Infusion of Donor Derived Cytokine Induced Killer (CIK) Cells in Hematological Patients Relapsed After Haploidentical Stem Cell Transplant

The haematological neoplasia relapse is the cause of higher mortality after allogeneic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). When transplantation fails the most common therapeutic strategy is to increase the antitumor activity of the donor\'s immune system through the infusion of donor Lymphocytes (DLI). The use of DLI may limit the relapse, but may induce transplantation disease against the host (GvHD), in 40-60% of patients. With advances in transplantation procedures, the use of non-compatible (HLA-mismatched) haploidentical (aplo) donor cells has become feasible and is increasing. However, strategies for immune control of relapse after HSCT from haploidentical donor are hampered by the absence of prospective data that can guide treatment and limit the induction of GvHD in the setting of the HLA difference between the donor and the recipient. Cytokine-induced Killer Cells (CIK) are T lymphocytes from haploidentical donor expressing CD56 (e.g., double positive cells at CD3 / CD56). CIK are a product of advanced cell therapy (Advanced Therapeutic Medicinal Product, ATMP) for somatic cell therapy and have a reduced histocompatibility (MHC) complex: are cytotoxic, anti-tumor cells, possess the characteristics of both T cells and Natural Killer (NK) and show in vivo a very strong cytolytic activity against leukemia, but a low reactivity against the host. Therefore, this study has as its primary objective to investigate the safety of CIK cells deriving from the donor, especially in terms of the onset of GvHD, used as a treatment for relapse after transplantation with haploidentical stem cells. The study will allow to evaluate the possibility of using CIK cells, at the indicated dose combination (5x10 \* 6 cells / kg, 5x10 \* 6 and 10x10 \* 6 cells / kg) as an effective and safe therapy in the context of haploidentical transplantation.