Many patients with cancer are cured by a stem cell transplant from a donor's bone marrow, umbilical cord blood, or peripheral blood. However, because these patients must endure a period of months before their immune system recovers, severe viral infections afflict over 70% of patients following transplant. These viral infections cause pain, organ damage, prolonged hospitalization, and even death. In fact, viral infections are now the most common severe complication related to stem cell transplantation. Because of the risk of infection, many other cancer patients cannot receive a transplant, and thus lose their best hope for cure.

ViraCyte has developed revolutionary new T-cell therapies th...

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Many patients with cancer are cured by a stem cell transplant from a donor's bone marrow, umbilical cord blood, or peripheral blood. However, because these patients must endure a period of months before their immune system recovers, severe viral infections afflict over 70% of patients following transplant. These viral infections cause pain, organ damage, prolonged hospitalization, and even death. In fact, viral infections are now the most common severe complication related to stem cell transplantation. Because of the risk of infection, many other cancer patients cannot receive a transplant, and thus lose their best hope for cure.

ViraCyte has developed revolutionary new T-cell therapies that safely treat severe viral infections in cancer patients after stem cell transplants. In this CPRIT project, ViraCyte will perform an advanced clinical trial to establish the safety and effectiveness of our lead product, Viralym-M, in adults and children with a common, very severe virus infection (BK Virus) after stem cell transplant. BK causes debilitating abdominal pain, bleeding, kidney failure, and even death. Unfortunately, there are no FDA-approved treatments, or even effective experimental treatments, for this cancer complication. Therefore, the results of this project could revolutionize cancer supportive care, and fill a critical unmet need for patients. ViraCyte's ultimate goal is to assure that no patient who is cured of cancer will ever die from a viral infection.

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