Individualized, heterologous chimpanzee adenovirus and self-amplifying mRNA neoantigen vaccine for advanced metastatic solid tumors: phase 1 trial interim results.

Checkpoint inhibitor (CPI) therapies provide limited benefit to patients with tumors of low immune reactivity. T cell-inducing vaccines hold promise to exert long-lasting disease control in combination with CPI therapy. Safety, tolerability and recommended phase 2 dose (RP2D) of an individualized, heterologous chimpanzee adenovirus (ChAd68) and self-amplifying mRNA (samRNA)-based neoantigen vaccine in combination with nivolumab and ipilimumab were assessed as primary endpoints in an ongoing phase 1/2 study in patients with advanced metastatic solid tumors (NCT03639714). The individualized vaccine regimen was safe and well tolerated, with no dose-limiting toxicities. Treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs) >10% included pyrexia, fatigue, musculoskeletal and injection site pain and diarrhea. Serious TRAEs included one count each of pyrexia, duodenitis, increased transaminases and hyperthyroidism. The RP2D was 1012 viral particles (VP) ChAd68 and 30 µg samRNA. Secondary endpoints included immunogenicity, feasibility of manufacturing and overall survival (OS). Vaccine manufacturing was feasible, with vaccination inducing long-lasting neoantigen-specific CD8 T cell responses. Several patients with microsatellite-stable colorectal cancer (MSS-CRC) had improved OS. Exploratory biomarker analyses showed decreased circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) in patients with prolonged OS. Although small study size limits statistical and translational analyses, the increased OS observed in MSS-CRC warrants further exploration in larger randomized studies.

Pediatric Asthma Health Care Utilization, Viral Testing, and Air Pollution Changes During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

BACKGROUND: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic caused dramatic changes in daily routines and health care utilization and delivery patterns in the United States. Understanding the influence of these changes and associated public health interventions on asthma care is important to determine effects on patient outcomes and identify measures that will ensure optimal future health care delivery. OBJECTIVE: We sought to identify changes in pediatric asthma-related health care utilization, respiratory viral testing, and air pollution during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: For the time period January 17 to May 17, 2015 to 2020, asthma-related encounters and weekly summaries of respiratory viral testing data were extracted from Children's Hospital of Philadelphia electronic health records, and pollution data for 4 criteria air pollutants were extracted from AirNow. Changes in encounter characteristics, viral testing patterns, and air pollution before and after Mar 17, 2020, the date public health interventions to limit viral transmission were enacted in Philadelphia, were assessed and compared with data from 2015 to 2019 as a historical reference. RESULTS: After March 17, 2020, in-person asthma encounters decreased by 87% (outpatient) and 84% (emergency + inpatient). Video telemedicine, which was not previously available, became the most highly used asthma encounter modality (61% of all visits), and telephone encounters increased by 19%. Concurrently, asthma-related systemic steroid prescriptions and frequency of rhinovirus test positivity decreased, although air pollution levels did not substantially change, compared with historical trends. CONCLUSIONS: The COVID-19 pandemic in Philadelphia was accompanied by changes in pediatric asthma health care delivery patterns, including reduced admissions and systemic steroid prescriptions. Reduced rhinovirus infections may have contributed to these patterns.

A randomized intervention study to evaluate the effect of calcitriol therapy on the renin-angiotensin system in diabetes.

BACKGROUND: Prior studies suggest that vitamin D therapy may decrease cardiovascular disease risk in type 2 diabetes (T2DM) by lowering renin-angiotensin system (RAS) activity. However, randomized human intervention studies to evaluate the effect of vitamin D receptor (VDR) agonists on RAS activity are lacking. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this article is to investigate the effect of direct VDR activation with calcitriol on circulating RAS activity and vascular hemodynamics in T2DM. METHODS: A randomized, double-blinded, and placebo-controlled study wherein 18 participants with well-controlled T2DM without chronic kidney disease (CKD) were administered calcitriol or placebo for three weeks was conducted. Outcome measures included plasma renin activity (PRA), serum and urinary aldosterone, mean arterial pressure (MAP) before and after an infusion of angiotensin II, and renal plasma flow (RPF) via para-aminohippurate clearance. RESULTS: Despite an increase in 1,25(OH)2D with calcitriol administration (45.4 to 61.8 pg/ml, p = 0.03) and no change with placebo, there were no significant differences in PRA, serum or urinary aldosterone, baseline and angiotensin II-stimulated MAP, or basal and angiotensin II-stimulated RPF between interventions. CONCLUSION: In this randomized and placebo-controlled study in participants with T2DM without CKD, calcitriol therapy to raise 1,25(OH)2D levels, when compared with placebo, did not significantly change circulating RAS activity or vascular hemodynamics.