A phase 1 clinical trial of peptide-pulsed monocyte-derived dendritic cell vaccination to expand adoptively transferred cytomegalovirus -specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes after allogeneic stem cell transplantation

A preliminary study of the use of immune cells from transplant donors to prevent cytomegalovirus infection in recipients of blood stem cell transplants. The study hypothesis is that stimulation of infused CMV specific lymphocytes by CMV peptide pulsed DC given as a vaccine will enhance immune reconstitution. The study will use two different sorts of immune cells (called T lymphocytes and dendritic cells). These cells will be prepared in the laboratory and given back to patients after transplant to try to prevent diseases caused by the CMV virus.