Rapidly Expanded EBV-Specific T Cells for the Treatment of Refractory EBV Reactivation and EBV-Related Lymphoproliferative Disorders - Summary - MDSpire

Rapidly Expanded EBV-Specific T Cells for the Treatment of Refractory EBV Reactivation and EBV-Related Lymphoproliferative Disorders

  • By

  • Lorne Schweitzer

  • Stéphanie Thiant

  • Cynthia Thérien

  • Martin Giroux

  • Sylvie Lachance

  • Isabelle Fleury

  • Julie Orio

  • Cédric Carli

  • Gabrielle Boudreau

  • Julien Patenaude

  • Camille Tremblay-Laganière

  • Lynne Senécal

  • Simon F Dufresne

  • Luigina Mollica

  • Suzon Collette

  • Guy Sauvageau

  • Thomas Kiss

  • Sandra Cohen

  • Léa Bernard

  • Nadia Bambace

  • Olivier Veilleux

  • Imran Ahmad

  • Jean Roy

  • Lambert Busque

  • Michel Duval

  • Henrique Bittencourt

  • Pierre Teira

  • Caroline Lamarche

  • Denis-Claude Roy

  • Jean-Sébastien Delisle

  • January 20, 2026

  • 0 min

Share

Objective:

To evaluate the safety and efficacy of rapidly expanded EBV-specific T cells (VSTs) for treating EBV reactivation and EBV-positive lymphoma in patients refractory to standard therapies, addressing significant treatment gaps.

Key Findings:
  • 67% overall response rate, with 86% in transplant patients, indicating a promising alternative to existing therapies.
  • Six patients achieved or maintained complete responses, highlighting the potential effectiveness of VSTs.
  • Cell infusions were well tolerated with no serious treatment-related adverse events, supporting the safety of this approach.
Interpretation:

The study supports the potential of rapidly expanded EBV-specific T cell therapies in managing refractory EBV reactivation and associated malignancies, particularly in immunocompromised patients, suggesting avenues for future research.

Limitations:
  • Small sample size of the trial, which may limit the generalizability of the findings.
  • Limited diversity in patient demographics and disease states, which could affect the applicability of results.
Conclusion:

Rapidly expanded EBV-specific T cells show promise as a treatment option for refractory EBV-related conditions, warranting further investigation in larger cohorts to validate these findings.

Original Source(s)

Rapidly Expanded EBV-Specific T Cells for the Treatment of Refractory EBV Reactivation and EBV-Related Lymphoproliferative Disorders

  • by Lorne Schweitzer, Stéphanie Thiant, Cynthia Thérien, Martin Giroux, Sylvie Lachance, Isabelle Fleury, Julie Orio, Cédric Carli, Gabrielle Boudreau, Julien Patenaude, Camille Tremblay-Laganière, Lynne Senécal, Simon F Dufresne, Luigina Mollica, Suzon Collette, Guy Sauvageau, Thomas Kiss, Sandra Cohen, Léa Bernard, Nadia Bambace, Olivier Veilleux, Imran Ahmad, Jean Roy, Lambert Busque, Michel Duval, Henrique Bittencourt, Pierre Teira, Caroline Lamarche, Denis-Claude Roy, Jean-Sébastien Delisle

  • January 20, 2026

Related Content

Outcomes and Risk Factors for Influenza and Respiratory Syncytial Virus Lower Respiratory Tract Infections and Mortality in Patients With Lymphoma or Multiple Myeloma: A 7-Year Retrospective Cohort Study

Upfront intensive chemo-immunotherapy with autograft in 199 adult mantle cell lymphoma patients: prolonged survival and cure potentiality at long term

Prospective phase II study of frontline Helicobacter pylori eradication therapy for early-stage extragastric mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma