From mouse to man: safety, immunogenicity and efficacy of a candidate leishmaniasis vaccine LEISH‐F3+GLA‐SE

Abstract

Infections with cytomegalovirus (CMV) can induce severe complications after solid organ transplantation (SOT). The prognosis for ganciclovir-resistant CMV infection and disease is particularly poor. Whereas adoptive transfer of CMV-specific T cells has emerged as a powerful tool in hematopoietic stem cell transplant patients, its translation into the SOT setting remains a significant challenge as underlying immunosuppression inhibits the virus-specific T-cell response in vivo. Here, we demonstrate successful expansion and adoptive transfer of autologous CMV-specific T cells from a seronegative recipient of a seropositive lung allograft with ganciclovir-resistant CMV disease, resulting in the long-term reconstitution of protective anti-viral immunity, CMV infection, disease-free survival and no allograft rejection.