Engineered immune cells with 'Off Switch' tested for tough leukemia
NCT ID NCT03016377
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026
Summary
This early-phase trial tests a new type of CAR-T cell therapy for people with relapsed or hard-to-treat acute lymphoblastic leukemia. The cells are engineered to recognize and kill leukemia cells, but also include a safety switch that can be turned on to calm them down if side effects become severe. The main goal is to see if this approach is safe and to find the best dose.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- iC9-CAR19 T cells (engineered immune cells with a safety switch) and rimiducid (a drug to activate the safety switch)
- What this could lead to
- If this trial succeeds, it could point toward a safer way to use CAR-T cell therapy for leukemia, reducing severe side effects like cytokine release syndrome.
- What could go wrong
- This is a very early phase 1 trial with only 15 participants, so results may not apply to everyone. The treatment still carries risks of serious side effects, and the safety switch may not work as expected.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
-
Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center at University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, North Carolina, 27599, United States
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