Evidence map›Paper›PMID 37414968›Full record

ReviewGeroScience2024

Effective virus-specific T-cell therapy for high-risk SARS-CoV-2 infections in hematopoietic stem cell transplant recipients: initial case studies and literature review.

László Gopcsa, Marienn Réti, Hajnalka Andrikovics, Ilona Bobek, Gabriella Bekő, Judit Bogyó, Andrea Ceglédi, Katalin Dobos, Laura Giba-Kiss, István Jankovics and 15 more

Open access · hybridAbstract readReview
In one paragraph

Review in GeroScience, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
6citing papers in PubMed
1.6field-weighted citation impact, top 18% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

6 citing papers in PubMed, 8 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Review
  2. Article
  3. Article
  4. Cell therapies for viral diseases: a new frontier.Seminars in immunopathology · 2025
    Review
  5. Article
  6. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

25 authors at 4 institutions in 1 country.

László Gopcsa *Department of Hematology and Stem Cell Transplantation, Central Hospital of Southern-Pest, National Institute of Hematology and Infectious Diseases, 1 Nagyvárad Square, P.B. 1097, Budapest, Hungary. laszlogopcsa@yahoo.com.ORCID 0000-0003-4930-7049
Marienn Réti *Department of Hematology and Stem Cell Transplantation, Central Hospital of Southern-Pest, National Institute of Hematology and Infectious Diseases, 1 Nagyvárad Square, P.B. 1097, Budapest, Hungary.
Hajnalka AndrikovicsLaboratory of Molecular Genetics, Central Hospital of Southern-Pest, National Institute of Hematology and Infectious Diseases, Budapest, Hungary.
Ilona BobekDepartment of Intensive Care Unit, Central Hospital of Southern-Pest, National Institute of Hematology and Infectious Diseases, Budapest, Hungary.
Gabriella BekőDepartment of Central Laboratory, Central Hospital of Southern-Pest, National Institute of Hematology and Infectious Diseases, Budapest, Hungary.
Judit BogyóHungarian National Blood Transfusion Service, Karolina Út 19-21, 1113, Budapest, Hungary.
Andrea CeglédiDepartment of Hematology and Stem Cell Transplantation, Central Hospital of Southern-Pest, National Institute of Hematology and Infectious Diseases, 1 Nagyvárad Square, P.B. 1097, Budapest, Hungary.
Katalin DobosDepartment of Hematology and Stem Cell Transplantation, Central Hospital of Southern-Pest, National Institute of Hematology and Infectious Diseases, 1 Nagyvárad Square, P.B. 1097, Budapest, Hungary.
Laura Giba-KissDepartment of Hematology and Stem Cell Transplantation, Central Hospital of Southern-Pest, National Institute of Hematology and Infectious Diseases, 1 Nagyvárad Square, P.B. 1097, Budapest, Hungary.
István JankovicsNational Public Health and Medical Officer Service, Albert Florian Út 2-6, 1097, Budapest, Hungary.
Orsolya KisDepartment of Intensive Care Unit, Central Hospital of Southern-Pest, National Institute of Hematology and Infectious Diseases, Budapest, Hungary.
Botond LakatosDepartment of Infectious Diseases, Central Hospital of Southern-Pest, National Institute of Hematology and Infectious Diseases, Budapest, Hungary.
Dóra MathiászDepartment of Hematology and Stem Cell Transplantation, Central Hospital of Southern-Pest, National Institute of Hematology and Infectious Diseases, 1 Nagyvárad Square, P.B. 1097, Budapest, Hungary.
Nóra MeggyesiLaboratory of Molecular Genetics, Central Hospital of Southern-Pest, National Institute of Hematology and Infectious Diseases, Budapest, Hungary.
Gottfried MiskolcziDepartment of Central Laboratory, Central Hospital of Southern-Pest, National Institute of Hematology and Infectious Diseases, Budapest, Hungary.
Noémi NémethDepartment of Hematology and Stem Cell Transplantation, Central Hospital of Southern-Pest, National Institute of Hematology and Infectious Diseases, 1 Nagyvárad Square, P.B. 1097, Budapest, Hungary.
Melinda PaksiDepartment of Hematology and Stem Cell Transplantation, Central Hospital of Southern-Pest, National Institute of Hematology and Infectious Diseases, 1 Nagyvárad Square, P.B. 1097, Budapest, Hungary.
Alexandra RiczuDepartment of Infectious Diseases, Central Hospital of Southern-Pest, National Institute of Hematology and Infectious Diseases, Budapest, Hungary.
János SinkóDepartment of Hematology and Stem Cell Transplantation, Central Hospital of Southern-Pest, National Institute of Hematology and Infectious Diseases, 1 Nagyvárad Square, P.B. 1097, Budapest, Hungary.
Bálint SzabóDepartment of Hematology and Stem Cell Transplantation, Central Hospital of Southern-Pest, National Institute of Hematology and Infectious Diseases, 1 Nagyvárad Square, P.B. 1097, Budapest, Hungary.
Anikó SzilvásiHungarian National Blood Transfusion Service, Karolina Út 19-21, 1113, Budapest, Hungary.
János SzlávikDepartment of Infectious Diseases, Central Hospital of Southern-Pest, National Institute of Hematology and Infectious Diseases, Budapest, Hungary.
Szabolcs TasnádyDepartment of Central Laboratory, Central Hospital of Southern-Pest, National Institute of Hematology and Infectious Diseases, Budapest, Hungary.
Péter Reményi *Department of Hematology and Stem Cell Transplantation, Central Hospital of Southern-Pest, National Institute of Hematology and Infectious Diseases, 1 Nagyvárad Square, P.B. 1097, Budapest, Hungary.
István Vályi-Nagy *Department of Hematology and Stem Cell Transplantation, Central Hospital of Southern-Pest, National Institute of Hematology and Infectious Diseases, 1 Nagyvárad Square, P.B. 1097, Budapest, Hungary.
Hungarian National Blood Transfusion Service · HUNational Center for Epidemiology · HUNational Public Health and Medical Officer Service · HUUnified Szent István and Szent László Hospital · HU

