Clinical Trials

Antwerp leads the nation in ATMP trials, regulatory expertise, GMP process development, and clinical execution. In 2023, 25% of Belgium’s ATMP studies were conducted in Antwerp, including 12 investigator-driven, 5 industry-driven and 1 government-driven studies. The close connection between developers, manufacturing facilities, and treatment centers further reinforces its top position.

All clinical studies at the University Hospital of Antwerp (UZA) follow acentral procedure coordinated by the Clinical Trial Center (CTC), beginning with a confidentiality and feasibility assessment. When a study involves advanced therapy medicinal products (ATMPs), the Center for Cell Therapy and Regenerative Medicine (CCRG) is involved. This center is a multidisciplinary cell processing facility dedicated to the handling, preparation, storage, and distribution of cellular therapies. It includes both a hematopoietic stem cell bank and a cell therapy bank. In addition, the CCRG runs its own clinical research program aimed at assessing the safety, feasibility, and effectiveness of cell therapies developed in-house. The center also collaborates with academic institutions and commercial ATMP developers to help translate innovative cell therapies into patient care.

To advance and optimize immune cell therapies, CCRG collaborates closely with research groups developing ATMPs at the University of Antwerp, as well as with partner clinical departments at UZA. These partnerships, supported by ongoing data exchange, help ensure that promising experimental approaches can be successfully translated into safe and effective treatments.


Investigator-Driven Trials

Dendritic Cell Vaccination for Patients With Acute Myeloid Leukemia in Remission (CCRG 05-001)

A phase I/II clinical trial (NCT00834002) to evaluate the feasibility, safety, and efficacy of intradermal vaccination with autologous dendritic cells (DC) transfected with Wilms’ tumor antigen-1 (WT1) mRNA in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients.

Efficacy of Dendritic Cell Therapy for Myeloid Leukemia and Myeloma (CCRG 09-003)

A phase II clinical trial (NCT00965224) to evaluate the clinical efficacy of autologous Wilms’ tumor antigen-1 (WT1)-targeted dendritic cell (DC) vaccination as a postremission therapy in patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) at very high risk of relapse.

Dendritic Cell Vaccination for Patients with Solid Tumors (CCRG 11-001)

A single-arm phase I/II clinical study (NCT01291420) to evaluate the feasibility, safety, immunogenicity, and clinical efficacy of autologous Wilms’ tumor antigen-1 (WT1)-targeted dendritic cell (DC) vaccination in 40 patients with poor-prognosis advanced solid tumors, including glioblastoma multiforme, breast cancer, malignant pleural mesothelioma, and other solid tumor types receiving standard therapy.

Efficacy Study of Dendritic Cell Vaccination in Patients with Acute Myeloid Leukemia in Remission (WIDEA)

A phase II clinical trial (NCT01686334) to confirm whether autologous Wilms’ tumor antigen-1 (WT1)-transfected dendritic cell (DC) vaccination can eliminate minimal residual disease, reduce relapse rates, and improve overall survival compared with standard follow-up alone in 138 acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients, including a control group.

Adjuvant Dendritic Cell-immunotherapy Plus Temozolomide in Adult Glioblastoma Patients (ADDIT-GLIO)

A single-arm, single center phase I/II clinical trial (NCT02649582 ; EUCT 2024-515291-13-00) to evaluate overall and progression-free survival in newly diagnosed glioblastoma patients (WHO grade IV) treated with autologous Wilms’ tumor antigen-1 (WT1)-transfected dendritic cell (DC) vaccination in combination with standard of care, being chemoradiation with temozolomide followed by temozolomide maintenance, and to assess the feasibility, safety, and immunogenicity of this approach.

Adjuvant Dendritic Cell Immunotherapy for Pediatric Patients With High-grade Glioma or Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma (ADDICT-pedGLIO)

A phase I/II clinical trial (NCT04911621 ; EUCT 2024-515295-12-00 to assess the feasibility, safety, and immunogenicity of autologous Wilms’ tumor antigen-1 (WT1)-transfected dendritic cell (DC) vaccination in pediatric patients with high-grade gliomas (HGG) and diffuse intrinsic pontine gliomas (DIPG), and to evaluate its impact on clinical outcomes and quality of life compared with standard treatments.

First-line immunotherapy using Wilms’ tumor protein 1 (WT1)-targeted dendritic cell vaccinations for malignant pleural mesothelioma (MESODEC)

A single-arm phase I/II clinical trial (NCT02649829 ; EUCT 2024-517970-35-00) to evaluate the safety, feasibility, and immunogenicity of autologous Wilms’ tumor antigen-1 (WT1)-transfected dendritic cell (DC) vaccination in patients with histologically confirmed epithelial malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM), and to assess its impact on clinical outcomes, including time-to-progression, progression-free and overall survival, when combined with standard chemotherapy and, when applicable, surgery.

Integration of the PD-L1 Inhibitor Atezolizumab and WT1/​DC Vaccination Into Platinum/​Pemetrexed-based First-line Treatment for Epithelioid Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma (Immuno-MESODEC)

A multicenter single-arm phase I/II clinical trial (NCT05765084 ; EUCT 2024-515293-27-00) to evaluate the feasibility and safety of combining first-line platinum/pemetrexed chemotherapy with the PD-L1 inhibitor atezolizumab and autologous Wilms’ tumor antigen-1 (WT1)-transfected dendritic cell (DC) vaccination in patients with histologically confirmed, unresectable epithelioid malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM), and to assess the immunogenicity and clinical benefit of this integrated chemo-immunotherapy approach.

