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CompletedNCT03342196Updated Dec 3, 2025Results posted

Thiotepa Plus Fludarabine+ Melphalan as the Preparative Regime for Alternative Donor Transplantation

A Phase 2 interventional study of Melphalan and Thiotepa in Leukemia, sponsored by Case Comprehensive Cancer Center. Completed at 1 site in United States. Open to participants aged 1 Year to 65 Years. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2025-12-03.

Sponsored by Case Comprehensive Cancer Center · Phase 2, Interventional, and Treatment

Phase
Phase 2
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
40
Allocation
Not applicable
Ages
1 Year to 65 Years
Sex
All
01

Study summary

In the United States, thiotepa has been utilized in reduced intensity conditioning regimens for alternative donor courses (double umbilical cord blood transplant (dUCBT) and haplo-identical transplants).

The hypothesis is that thiotepa at a dose of 10mg/kg, in combination with melphalan (100mg/m2) and fludarabine (160mg/m2) as a reduced intensity conditioning regimen for alternative donor transplant is safe and effective in patients with hematologic malignancies.

Given that this regimen has been investigated extensively, and the current study proposes to confirm those previous observations with a small modification (melphalan dose reduction due to previous mucositis rates with higher doses), this will be a phase II study designed to measure disease-free-survival.

Read the detailed description

Primary Objective:

To assess the effectiveness of Thiotepa, Fludarabine, and Melphalan in alternative donor transplants as measured by leukemia free survival.

Secondary Objective:

To assess the 1- year OS, Relapse, TRM, aGVHD and cGVHD rates and the rates of neutrophil and platelet engraftment.

Study Design This is a Phase II study of Thiotepa, Fludarabine, and Melphalan in alternative donor transplants.

Subjects will be assessed for safety and tolerability (including adverse events, serious adverse events, and clinical/laboratory assessments) using a continuous monitoring approach. Subjects will be followed for up to 1 year or until progression of disease, relapse, or death.

02

Conditions studied

  • Leukemia

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Keywords

  • Thiotepa
  • Fludarabine
  • Melphalan
03

Who can participate

Ages eligible
1 Year to 65 Years
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

  • Patients with the following hematologic malignancies:

    • Acute myelogenous leukemia (AML): High-risk AML including:

      • Antecedent hematological disease (e.g., myelodysplasia (MDS))
      • Treatment-related leukemia
      • Complete Remission (CR1) with poor-risk cytogenetics or molecular markers (e.g. Flt 3 mutation, 11q23, del 5, del 7, complex cytogenetics)
      • Second complete remission (CR2) or third complete remission (CR3)
      • Induction failure or 1st relapse with ≤ 10% blasts in the marrow
    • Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL)

      • High-risk CR1 including:

        • Poor-risk cytogenetics (e.g., Philadelphia chromosome t(9;22)or 11q23 rearrangements)
        • Presence of minimal disease by flow cytometry after 2 or more cycles of chemotherapy
      • No CR within 4 weeks of initial treatment
      • Induction failure with ≤ 10% blasts in the marrow
      • CR2 or CR3
    • Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), Intermediate, High or Very High Risk by the revised international prognostic scoring system (IPSS-R)
    • Mixed Phenotypic Leukemia / Biphenotypic Leukemiain CR
    • Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia (CML) in second chronic phase after accelerated or blast crisis.
    • Myelofibrosis (MF):

      • Intermediate-1, Intermediate-2 or high risk by Dynamic International Prognostic Scoring System (DIPSS-plus) or
      • Monosomal karyotype or
      • Presence of inv(3)/i(17q) abnormalities or
      • Other unfavorable karyotype OR leukocytes ≥40 × 10(9) /L and
      • Circulating blasts ≤ 9%
    • Chronic Myelomonocytic Leukemia
    • Relapsed or Refractory Lymphoid Malignancies (including non-Hodgkin Lymphoma, Hodgkin Lymphoma and Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia) meeting the following criteria:

      • Disease status: Stable Disease, Partial Remission or 2nd and 3rd Complete Remission. OR
      • Have relapsed after autologous transplant or who have failed to collect for an autologous transplant.
  • Age > 1 years, \< 65yrs
  • KPS Performance status ≥80
  • Patients without a matched related or unrelated donor
  • Patient with either one or both:

