Autologous Transplant Targeted Against Crohn's (ATTAC)
Crohn's Disease
About this trial
This is an interventional treatment trial for Crohn's Disease focused on measuring Autologous Stem Cell Transplantation, Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria:
- Age 18 years and less than age 50 years at the time of pre-transplant evaluation
- Ability to give informed consent
An established clinical diagnosis of severe Crohn's Disease* that has failed therapy with prednisone or budesonide (Entocort) and either a or b below:
- At least two anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF) drugs (e.g., infliximab (Remicade), adalimumab (Humira), or certolizumab pegol (Cimzia))
One anti-TNF drug as above and either vedolizumab (Entyvio) or ustekinumab (Stelara)
- Severe Crohn's Disease is defined as a CDAI (see Appendix A) of 250 to 400 or a Craig's Crohn's Severity Index (CCSI, see Appendix B) that is > 17.
Exclusion Criteria:
- Uncontrolled diabetes mellitus or any other illness that in the opinion of the investigators would jeopardize the ability of the patient to tolerate aggressive treatment
- Prior history of malignancy (except localized basal cell or squamous cell skin cancer, or carcinoma in situ of the cervix). Other malignancies for which the patient is judged to be cured by local surgical therapy, such as head and neck cancer, or stage I breast cancer will be considered on an individual basis
- Positive pregnancy test, inability to pursue effective means of birth control, or failure to willingly accept or comprehend irreversible sterility as a side effect of therapy
- HIV positive
- Hepatitis B or C positive
- Psychiatric illness or mental deficiency making compliance with treatment or informed consent impossible
- Untreated life-threatening cardiac arrhythmia on EKG or 24-hour holter or history of coronary artery disease or congestive heart failure
- Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) <50%
- Forced vital capacity (FVC) <60% of predicted after bronchodilator therapy (if necessary) or diffusing capacity of the lungs for carbon monoxide (DLCO) hemoglobin corrected <60 % predicted
- Serum creatinine >2 mg/dl
- 24-hour urine creatinine clearance <90
- Liver transaminases >2x of normal limits, or bilirubin >2 mg/dl unless due to Crohn's Disease
- Major hematological abnormalities such as platelet count < 100,000/ul or absolute neutrophil count (ANC) < 1500/ul
- Failure to collect at least 2 x10^6 cluster of differentiation 34 (CD34+) cells/kg
- Any active infection
- Known hypersensitivity to mouse, rabbit, or E. coli derived proteins
- Short Bowel Syndrome defined as intestinal dysfunction with the presence of significant malabsorption of both macronutrients and micronutrients or when gastrointestinal function is inadequate to maintain nutrient and hydration status without intravenous or enteral supplementation.
- History of anorexia nervosa (serum albumin ≤ 20 g/L, body mass index ≤ 18)
- Patients presenting with intestinal perforation or toxic megacolon or a problem that will require urgent surgery. The presence of intestinal stomas, strictures, or fistulae does not exclude the patient from study.
- Unable or unwilling to stop using and/or smoking tobacco products
- Abnormal peripheral blood cytogenetics
Sites / Locations
- Northwestern University
Arms of the Study
Arm 1
Experimental
Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation
Hematopoietic Stem Cell Therapy will be performed as follows: Autologous stem cells will be infused after conditioning with fludarabine, cyclophosphamide, mesna, and alemtuzumab. Granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) will be administered post-transplant until engraftment. Rifaximin and tacrolimus will be administered for 6 and 12 months, respectively, beginning one day before the infusion of stem cells.