First-in-human Interleukin-15-transpresenting Wilms’ Tumor Protein 1-targeting Autologous Dendritic Cell Vaccination in Cancer Patients (IL15-TransDC)

A phase I/II clinical trial (NCT05964361 ; EUCT 2024-515296-35-00) to evaluate the safety and immunogenic potential of a next-generation autologous Wilms’ tumor antigen-1 (WT1)-transfected dendritic cell (DC) vaccine engineered for IL-15 transpresentation in patients with refractory or advanced solid tumors, and to determine whether this modification enhances antitumor immune responses against WT1-expressing cancer cells.

A “negative” dendritic Cell-based Vaccine for the Treatment of Multiple Sclerosis: a First-in-human Clinical Trial (MS-tolDC1)

A phase I clinical trial (NCT02618902) to evaluate the safety and preliminary proof of concept of autologous vitamin D3–treated tolerogenic dendritic cells (tolDC) loaded with myelin-derived peptides in patients with multiple sclerosis, and to assess their potential to restore immune tolerance and counteract autoimmune responses against myelin.

a Phase II clinical trial to evaluate the efficacy and safety of Var-cel, a CAR-T therapy for relapsed or refractory adult acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (CARTALLEU)

a confirmatory EU-based trial to investigate the safety and efficacy of varnimcabtagene autoleucel (var-cel), an in-house produced CAR T-cell therapy for adult patients with relapsed refractory acute lymphoblastic leukemia (R/R ALL), in order to gain centralised approval in the EU via the European Medicines Agency (EMA). This study is supported by an international alliance of cancer funds and is conducted in academic centres from 5 different EU countries (Spain, France, Belgium, Austria, and the Netherlands)outcomes.

A Phase IIa Study of Vitamin D3 Tolerogenic Dendritic Cells (tolDC) for Multiple Sclerosis (MS-tolDC2a)

An open-label, self-controlled, multicenter phase IIa clinical trial (NCT07020715) to evaluate the efficacy and safety of autologous vitamin D3–treated tolerogenic dendritic cells (tolDC) loaded with myelin-derived peptides in patients with progressive multiple sclerosis, and to assess their capacity to induce sustained immune tolerance and improve clinical and radiological outcomes.

Industry-Sponsored Trials

A study evaluating the safety and efficacy of GLPG5101 (19CP02) in subjects with non-Hodgkin lymphoma (ATALANTA-1)

A phase I/II clinical trial (EUCT 2022-502661-23-00) to evaluate the safety, efficacy, and feasibility of decentralized manufacturing of GLPG5101 (Galapagos NV), a second-generation anti-CD19/4-1BB CAR-T therapy, in patients with high-need hematological malignancies, and to determine the recommended Phase 2 dose and the Objective Response Rate.

A phase I/II open label, multi-center study evaluating the feasibility, safety and efficacy of POC-manufactured antiBCMA CAR T cells (GLPG5301; BCMACP03) in subjects with relapsed/refractory Multiple Myeloma (RRMM) (PAPILIO-1)

An open-label, multicenter phase I/II clinical trial (EUCT 2022-500782-27-00) to evaluate the safety, feasibility, and efficacy of GLPG5301 (Galapagos NV), a second-generation BCMA-directed CAR-T therapy, with 4-1BB costimulation, in patients with relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma after at least 2 prior therapies, and to determine the recommended Phase 2 dose, and assess the performance of an innovative point-of-care manufacturing platform.

A Study to Evaluate the Safety, Tolerability, Efficacy, and Drug Levels of CC-97540 in Participants With Relapsing Forms of Multiple Sclerosis, Progressive Forms of Multiple Sclerosis or Refractory Myasthenia Gravis (MG) (Breakfree-2)

A phase I clinical trial (EUCT 2023-507820-22-00) to evaluate the safety and tolerability of BMS-986353 (Celgene Corp), a CD19-directed CAR T-cell therapy manufactured using the NEX-T process, in patients with relapsing and progressive multiple sclerosis, to determine the recommended Phase 2 dose, and to explore its potential to provide durable, treatment-free disease control through immunomodulation.

A Phase III Study Comparing Anitocabtagene Autoleucel to Standard of Care Therapy in Participants With Relapsed/​ Refractory Multiple Myeloma (iMMagine-3)

A phase III clinical trial (NCT06413498) to compare Anitocabtagene Autoleucel (Anito-cel), an autologous anti-B-cell maturation antigen (BCMA) CAR-T-cell therapy (Kite, a Gilead Company) to standard of care therapy (SOCT) in participants with relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma who have received 1 to 3 prior lines of therapy, including an anti-CD38 monoclonal antibody and an immunomodulatory drug.

A Phase III Study to Compare the Efficacy and Safety of BMS-986393 Versus Standard Regimens in Adult Participants With Relapsed or Refractory and Lenalidomide-exposed Multiple Myeloma (QUINTESSENTIAL-2)

A phase III Randomized, Open-Label, Multicenter Study (NCT06615479) to compare the efficacy and safety of Arlocabtagene Autoleucel (arlo-cel), a GPRC5D-directed CAR-T Cell Therapy, (BMS-986393, Juno Therapeutics, Inc., a Bristol-Myers Squibb Company) versus standard regimens in adult participants with Relapsed or Refractory and Lenalidomide-exposed Multiple Myeloma.

Government/Academic-Sponsored Trials

A Treatment Study Protocol for Participants 0-45 Years With Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia (ALLTogether-1)

A integrated phase II/III trial (EUCT 2022-501050-11-01) to optimize treatment for patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) by using a harmonized European protocol to safely de-escalate therapy in low-risk patients and intensify treatment for high-risk patients, while identifying those who may benefit from innovative approaches such as CAR-T therapy.