Active clinical trials for "Immunologic Deficiency Syndromes"

This study will evaluate a new method for delivering gene transfer therapy to patients with severe combined immunodeficiency disease (SCID) due to a defective adenosine deaminase (ADA) gene. This gene codes for the adenosine deaminase enzyme, which is essential for the proper growth and function of infection-fighting white blood cells called T and B lymphocytes. Patients who lack this enzyme are vulnerable to frequent and severe infections. Some patients with this disease receive enzyme replacement therapy with weekly injections of the drug PEG-ADA (ADAGEN). This drug may increase the number of immune cells and reduce infections, but it is not a cure. Gene transfer therapy, in which a normal ADA gene is inserted into the patient s cells, attempts to correct the underlying cause of disease. This therapy has been tried in a small number of patients with varying degrees of success. In this study, the gene will be inserted into the patient s stem cells (cells produced by the bone marrow that mature into the different blood components white cells, red cells and platelets). Patients with ADA deficiency and SCID who are taking PEG-ADA and are not candidates for HLA-identical sibling donor bone marrow transplantation may be eligible for this study. Participants will be admitted to the NIH Clinical Center for 2 to 3 days. Stem cells will be collected either from cord blood (in newborn patients) or from the bone marrow. The bone marrow procedure is done under light sedation or general anesthesia. It involves drawing a small amount of marrow through a needle inserted into the hip bone. The stem cells in the marrow will be grown in the laboratory and a normal human ADA gene will be transferred into them through a special type of disabled mouse virus. A few days later, the patient will receive the ADA-corrected cells through an infusion in the vein that will last from 10 minutes to 2 hours. Patients will be evaluated periodically for immune function with blood tests, skin tests, and reactions to tetanus, diphtheria, H. influenza B and S. pneumoniae vaccinations. The survival of ADA-corrected cells will be monitored through blood tests. The number and amount of blood tests will depend on the patient s age, weight and health, but is expected that blood will not be drawn more than twice a month. Patients will also undergo bone marrow biopsy aspirate (as described above) twice a year. Patients will be followed once a year indefinitely to evaluate the long-term effects of therapy.

The purpose of this study is to demonstrate the effect of IVIG-F10 on the prevention of serious bacterial infections in patients with primary immunodeficiency. As secondary endpoints the rate of overall infections, the tolerability and safety of IVIG-F10 are studied.

The purpose of this study is to demonstrate the effect of IgPro10 on the prevention of serious bacterial infections in patients with primary immunodeficiency. As secondary endpoints the rate of overall infections, the tolerability and safety of IgPro10 are studied. A part of the patients are participating in a pharmacokinetic substudy.

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the dose-response relationship of antiviral activity after 48 weeks treatment with 3 different dose regimens of TMC278.

OBJECTIVES: I. Compare the efficacy and safety of two doses of oral valacyclovir in immunocompromised patients with uncomplicated herpes zoster. II. Compare quality of life, pain, and medical resource utilization in patients treated with these 2 regimens.

This is a placebo-controlled trial of intermittent fluconazole prophylaxis (200 mg orally three times a week) in the prevention of thrush.

This is a phase I/II study to determine the safety and tolerance of the protease inhibitor indinavir (MK-0639), alone and then in combination with HIV reverse transcriptase inhibitor therapy in children with HIV infection. Indinavir sulfate (the capsule formulation) has been shown to have potent antiviral activity and an acceptable safety profile in adults. HIV-infected children who have not received prior antiretroviral therapy, and children who have become refractory to prior therapy, or who have experienced toxicity to prior therapy, will be included. In addition, we will explore viral and CD4 cell kinetics before starting therapy and following exposure to antiretroviral agents. The study will be conducted in three parts. In order to help interpret the antiviral activity of indinavir, the virologic and immunologic profile of children will be studied within 2 weeks prior to starting the therapeutic part. For children who have never been treated, this will be before the initiation of any antiretroviral therapy and for children who have already received antiretroviral therapy, this will be done during the initial "wash-out" phase that is routinely interposed between two different treatment regimens. The initial 16 weeks of therapy will then evaluate the toxicities, pharmacokinetics, and preliminary efficacy of single drug therapy with indinavir. Subsequently, all children who are able to tolerate the combination of zidovudine and lamivudine (i.e., have no prior history of intolerance to one of these two agents) will be treated with these two reverse transcriptase inhibitors in addition to the protease inhibitor indinavir. Zidovudine and lamivudine will be added after 16 weeks at a fixed dosage. Toxicity, pharmacokinetics, and preliminary efficacy of indinavir will also be investigated after combination therapy. All patients who wish to remain in this study after 96 weeks of therapy and who do not meet off study criteria will be permitted to receive extended treatment with their current indinavir combination therapy for an additional 48 weeks. The study will determine the pharmacokinetic profile of indinavir, given as single drug or in combination with zidovudine and lamivudine. It will assess the preliminary antiviral and clinical activity by monitoring clinical status, viral burden in plasma, and markers of immunologic status. Based on safety and preliminary efficacy results from studies performed in adults, we will study three dose levels which are expected to result in drug levels above the IC95 of HIV-1 for all or most of the dosing interval.

This study will evaluate the safety and immune system effects of infusing HIV-infected patients with multiple doses of lymphocytes (white blood cells) from their non-infected identical twin. It will determine whether the donated lymphocytes can improve immune function and reduce viral load in the infected twin. Identical twin pairs-one who is infected with HIV-1 and one who is negative for the virus-may be eligible for this study. Candidates will be screened with blood tests, a medical history and physical examination. Both twin participants will receive a tetanus booster shot, if needed. The non-infected twin will undergo apheresis to collect white blood cells. For this procedure, whole blood is collected, similar to the procedure for donating a unit of blood from a needle in the arm. The blood flows through a cell separator machine where the white cells are removed, and the rest of the blood (red cells, plasma and platelets) is returned to the donor through a catheter in the opposite arm. The collected lymphocytes will be given intravenously (through a vein) to the infected twin over a 60-minute period. This procedure-apheresis and infusions-will be repeated 4 days a week to complete one cycle. The cycles will be repeated about every 8 weeks for 6 cycles (about 1 year). The infected twin will have blood samples drawn on the first day of each cycle, 2 weeks after the beginning of each cycle, and 4 weeks after each cycle to evaluate immune status, viral load and other safety parameters. The frequency of these blood tests may change as the study progresses. The infected twin will also undergo apheresis immediately before each cycle of infusions and one month later to test the white cells for certain immune features. The number of apheresis procedures may be reduced as the study proceeds.

To determine how fast ribavirin reaches the bloodstream, what concentration of ribavirin is reached in blood and how long it remains in the blood (pharmacokinetics) when given by different routes of administration. To find the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) of ribavirin. The effects of ribavirin on the immune system, and on the virus will be measured by T4 cell count and p24 antigen levels. Early studies with ribavirin in patients with AIDS and AIDS related complex (ARC) have shown that ribavirin appears to inhibit the spread of the virus. Determination of how much and how often to give the drug will require further knowledge of the pharmacokinetics and toxicity of the drug in patients with AIDS or ARC and in chronic virus carriers who do not have symptoms.

A randomised, cross-over study to compare quality of life and satisfaction in primary immunodeficient patients treated with subcutaneous injections of Gammanorm® 165 mg/mL administered with two different delivery devices: injections using pump or rapid push.