Could donor immune cells beat COVID-19? new trial begins.
NCT ID NCT04896606
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026
Summary
This study tests whether special immune cells (called T cells) taken from a family member who already recovered from COVID-19 can safely treat mild to moderate COVID-19 in hospitalized adults. The cells are designed to attack the virus. The trial involves 50 participants and aims to see if the treatment is safe and helps control the disease.
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
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Phase 1/2
Runs two stages together: safety and dose first, then whether the treatment works.
- Participants
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About 50 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Started
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Sep 2021
- Expected to finish
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Dec 2026
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
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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
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18 to 65 years
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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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.
INCLUSION CRITERIA * Age ≥18 to 65 years. AND * Proven infection with SARS-CoV-2, defined as detection of SARS-CoV-2 by RT-PCR from nasopharyngeal swab or lower respiratory tract specimen AND * Hospitalized at the time of enrollment AND * HLA Matched Family Related donor with recent SARS-CoV-2 infection is at least 10 days out from symptom onset. A negative result for COVID-19 by a diagnostic test is not necessary to qualify the donor AND * In Stage I or II of disease (mild or moderate) at the time of enrollment (Table 1) AND * ONE of the following high-risk conditions: * Chronic lung disease not requiring oxygen at home prior to admission (including but not limited to COPD, cystic fibrosis, asthma and sickle cell disease); Underlying heart disease (including hypertension); Patients with an acute myocardial infarction within the last 3 months will require cardiology clearance prior to enrollment; Diabetes mellitus (type I or II) ; Obesity (BMI ≥ 30); Immunosuppressed, based on investigator's assessment. EXCLUSION CRITERIA: * Stage III disease (severe) at the time of enrollment (see Table 1) * Lack of an identified eligible HLA family related donor * No high-risk comorbidities defined in the inclusion criteria (Section 5.1) * Patient with acute GVHD \> grade 2 or extensive chronic GVHD at the time of enrollment * Patient treated with donor lymphocyte infusion (DLI) within 4 weeks prior to CTL Infusion * Patients with chronic respiratory failure requiring ventilator support and/or oxygen at home prior to admission are excluded * Patients with stage D heart failure and/or symptoms at rest are excluded * Renal function: patients with eGFR or CrCl \<30 mL/min/1.73 m2 will be excluded from study entry. * Liver function: Total bilirubin \> 2 mg/dl (unless Gilbert's syndrome) OR ALT/AST \> 5 x ULN * Patients currently listed for transplant or potentially eligible to receive organ transplants are excluded from this study * Patient with poor performance status determined by Karnofsky (patients \>16 years) or Lansky (patients ≤16 years) score ≤50% * Female patient of childbearing age who is pregnant or breast-feeding or not willing to use an effective method of birth control during study treatment and for at least 6 weeks after the last dose of SARS-CoV-2 CTLS. * Male subjects with female partners of childbearing age who are not willing to use an effective method of birth control during study treatment and for at least 6 weeks after the last dose of SARS-CoV-2 CTLS. * Concurrent use of following medications is prohibited: * Steroids (\>2 mg/kg/day prednisone equivalent); Immunotherapies within 4 weeks prior to CTL infusion including checkpoint blockade, ATG, Campath, CAR T cells, blinatumomab; Chemotherapy: Tyrosine kinase inhibitors and hydroxyurea must be stopped \> 72 hours prior to SARS-COV-2-CTL cell infusion; High dose chemotherapy must be stopped \> 2 weeks prior to SARS-CoV-2-CTLs. High dose chemotherapy is defined in this protocol as any cancer directed therapy causing myelosuppression; Pegylated-asparaginase must be stopped \> 4 weeks prior to SARS-COV-2-CTL infusion; Intrathecal chemotherapy must be stopped \> 1 week prior to SARS-COV-2-CTL infusion (e.g. intrathecal methotrexate); Anti T-cell Antibodies: Administration of any T cell lytic or toxic antibody (e.g. alemtuzumab) within 30 days prior to SARS-CoV-2-CTLs is prohibited.
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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.
How to take part
Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.
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The places running it
4 sites. The list below names each one and where it is.
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The official record
ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.
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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
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Children's Hospital of Pennsylvania
NOT_YET_RECRUITINGPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania, 19104, United States
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Medical College of Wisconsin/Children's Hospital of Wisconsin
NOT_YET_RECRUITINGMilwaukee, Wisconsin, 53226, United States
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Nationwide Children's Hosptial
NOT_YET_RECRUITINGColumbus, Ohio, 43205, United States
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New York Medical College
RECRUITINGValhalla, New York, 10595, United States
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Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
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- Can a mild case of COVID-19 harm your kidneys? urine tests may hold the answer
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- Could cystic fibrosis offer hidden protection against COVID-19?
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