Clinical Trial: Herpes Zoster Vaccine for Bone Marrow Transplant Donors

Study Status: Recruiting
Recruit Status: Recruiting
Study Type: Interventional

Official Title: A Phase II Clinical Trial of Vaccination of Stem Cell Donors With Zostavax to Reduce the Incidence of Herpes Zoster in Transplant Recipients - A Pilot Study

Brief Summary:

The purpose of this study is to determine whether vaccination of stem cell donors with Zostavax can reduce the rate of Herpes Zoster reactivations in transplant recipients.

The clinical hypotheses is: 1) that Zostavax given to stem cell donors will induce protective VZV specific T cell proliferation in allogeneic stem cell transplant recipients that can be transferred to recipients; 2) and that donor vaccination with Zostavax is safe for transplant recipients as measured by viral load measurement by polymerase chain reaction assay (PCR) at the time of stem cell donation.


Detailed Summary:

Infection is a major cause of morbidity and death among haemopoietic stem cell transplantation patients (HSCTs). Beyond the initial post-transplant (BMT) phase of neutropenia, the most common infections are cytomegalovirus (CMV) and fungal infections. Another common infection for which BMT patients are at increased risk is varicella-zoster virus (VZV) (both primary varicella and herpes zoster). VZV infection is controlled by specific T cell responses that are impaired post stem cell transplant.

Heat inactivated VZV vaccine has been shown to more than halve the incidence of herpes zoster in adult BMT patients undergoing autologous transplantation. Clinical protection was correlated with in vitro CD4 T-cell proliferation in response to varicella-zoster virus. Being a live vaccine, attenuated VZV and (herpes zoster (HZ) vaccines are contraindicated within 24 months after allogeneic HSCT. However, priming of donor T-cells with herpes zoster vaccine may be a feasible alternative. One possible complication is the transfer of live virus from vaccinated donors to immunocompromised stem cell transplant recipients.

Normal donors donating for HLA matched siblings will be vaccinated with the Varivax vaccine prior to donation. Stem cell products will be assessed at the time of donation for evidence of VZV by PCR and for response to vaccination by T cell proliferation. Transfer of VZV proliferative responses in transplant recipients will be assessed by VZV specific T cell proliferation at 3, 6, 9 and 12 months post transplantation.


Sponsor: University of Sydney

Current Primary Outcome: Percentage of transplant recipients with VZV specific T cell proliferation within the first 12 moths post-transplant. [ Time Frame: incidence of VZV specific T cell proliferation in the first 12 months post allogeneic stem cell transplant in recipients receiving stem cells from Zostavax vaccinated donors ]

VZV specific T cell proliferation will be assessed at 3, 6, 9 and 12 months post transplant in stem cell transplant recipients.


Original Primary Outcome: Percentage of transplant recipients with VZV specific T cell proliferation within the first 12 moths post-tranplant. [ Time Frame: incidence of VZV specific T cell proliferation in the first 12 months post allogeneic stem cell transplant in recipients receiving stem cells from Varivax vaccinated donors ]

VZV specific T cell proliferation will be assessed at 3, 6, 9 and 12 months post transplant in stem cell transplant recipients.


Current Secondary Outcome: Donor VZV positivity by PCR and genotype and donor VZV specific T cell response to vaccination [ Time Frame: 4 to 6 weeks after vaccination ]

Donor VZV positivity by PCR and VZV specific T cell proliferation will be assessed 4 to 6 weeks after vaccination.


Original Secondary Outcome: Same as current

Information By: University of Sydney

Dates:
Date Received: March 29, 2012
Date Started: April 2012
Date Completion: December 2018
Last Updated: May 2, 2017
Last Verified: May 2017