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CMV-specific HIV-CAR T Cells as Immunotherapy for HIV/AIDS

A Pilot Study to Evaluate the Feasibility and Safety of Cytomegalovirus-Specific, Anti-HIV Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CMV-HIV CAR) T Cells in People Living With HIV

Who can join

Ages 18 and older · All sexes · Healthy volunteers welcome

Inclusion Criteria:

* Participant must be ≥ 18 years of age at the time of screening;
* Karnofsky Performance Status (KPS) ≥ 70;
* Documented HIV-1 infection anytime prior to study entry.;
* On stable ART with undetectable HIV-1 RNA (i.e \< 20 copies /mL) for at least 48 weeks prior to screening (2 plasma HIV-1 RNA blips 25-200 copies/mL are allowable);
* CD4+ cell count ≥ 450 cells/μL;
* Adequate organ function;
* Willingness to interrupt ART regimen for 4 days prior to leukapheresis;
* Not pregnant or breastfeeding.

Exclusion Criteria:

* Concurrent illness or comorbid condition;
* History of resistance to two or more classes of antiretroviral drugs;
* History of prior receipt of an experimental HIV-1, immunotherapeutic agent, or gene therapy product.

About the study

Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) causes a persistent infection that ultimately leads to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). Treatment of HIV-1 infection with combination anti-retroviral therapy (ART) suppresses HIV-1 replication to undetectable viral levels and saves lives. Nevertheless, ART cannot eradicate latent cellular reservoirs of the virus, and HIV-1 infection remains a life-long battle. Adoptive cellular immunotherapy using chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) engineered T cells directed against HIV-1 envelope subunit protein gp120 (HIVCAR T cells) may provide a safe and effective way to eliminate HIV-infected cells.

However, the number of HIV-infected cells is low in participants under ART, and CAR T cells disappear if they are not stimulated by their target antigens. Interestingly, about 95% of HIV-1-infected individuals are CMV-seropositive and CMV-specific T cells have been shown to persist. To overcome the CAR T cells low persistence issue, we propose to make HIV-CAR T cells using autologous cytomegalovirus (CMV)-specific T cells, which can be stimulated by endogenous CMV in vivo. The overall hypothesis of this first-in-human Phase 1, open-label, single-arm study is that endogenous immune signals to CMV-specific T cells can maintain the presence of autologous bispecific CMV/HIV-CAR T cells in healthy people living with HIV-1 (PLWH), and achieve long-term remission in the presence of ART.

What is being tested

• CMV/HIV-CAR T Cells (biological)

Sponsor: City of Hope Medical Center · Participants: 15 · Started: Dec 19, 2024

Contact the study team

• Marvin Hanashiro · Phone: (619) 543-3740
• Steven Hendrickx · Phone: (619) 543-6968

Official record on ClinicalTrials.gov — NCT06252402

Locations in the U.S.

From ClinicalTrials.gov, data retrieved Sep 30, 2026. Each study sets its own eligibility; the study team decides who can join.