    • Two 5/8 human leukocyte antigen (HLA) high resolution matched umbilical cord blood (UCB) grafts with a cell dose of 2.0x10\^7 total number of nucleated cells per kilogram (TNC/kg) each, or
    • A related haplo-identical donor
  • Concurrent Therapy for Extramedullary Leukemia or central nervous system (CNS) Lymphoma: Concurrent therapy or prophylaxis for testicular leukemia, CNS leukemia, and CNS lymphoma including standard intrathecal chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy will be allowed as clinically indicated. Such treatment may continue until the planned course is completed. Subjects must be in CNS remission at the time of protocol enrollment if there is a history of CNS involvement. Maintenance therapy after transplant is allowed.
  • Subjects must have the ability to understand and the willingness to sign a written informed consent document.

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Patients with inadequate Organ Function as defined by:

    • Creatinine clearance \<50ml/min
    • Bilirubin > twice institutional upper limit of normal
    • aspartate aminotransferase (AST) serum glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase (SGOT) ≥ three times institutional upper limit of normal
    • Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase (SGPT) ≥ three times institutional upper limit of normal
    • Pulmonary function: diffusing capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide corrected for hemoglobin (DLCOc) \< 60% normal
    • Cardiac: left ventricular ejection fraction \< 50%
    • Karnofsky Performance Statue (KPS) \< 80
  • Patients with uncontrolled inter-current illness including, but not limited to ongoing or active infection, symptomatic congestive heart failure, unstable angina pectoris, cardiac arrhythmia, or psychiatric illness/social situations that would limit compliance with study requirements.
  • Pregnant or breastfeeding women are excluded from this study because chemotherapy involved with Reduced Intensity Conditioning (RIC) have the significant potential for teratogenic or abortifacient effects.
  • Any condition that would, in the investigator's judgment, interfere with full participation in the study, including administration of study drug and attending required study visits; pose a significant risk to the subject; or interfere with interpretation of study data.
  • Known allergies, hypersensitivity, or intolerance to any of the study medications, excipients, or similar compounds
  • Presence of donor-specific antibodies against chosen graft source.
04

Study design

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

Study arms

  • Experimental
    Thiotepa + Fludarabine + Melphalan

    Melphalan 100 mg/m2 on day -8 Thiotepa 10 mg/kg on day -7 Fludarabine 160 mg/m2 in divided doses given on days -6, -5, -4 and -3.

    Drug: Melphalan · Drug: Thiotepa · Drug: Fludarabine

Interventions

  • DrugMelphalan

    Alkylating agent which is a derivative of mechlorethamine that inhibits DNA and RNA synthesis via formation of carbonium ions; cross-links strands of DNA; acts on both resting and rapidly dividing tumor cells. Melphalan may cause a lowering of the white blood cell or platelet counts, leading to an increased risk of infection and frequent bruising or bleeding. It may cause damage to the GI tract causing mouth sores, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. Other side effects may include loss of appetite, liver abnormalities, hair loss, swelling, fatigue, sleepiness, skin rash.

    Also known as: Alkeran, Evomela

  • DrugThiotepa

    Thiotepa is an alkylating agent which produces cross-linking of DNA strands leading to inhibition of DNA, RNA, and protein synthesis; thiotepa is cell-cycle independent. Thiotepa may cause a lowering of the white blood cell or platelet counts, leading to an increased risk of infection and frequent bruising or bleeding. It may cause damage to the GI tract causing mouth sores, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. Other side effects may include loss of appetite, liver abnormalities, hair loss, swelling, fatigue, sleepiness, skin rash.

    Also known as: Tepadina

  • DrugFludarabine

    Fludarabine is an antineoplastic fluorinated nucleoside analog and inhibits DNA synthesis through inhibition of polymoerase alpha after incorporation into DNA. Fludarabine may cause a lowering of the white blood cell or platelet counts, leading to an increased risk of infection and frequent bruising or bleeding. Other side effects may include loss of appetite, liver abnormalities, hair loss, swelling, fatigue, sleepiness, skin rash, and lower limb weakness.

    Also known as: Fludara

05

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Percentage of Patients With Disease Free Survival

    Leukemia Free Survival (LFS) at 1 year is the percentage of patients alive and without evidence of hematologic malignancy at 1 year after transplant.

