A randomized trial of GVHD prophylaxis in haploidentical PBSC transplantation: ATG, PTCy, and low-dose combination therapy

J Jun Yang Y Yannan Jia (1Department of Hematology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China) X Xiaoxia Hu (1Shanghai Institute of Hematology, State Key Laboratory of Medical Genomics, National Research Center for Translational Medicine at Shanghai, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China) F Fang Zhou (Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences) X Xiong Ni J Jiangbo Wan (5Department of Hematology, Shanghai Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China) Y Yi Ding M Mei Kang (7Clinical Research Center, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China) X Xiaolin Yu (China-Russia Belt and Road Joint Laboratory for Intelligent Chemistry and Advanced Materials of Liaoning Province, School of Chemistry) C Chuanhe Jiang (1Shanghai Institute of Hematology, State Key Laboratory of Medical Genomics, National Research Center for Translational Medicine at Shanghai, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China) L Luxiang Wang (State Key Laboratory of Chemistry and Utilization of Carbon Based Energy Resources College of Chemistry Xinjiang University Urumqi China) L Liping Wan (1Department of Hematology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China) Y Yu Cai C Chongmei Huang (1Department of Hematology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China) H Huiying Qiu (1Department of Hematology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China) X Xueying Ding (7Clinical Research Center, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China) Y Yin Tong (1Department of Hematology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China) B Baoxia Dong (1Department of Hematology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China) K Kun Zhou (Key Laboratory of Animal Virology, Ministry of Agricultural and Rural Affairs of China and Zhejiang Provincial Engineering Research Center of Animal Biological Products, Department of Veterinary Medicine, Zhejiang University College of Animal Sciences) X Xianmin Song (1Department of Hematology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China)

Abstract

Abstract The optimal graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) prophylaxis strategy in haploidentical peripheral blood stem cell transplantation remains controversial. In this open-label, phase 3 study, patients aged 14 to 70 years with acute myeloid leukemia or myelodysplastic syndromes with excess blasts Ⅰ or Ⅱ were randomized (2:1:1) to receive low-dose antithymocyte globulin (ATG; 5 mg/kg) plus posttransplant cyclophosphamide (PTCy; 50 mg/kg; referred to as ATG/PTCy), standard-dose ATG (total dose, 10 mg/kg), or a PTCy-based (total dose, 100 mg/kg) regimen for GVHD prophylaxis. The coprimary end points were the cumulative incidence (CI) of grade 2 to 4 acute GVHD (aGVHD) by day 100 and GVHD-free, relapse-free survival at 1 year after transplant. A total of 407 patients were randomized to receive an ATG/PTCy (185 patients), ATG (113 patients), or PTCy (109 patients) regimen for GVHD prophylaxis. By day +100, the CI of grade 2 to 4 aGVHD did not differ significantly among the 3 groups (P = .210). Although the overall incidence of chronic GVHD (cGVHD) was comparable across all groups (P = .110), the 2-year CI of moderate-to-severe cGVHD was numerically lower in the ATG/PTCy (17.4%) and ATG (17.3%) groups than the PTCy group (28.3%), without reaching statistical significance (P = .095). No significant differences were observed in survival outcomes among the 3 groups. Notably, the CI of neutrophil and platelet recovery was significantly higher in the ATG/PTCy group than in the other groups (P< .001). This trial suggested that the 3 GVHD prophylaxis strategies presented similar efficacy in preventing grade 2 to 4 aGVHD and yielded comparable survival. This trial was registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov as NCT03608059.

Article Details

Journal Blood
Volume / Issue Vol. 147, Issue 26
Published June 25, 2026
Pages 3168-3178
ISSN 0006-4971
Publisher Elsevier BV

Journal Info

Blood

Elsevier BV

ISSN: 0006-4971 Health Sciences

Authors (20)

J

Jun Yang

Y

Yannan Jia

1Department of Hematology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China

X

Xiaoxia Hu

1Shanghai Institute of Hematology, State Key Laboratory of Medical Genomics, National Research Center for Translational Medicine at Shanghai, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China

F

Fang Zhou

Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences

X

Xiong Ni

J

Jiangbo Wan

5Department of Hematology, Shanghai Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China

Y

Yi Ding

M

Mei Kang

7Clinical Research Center, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China

X

Xiaolin Yu

China-Russia Belt and Road Joint Laboratory for Intelligent Chemistry and Advanced Materials of Liaoning Province, School of Chemistry

C

Chuanhe Jiang

1Shanghai Institute of Hematology, State Key Laboratory of Medical Genomics, National Research Center for Translational Medicine at Shanghai, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China

L

Luxiang Wang

State Key Laboratory of Chemistry and Utilization of Carbon Based Energy Resources College of Chemistry Xinjiang University Urumqi China

L

Liping Wan

1Department of Hematology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China

Y

Yu Cai

C

Chongmei Huang

1Department of Hematology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China

H

Huiying Qiu

1Department of Hematology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China

X

Xueying Ding

7Clinical Research Center, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China

Y

Yin Tong

1Department of Hematology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China

B

Baoxia Dong

1Department of Hematology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China

K

Kun Zhou

Key Laboratory of Animal Virology, Ministry of Agricultural and Rural Affairs of China and Zhejiang Provincial Engineering Research Center of Animal Biological Products, Department of Veterinary Medicine, Zhejiang University College of Animal Sciences

X

Xianmin Song

1Department of Hematology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China