An immunotherapy that targets out-of-control viral infections has saved the lives of dozens of critically ill immunocompromised Australians who received the treatment on compassionate grounds.
The therapy, developed by QIMR Berghofer’s Professor Rajiv Khanna and his team, is being supplied under the TGA's Special Access Scheme.
The Queensland research team collaborates with leading clinicians around Australia to supply cellular immunotherapy. The journal Nature Communications published an analysis of their 15-year experience.
Professor Khanna said the analysis details the clinical improvement in 46 of the 71 patients who received the therapy.
“This clinical experience demonstrates our breakthrough cellular therapy to target viruses has minimal side effects and has been effective in saving the lives of many children and adults who had otherwise run out of options,” said Professor Khanna.
“Many patients are coming to us at a very late stage of disease and have undergone multiple treatments, so the success rate is around 65 per cent. We believe more lives could be saved if patients received the therapy earlier.”
QIMR Berghofer Tumour Immunology Group clinical trials manager Dr Michelle Neller said the therapy targets uncontrolled viral infections stemming from common viruses, such as Epstein–Barr virus (EBV), cytomegalovirus (CMV), BK polyomavirus, John Cunningham virus, and adenovirus.
“These viruses usually cause mild or no symptoms in healthy people, but can quickly become life-threatening in immunocompromised patients, where standard treatments cause either significant side-effects, fail to work, or do not exist,” said Dr Neller.
Viral complications are a leading cause of death in patients such as children who have had a stem cell transplant to treat leukaemia, organ transplant recipients, and anyone born with a genetic disorder that reduces their ability to fight infection.
Cellular therapy, also known as adoptive immunotherapy, has emerged as a highly effective tool to treat cancer, autoimmune diseases, and infectious diseases. However, it has not yet been approved for treating severe viral infections.
QIMR Berghofer is the sole supplier of this therapy for compassionate use in Australia. The therapy is manufactured at the Institute’s cell therapy manufacturing facility, Q-Gen Cell Therapeutics, in Brisbane.
Given the increased demand, Professor Khanna said dedicated funding is needed to sustain this immunotherapy access program.