    Time frame: Up to 1 year after transplant

  2. Percentage of Patients With Leukemia Free Survival

    Time frame: Up to 1 year after transplant

Secondary outcomes

  1. Average Overall Survival

    Overall Survival (OS) at 1 year is the percentage of patients alive at 1 year after transplant.

    Time frame: Up to 1 year after transplant

  2. Relapse Incidence

    Relapse incidence at 1 year is the percentage of patients who experience relapse of their hematologic malignancy up to 1 year after transplant.

    Time frame: Up to 1 year after transplant

  3. Treatment Related Mortality

    Treatment Related Mortality (TRM) at 1 year is the percentage of patients who expire from treatment related toxicity attributed to transplant up to 1 year after transplant.

    Time frame: Up to 1 year after transplant

  4. Incidence of Acute GVHD

    Acute graft versus host disease (aGVHD) 1 year cumulative incidence is the percentage of patients who experience any aGVHD up to 1 year after transplant.

    Time frame: Up to 1 year after transplant

  5. Incidence of Chronic GVHD

    Chronic graft versus host disease (cGVHD) 1-year cumulative incidence is the percentage of patients who experience any cGVHD up to 1 year after transplant.

    Time frame: Up to 1 year after transplant

  6. Rate of Neutrophil Engraftment

    Neutrophil engraftment will be calculated as the days from transplant where the absolute neutrophil count (ANC) reaches \>500cells/ul x 3 days.

    Time frame: Up to 1 year after transplant

  7. Rate of Platelet Engraftment

    Platelet engraftment will be calculated as the days from transplant where the platelet count reaches 20,000 platelets /ul without the need of transfusion of platelets for 7 days.

    Time frame: Up to 1 year after transplant

06

Results

Posted Dec 3, 2025

Participant flow

Participant flow — Overall Study
MilestoneThiotepa + Fludarabine + Melphalan
Started40
Completed39
Not completed1
Withdrew: Physician decision1

Outcome measures

PrimaryPercentage of Patients With Disease Free Survival

Leukemia Free Survival (LFS) at 1 year is the percentage of patients alive and without evidence of hematologic malignancy at 1 year after transplant.

Time frame:
Up to 1 year after transplant
Reported as:
Number · percentage of paticipants
Percentage of Patients With Disease Free Survival
percentage of paticipantsThiotepa + Fludarabine + Melphalan
Percentage of Patients With Disease Free Survival65.8
PrimaryPercentage of Patients With Leukemia Free Survival
Time frame:
Up to 1 year after transplant
Reported as:
Number · percentage of paticipants
Percentage of Patients With Leukemia Free Survival
percentage of paticipantsThiotepa + Fludarabine + Melphalan
Percentage of Patients With Leukemia Free Survival65.5
SecondaryAverage Overall Survival

Overall Survival (OS) at 1 year is the percentage of patients alive at 1 year after transplant.

Time frame:
Up to 1 year after transplant
Reported as:
Number · percentage of participants
Average Overall Survival
percentage of participantsThiotepa + Fludarabine + Melphalan
Average Overall Survival73.7
SecondaryRelapse Incidence

Relapse incidence at 1 year is the percentage of patients who experience relapse of their hematologic malignancy up to 1 year after transplant.

Time frame:
Up to 1 year after transplant
Reported as:
Number · percentage of participants
Relapse Incidence
percentage of participantsThiotepa + Fludarabine + Melphalan
Relapse Incidence13.16
SecondaryTreatment Related Mortality

Treatment Related Mortality (TRM) at 1 year is the percentage of patients who expire from treatment related toxicity attributed to transplant up to 1 year after transplant.

Time frame:
Up to 1 year after transplant
Reported as:
Number · percentage of paticipants
Treatment Related Mortality
percentage of paticipantsThiotepa + Fludarabine + Melphalan
Treatment Related Mortality21.05
SecondaryIncidence of Acute GVHD

Acute graft versus host disease (aGVHD) 1 year cumulative incidence is the percentage of patients who experience any aGVHD up to 1 year after transplant.

Time frame:
Up to 1 year after transplant
Reported as:
Number · percentage of participants
Incidence of Acute GVHD
percentage of participantsThiotepa + Fludarabine + Melphalan
Incidence of Acute GVHD76.31
SecondaryIncidence of Chronic GVHD

Chronic graft versus host disease (cGVHD) 1-year cumulative incidence is the percentage of patients who experience any cGVHD up to 1 year after transplant.

