Characterization of the input material quality for the production of tisagenlecleucel by multiparameter flow cytometry and its relation to the clinical outcome.

Tisagenlecleucel (tisa-cel) is a CD19-specific CAR-T cell product approved for the treatment of relapsed/refractory (r/r) DLBCL or B-ALL. We have followed a group of patients diagnosed with childhood B-ALL (n = 5), adult B-ALL (n = 2), and DLBCL (n = 25) who were treated with tisa-cel under non-clinical trial conditions. The goal was to determine how the intensive pretreatment of patients affects the produced CAR-T cells, their in vivo expansion, and the outcome of the therapy. Multiparametric flow cytometry was used to analyze the material used for manufacturing CAR-T cells (apheresis), the CAR-T cell product itself, and blood samples obtained at three timepoints after administration. We present the analysis of memory phenotype of CD4/CD8 CAR-T lymphocytes (CD45RA, CD62L, CD27, CD28) and the expression of inhibitory receptors (PD-1, TIGIT). In addition, we show its relation to the patients' clinical characteristics, such as tumor burden and sensitivity to prior therapies. Patients who responded to therapy had a higher percentage of CD8+CD45RA+CD27+ T cells in the apheresis, although not in the produced CAR-Ts. Patients with primary refractory aggressive B-cell lymphomas had the poorest outcomes which was characterized by undetectable CAR-T cell expansion in vivo. No clear correlation of the outcome with the immunophenotypes of CAR-Ts was observed. Our results suggest that an important parameter predicting therapy efficacy is CAR-Ts' level of expansion in vivo but not the immunophenotype. After CAR-T cells' administration, measurements at several timepoints accurately detect their proliferation intensity in vivo. The outcome of CAR-T cell therapy largely depends on biological characteristics of the tumors rather than on the immunophenotype of produced CAR-Ts.

The prevalence of HPV infections in HPV-vaccinated women from the general population.

Currently, three prophylactic HPV vaccines are commercially available to prevent HPV 16/18 infection and associated lesions. The aim of the study was to assess markers of HPV infection in women/girls before vaccination and to ascertain the prevalence and spectrum of post-vaccination HPV types. Three hundred and thirty subjects of which 75 were virgins were enrolled. Before the first dose of the HPV vaccine and 1, 3 and 5 years after the completion of HPV vaccination, the samples for cytology, HPV detection and anti-HPV antibody response were taken. At enrolment, HPV DNA was detected in 38% of sexually active girls/women. At the first, second and third follow-up, HPV DNA was found in 40, 45, and 39% of them. The seroprevalence rates to HPV 6, 11, 16 and 18 in these subjects were 31, 21, 18 and 10%. On the follow-up significantly higher levels of antibodies to HPV 16/18 were found after application of divalent vaccine. Results of the study demonstrate high prevalence of HPV infection in young women. In a substantial number of women, HPV-specific antibodies as well as high-risk HPV types were detected. HPV-specific antibodies were also frequently found in non-sexually active girls. The acquisition of HPV after the onset of sexual life was very fast.