Could donor cells beat a deadly brain virus?
NCT ID NCT02694783
First seen Jun 25, 2026 · Last updated Jul 17, 2026 · Updated 7 times
Summary
This early-phase study tested whether infusing virus-fighting immune cells from a healthy donor could safely treat progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML), a serious brain infection in people with weak immune systems. Sixty adults with PML received up to three infusions of these specially grown cells. The main goal was to check safety and feasibility, with researchers also tracking changes in brain lesions and disability over time.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- virus-specific T cells from a healthy donor
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could offer a treatment for PML, a rare and often fatal brain infection, by boosting the immune system to fight the virus.
- What could go wrong
- This is a very early, small pilot study focused on safety, not yet proven to work. The cells come from a matched donor, which limits availability, and there are risks like infusion reactions or the cells not controlling the infection.
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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
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Locations
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National Institutes of Health Clinical Center
Bethesda, Maryland, 20892, United States
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