Time frame:
Up to 1 year after transplant
Reported as:
Number · percentage of participants
Incidence of Chronic GVHD
percentage of participantsThiotepa + Fludarabine + Melphalan
Incidence of Chronic GVHD21.05
SecondaryRate of Neutrophil Engraftment

Neutrophil engraftment will be calculated as the days from transplant where the absolute neutrophil count (ANC) reaches \>500cells/ul x 3 days.

Time frame:
Up to 1 year after transplant
Reported as:
Mean · Days
Rate of Neutrophil Engraftment
DaysThiotepa + Fludarabine + Melphalan
Rate of Neutrophil Engraftment20.6 ± 5.69
SecondaryRate of Platelet Engraftment

Platelet engraftment will be calculated as the days from transplant where the platelet count reaches 20,000 platelets /ul without the need of transfusion of platelets for 7 days.

Time frame:
Up to 1 year after transplant
Reported as:
Mean · Days
Rate of Platelet Engraftment
DaysThiotepa + Fludarabine + Melphalan
Rate of Platelet Engraftment42.32 ± 31.4

Adverse events

Collected over Participants were followed for this study for 1 year following the allogeneic transplant, relapse, or death, whichever occured first.. Non-serious events are listed at a 0% frequency threshold.

Adverse event summary by group
GroupDeathsSeriousOther
Thiotepa + Fludarabine + Melphalan14/40 (35%)18/40 (45%)35/40 (87.5%)
Most frequent serious events
Showing 10 of 30
Most frequent serious events
EventThiotepa + Fludarabine + Melphalan
Mucositis oralGastrointestinal disorders4/40
NauseaGastrointestinal disorders3/40
AnorexiaMetabolism and nutrition disorders2/40
Febrile neutropeniaBlood and lymphatic system disorders2/40
SyncopeNervous system disorders2/40
Acute kidney injuryRenal and urinary disorders1/40
Adult respiratory distress syndromeRespiratory, thoracic and mediastinal disorders1/40
Blood bilirubin increasedInvestigations1/40
ConfusionPsychiatric disorders1/40
DiarrheaGastrointestinal disorders1/40
Most frequent other events
Showing 10 of 106
Most frequent other events
EventThiotepa + Fludarabine + Melphalan
NauseaGastrointestinal disorders11/40
DiarrheaGastrointestinal disorders10/40
FeverGeneral disorders10/40
HypertensionVascular disorders10/40
AnorexiaMetabolism and nutrition disorders8/40
Abdominal painGastrointestinal disorders6/40
Acute kidney injuryRenal and urinary disorders6/40
FatigueGeneral disorders6/40
VomitingGastrointestinal disorders6/40
Mucositis oralGastrointestinal disorders5/40

Baseline characteristics

Age, Customized
Age, Customized(Participants)Thiotepa + Fludarabine + Melphalan
10-191
20-294
30-397
40-493
50-5912
60-6912
70-791
Sex: Female, Male
Sex: Female, Male(Participants)Thiotepa + Fludarabine + Melphalan
Female11
Male29
Ethnicity (NIH/OMB)
Ethnicity (NIH/OMB)(Participants)Thiotepa + Fludarabine + Melphalan
Hispanic or Latino0
Not Hispanic or Latino40
Unknown or Not Reported0
Race (NIH/OMB)
Race (NIH/OMB)(Participants)Thiotepa + Fludarabine + Melphalan
American Indian or Alaska Native0
Asian0
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander0
Black or African American8
White32
More than one race0
Unknown or Not Reported0
07

Study locations

1 site
  • University Hospitals Seidman Cancer Center, Case Comprehensive Cancer Center
    Cleveland, Ohio 44106-5065, United States
08

References and documents

Study documents

  • Protocol and statistical analysis plan · Feb 21, 2023
  • Informed consent form · Feb 2, 2025

Documents are hosted by the registry — open the source record to download them.

09

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT03342196
Lead sponsor
Case Comprehensive Cancer Center
Responsible party
Sponsor
First posted
Nov 14, 2017
Start date
Mar 21, 2018
Primary completion
Jun 12, 2024
Completion
Jun 12, 2024
Results posted
Dec 3, 2025
Last update
Dec 3, 2025

Study contacts

Leland Metheny, MD
principal investigator · Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

Oversight

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

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