Funding

'Clinical research of COVID-19 disease diagnostics, course of disease and therapy at the Central Hospital of Southern Pest - National Institute of Hematology and Infectious Diseases and in its affiliated institutions' project No. TKP2021-EGA-08'Clinical research of COVID-19 disease diagnostics, course of disease and therapy at the Central Hospital of Southern Pest - National Institute of Hematology and Infectious Diseases and in its affiliated institutions' project 'Thematic Excellence Program 2021'CONTRAST (COmparing Novel TReatment Strategies Against SARS-CoV-Two) clinical trial was initiated by Central Hospital of Southern Pest National Institute of Hematology and Infectious Diseases (Budapest, Hungary) ETT-TUKEB IV/3937-1/2020/EKUCOVID-19 VST trial was approved by the Scientific and Research Ethics Committee of the Hungarian National Medical Scientific Council ETT-TUKEB IV/2743-1/2021/EKUEFOP-1.8.0-VEKOP-17-2017-00001 project. EFOP-1.8.0-VEKOP-17-2017-00001 project.'Establishment of an expert system to support personalized medicine for managing the care of infectious and major public health diseases' project grant No. 2020-1.1.6-JÖVŐ-2021-00011'Establishment of an expert system to support personalized medicine for managing the care of infectious and major public health diseases' project 'Investment in the future Fund'SARS-CoV-2 virus-specific T-cell (VST) treatment program was supported by the decision of Ministry of Human Resources No. IV/4027/2022/EKF
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated mortality rates among immunocompromised patients, accentuating the need for novel, targeted therapies. Transplant recipients, with their inherent immune vulnerabilities, represent a subgroup at significantly heightened risk. Current conventional therapies often demonstrate limited effectiveness in these patients, calling for innovative treatment approaches. In immunocompromised transplant recipients, several viral infections have been successfully treated by adoptive transfer of virus-specific T-cells (VST). This paper details the successful application of SARS-CoV-2-specific memory T-cell therapy, produced by an interferon-γ cytokine capture system (CliniMACS® Prodigy device), in three stem cell transplant recipients diagnosed with COVID-19 (case 1: alpha variant, cases 2 and 3: delta variants). These patients exhibited persistent SARS-CoV-2 PCR positivity accompanied by bilateral pulmonary infiltrates and demonstrated only partial response to standard treatments. Remarkably, all three patients recovered and achieved viral clearance within 3 to 9 weeks post-VST treatment. Laboratory follow-up investigations identified an increase in SARS-CoV-2-specific T-cells in two of the cases. A robust anti-SARS-CoV-2 S (S1/S2) IgG serological response was also recorded, albeit with varying titers. The induction of memory T-cells within the CD4 + compartment was confirmed, and previously elevated interleukin-6 (IL-6) and IL-8 levels normalized post-VST therapy. The treatment was well tolerated with no observed adverse effects. While the need for specialized equipment and costs associated with VST therapy present potential challenges, the limited treatment options currently available for COVID-19 within the allogeneic stem cell transplant population, combined with the risk posed by emerging SARS-CoV-2 mutations, underscore the potential of VST therapy in future clinical practice. This therapeutic approach may be particularly beneficial for elderly patients with multiple comorbidities and weakened immune systems.

Indexed as

COVID-19Hematopoietic Stem Cell TransplantationAgedCell- and Tissue-Based TherapyHumansPandemicsSARS-CoV-2Transplant RecipientsAdoptive T-cell therapyCliniMACS® ProdigyCOVID-19Hematopoietic stem cell transplantationImmunocompromisedSARS-CoV-2Virus-specific T-cells

Identifiers

PMID37414968
PMCPMC10828167
OpenAlexW4383313117

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.