Patients who have a stem cell transplant can experience a complication called graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), in which cells from the donor attack tissues of the recipient. Symptoms of GVHD include rash, digestive problems, weight loss, and liver dysfunction. GVHD is usually treated with steroid drugs (corticosteroids), but patients may experience symptoms during or after treatment. Steroids can also weaken the immune system.
Brentuximab vedotin is a drug used to treat some forms of lymphoma. It works by targeting a protein called CD30, which is also found on the surfaces of the white blood cells that cause acute GVHD. By killing these cells, brentuximab vedotin could be useful for treating acute GVHD.
In this study, researchers want to determine the highest dose of brentuximab vedotin that can be given safely in patients with acute GVHD that cannot be successfully treated with steroids.