Post-Transplant Nivolumab Plus Unselected Autologous Lymphocytes in Refractory Hodgkin Lymphoma: A Feasible and Promising Salvage Therapy Associated With Expansion and Maturation of NK Cells

• DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.753890
• Publication Date: 2021-11-05T15:20:45Z
• Authors: Fabio Guolo; Paola Minetto; Silvia Pesce; Filippo Ballerini; Marino Clavio; Michele Cea; Michela Frello; Matteo Garibotto; Marco Greppi; Matteo Bozzo; Maurizio Miglino; Monica Passannante; Riccardo Marcolin; Elisabetta Tedone; Nicoletta Colombo; Rosa Mangerini; Alessandra Bo; Maria Rosaria Ruz...; Paolo Carlier; Alberto Serio; Silvia Luchetti; Alida Dominietto; Riccardo Varaldo; Simona Candiani; Vanessa Agostini; Jean Louis Ravetti; Genny Del Zotto; Emanuela Marcenaro; Roberto Massimo L...
• Keywords: Salvage therapy; Tolerability; Refractory (planetary science)

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (CI) have demonstrated clinical activity in Hodgkin Lymphoma (HL) patients relapsing after autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT), although only 20% complete response (CR) rate was observed. The efficacy of CI is strictly related to the host immune competence, which impaired heavily pre-treated HL patients. Here, we aimed enhance early post-ASCT (nivolumab) administration with infusion lymphocytes (ALI). Twelve relapse/refractory (R/R) (median age 28.5 years; range 18-65), underwent lymphocyte apheresis first line chemotherapy and then proceeded salvage therapy. Subsequently, 9 progressive disease at ASCT received post-transplant supported four ALI, whereas 3 responding ALI alone, as a control cohort. No severe adverse events were recorded. HL-treated achieved negative PET scan CR 8 are alive disease-free median follow-up 28 months. Four subsequent allogeneic SCT. Phenotypic analysis circulating cells showed faster expansion highly differentiated NK plus nivolumab-treated compared Our data show anti-tumor good tolerability + for R/R suggest that this setting may accelerate development/maturation favor “adaptive” compartment HCMV seropositivity, absence reactivation.