus, which weakens the immune system.

Many studies now accept people whose HIV is controlled on treatment, judged by the viral load and the CD4 count. Check the limits this study sets.

Contraception

Ways of preventing pregnancy. “Highly effective” methods fail less than 1% of the time a year when used correctly — for example an IUD or an implant.

Criteria usually say which methods count and how long to keep using them after the last dose, sometimes for male participants too. Some studies accept a partner’s vasectomy if it was confirmed successful and that person is the participant’s only sexual partner.

Hypersensitivity

An allergy, or another reaction of the immune system, to a substance. “Hypersensitivity to the study drug” means a known allergic reaction to it — not every side effect a medicine can have.

05

Study design

Phase
Phase 2
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Not applicable
Intervention model
Single group
Masking
None (open label)
Enrollment
20 participants (estimated)

Study arms

  • Experimental
    Refractory EBV

    Patients with refractory EBV will get one dose of EBV specific CTLs. If they don't show a response based on EBV PCRs, patients may get up to another 4 doses of EBV-CTLs (5 doses maximum)

    Drug: cytotoxic t-lymphocytes

Interventions

  • Drugcytotoxic t-lymphocytes

    EBV specific CTLs will be generated from HLA related matched and mismatched donors in a GMP facility and administered to the patient with refractory CTLs.

    Also known as: CTLs

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Incidence of Treatment-Emergent Adverse Events [Safety and Tolerability]

    Patients will be monitored for adverse events related to the infusion of EBV CTLs

    Time frame: Patients will be followed for 12 weeks after each infusion

  2. Incidence of Response to Treatment [Efficacy]

    Patients will be followed for improvement in viral infection by monitoring EBV PCR weekly for response to treatment with CTLs

    Time frame: Patients will be followed for 12 weeks after each infusion

07

Study locations

8 of 8 sites recruiting
08

References and documents

Individual participant data

Plan to share: Undecided

No publications or documents are linked to this record.

09

Updates

1 registry update since Sep 25, 2026
Minor edits
Nothing that changes what the study is or who can join. Edited: verification date
1 update, last Oct 23, 2026
Show all 1 update
  1. Oct 23, 2026
    Minor edits only
    + 1 other change: verification date

From the registry record's own update history. This site started tracking changes on Sep 25, 2026; for anything earlier, see the record history on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

10

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT03266653
Lead sponsor
New York Medical College
Responsible party
Mitchell Cairo (Principal Investigator, New York Medical College) — Principal investigator
First posted
Aug 30, 2017
Start date
Jul 7, 2020
Primary completion
Dec 31, 2026 (estimated)
Completion
Dec 31, 2027 (estimated)
Last update
Oct 23, 2026

Study contacts

Mitchell Cairo, MD
Contact
mitchell_cairo@nymc.edu
914-594-2150
Lauren Harrison
Contact
lauren_harrison@nymc.edu
6172857844
Mitchell Cairo, MD
principal investigator · New York Medical College

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
Yes
FDA-regulated drug
Yes
FDA-regulated device
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

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