Immune cell therapy takes on kidney disease
NCT ID NCT06469190
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026
Summary
This early-phase trial tests a new treatment called KN5501, which uses specially engineered immune cells (CAR NK cells) to target and destroy harmful B cells in people with relapsed or refractory immune nephropathy, a kidney disease caused by the immune system attacking the kidneys. The study will enroll 36 adults and primarily check for safety and side effects, while also looking at whether the treatment can control the disease. Participants will receive chemotherapy before the cell infusion to help the cells work.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Anti-CD19 CAR NK cells (KN5501) plus chemotherapy (fludarabine and cyclophosphamide)
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could point toward a new treatment option for people with hard-to-treat immune kidney disease.
- What could go wrong
- This is a very early, small trial (36 people) focused on safety. It may not show clear benefit, and side effects from the cells or chemotherapy could be serious.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
-
Early phase 1
The earliest testing in people: a first look at safety, in a very small group.
- Participants
-
About 36 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Started
-
Jun 2024
- Expected to finish
-
Jun 2027
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
-
Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
-
18 to 70 years
- Sex
-
Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
-
Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Common Inclusion Criteria: 1. Age: ≥ 18 years old and ≤ 70 years old, male or female; 2. Positive CD19 expression in peripheral blood B cells as determined by flow cytometry; 3. The functions of important organs meet the following requirements: 1. Bone marrow hematopoietic function: a. White blood cell count ≥ 3 x 10\^9/L b. Neutrophil count ≥ 1 x 10\^9/L (no colony-stimulating factor treatment within 2 weeks before examination); c. Hemoglobin ≥60g/L. 2. Liver function: ALT ≤ 3 x ULN,AST≤3 x ULN, TBIL≤1.5 x ULN(excluding Gilbert syndrome, total bilirubin ≤ 3.0 x ULN) 3. Coagulation function: International standardized ratio (INR) ≤ 1.5 x ULN, prothrombin time (PT) ≤1.5 x ULN. 4. Cardiac function: good hemodynamic stability, left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) ≥55%. 4. Female subjects of childbearing potential and male subjects whose partner is a female of childbearing potential are required to use medically approved contraception or abstain from sex for at least 6 months during and at least 6 months after the end of the study treatment period; female subjects of childbearing potential have had a negative serum HCG test within 7 days prior to study enrollment and are not lactating; 5. Voluntarily participate in this clinical study, sign an informed consent form, have good compliance, and cooperate with follow-up. Criteria for Recurrent/refractory primary membranous nephropathy 1. Primary membranous nephropathy diagnosed pathologically by renal biopsy; 2. Screening period 24-hour urine protein quantification ≥3.5 g; 3. Individuals who have not achieved partial remission (PR) after more than 6 months of treatment with hormonal and/or cytotoxic drugs, immunosuppressive therapy, and/or biologics (including but not limited to anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody); or individuals who have relapsed again after achieving complete remission/partial remission (CR/PR) with treatment (24h urine protein quantification ≥3.5g); 4. Glomerular filtration rate (eGFR, CKD-EPI formula) ≥45 ml/min/1.73m2 during the screening period. Criteria for Relapsed/refractory IgA nephropathy 1. Primary IgA nephropathy pathologically confirmed by renal biopsy; 2. Treated (ACEI/ARB analogs) for at least 3 months; 3. Treatment with hormonal and/or cytotoxic drugs, immunosuppressive therapy, and/or biologics (including, but not limited to anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody) for more than 6 months, 24-hour urine protein quantification ≥ 1.0 g; or rapid progression of renal function (≥ 50% decrease in eGFR within 3 months); or relapse after treatment to achieve complete remission/partial remission (CR/PR) (24-hour urine protein quantification ≥ 1.0 g); 4. Glomerular filtration rate (eGFR, CKD-EPI formula) ≥30 ml/min/1.73m2 during the screening period. Criteria for Relapsed/refractory ANCA-associated vasculitis 1. Meets 2022 ACR/EULAR diagnostic criteria for ANCA vasculitis, including microscopic polyangiitis, granulomatous polyangiitis, eosinophilic granulomatous polyangiitis; 2. Positive ANCA related antibodies (MPO-ANCA or PR3-ANCA positive); 3. Renal biopsy pathology consistent with renal damage in ANCA-associated vasculitis; 4. The Birmingham Vasculitis Activity Scale (BVAS) is ≥ 15 points (a total score of 63 points), indicating the activity of the vasculitis condition; 5. BVAS score includes at least 2 abnormalities in the renal program; 6. Definition of relapse/refractory : ineffective conventional treatment or relapse of disease activity after remission. Definition of routine treatment: use of glucocorticoids (more than 1 mg/kg/d) and cyclophosphamide for ≥3 months, and any of the following immunomodulatory drugs: antimalarial drugs, azathioprine, mycophenolate mofetil, methotrexate, leflunomide, tacrolimus, cyclosporine, as well as biological agents such as rituximab and belimumab; 7. Glomerular filtration rate (eGFR, CKD-EPI formula) ≥15 ml/min/1.73m2 during the screening period. Common exclusion Criteria: 1. Individuals with known severe allergic reactions, hypersensitivity, contraindication to any medications during the trial (cyclophosphamide, fludarabine, tozumabs), or subjects with a history of severe allergic reactions; 2. Existence or suspicion of uncontrollable or treatable fungal, bacterial, viral or other infections; 3. Individuals with central nervous system disorders caused by ADs or not caused by ADs (including epilepsy, psychiatric disorders, organic encephalopathy syndromes, cerebrovascular accidents, encephalitis, central nervous system vasculitis); 4. Individuals with relatively serious heart diseases, such as angina pectoris, myocardial infarction, heart failure, and arrhythmia; 5. Subjects with congenital immunoglobulin deficiency; 6. Subjects with malignant tumors (except for non-melanoma skin cancer and in situ cervical, bladder, and breast cancers that have been disease-free for more than 5 years); 7. Subjects with end-stage renal failure; 8. Subjects with positive hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) or hepatitis B core antibody (HBcAb) and HBV DNA titer in peripheral blood higher than the upper limit of detection; Patients with positive hepatitis C virus (HCV) antibodies and positive peripheral blood HCV RNA; People who are positive for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) antibodies; Those who have tested positive for syphilis; 9. Subjects with mental illness and severe cognitive impairment; 10. Subjects who have received other clinical trial treatment within 3 months; 11. Pregnant or intending to conceive women; 12. In the opinion of the investigator, there are other reasons why subjects cannot be included in this study. Exclusion Criteria for Recurrent/refractory primary membranous nephropathy 1. Secondary membranous nephropathy (e.g., hepatitis B, systemic lupus erythematosus, drug-associated, malignancy-associated, etc.), or in combination with other renal diseases confirmed by renal biopsy; 2. Type 1 or type 2 diabetes. Exclusion Criteria for Relapsed/refractory IgA nephropathy 1. Exclude secondary IgA nephropathy, including but not limited to: anaphylactic purpura, ankylosing spondylitis, systemic lupus erythematosus, desiccation syndrome, viral hepatitis, cirrhosis of the liver, rheumatoid arthritis, and mixed connective tissue disease; or in combination with other renal diseases confirmed by renal biopsy; 2. Crescentic nephritis (pathologic diagnosis of \>50% crescentic bodies), micrognathic nephropathy with IgA deposition, and other specific types of pathologic or clinical renal disease. Exclusion Criteria for Relapsed/refractory ANCA-associated vasculitis 1. Estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) \<15 mL/min/1.73 m2; 2. If the patient has alveolar hemorrhage invasive lung ventilation is required, estimated to last longer than the screening period.
Get updates
Get notified about this study
Sign up to get updates when this study changes or when new studies for ANCA associated vasculitis are added.
Genom att skicka in godkänner du våra Användarvillkor
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.
How to take part
Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.
-
The places running it
1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.
-
The official record
ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.
-
A doctor treating you
A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.
Contacts and locations
Locations
-
Shanghai Changhai hospital
RECRUITINGShanghai, China
More trials for these conditions
Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
- 10,000 kidneys under the microscope: registry maps IgA Nephropathy's course
- Microbes in the mouth and gut may hold clues to a common kidney disease
- Can a vaccine test expose hidden immune weakness?
- Could a blood pressure pill shield blood vessels from heart attacks?
- Can a transplant drug tame stubborn kidney disease?
- A new tool to predict kidney failure risk in membranous nephropathy?