Safety Study to Evaluate FluMist in Immunocompromised Children

The main purpose of this study is to get information about the safety of a flu vaccine spray, called FluMist, in children with cancer. The study is also being done to find out how much and how long the vaccine spray can be found in the nose.

This study is a randomized, double-blind Phase 1 study of FluMist vs. placebo in mild to moderately immunocompromised children 5 to 17 years of age with cancer. The primary objective of this study is to describe the safety of FluMist compared with placebo in mild to moderately immunocompromised children with cancer. The secondary objectives of this study are to describe the immune responses following vaccination with FluMist and to determine the incidence and duration of viral replication following vaccination with FluMist.

The standard 0.5 mL dose of vaccine or placebo was administered intranasally. Patients were evaluated at four visits scheduled between days 3-5, days 7-10, days 14-28, and days 35-42 for viral shedding via nasal swabs. Safety outcomes were collected at study clinic visits or by telephone contact through 42 days post dose. Serious adverse events and significant new medical conditions were collected through 180 days after receipt of investigational product.

Immune responses were measured by detection of influenza-specific antibodies as measured by the standard hemagglutination inhibition (HAI) assay. Influenza-specific serum antibody isotype levels were determined and nasal swab specimens were analyzed for the expression of influenza-specific immunoglobulin A (IgA). Serum was analyzed for its ability to neutralize viral particles from infecting Madin-Darby canine kidney cells (microneutralization). Baseline immunosuppression as measured by expression of T- and B-lymphocyte subsets was compared to immunosuppression at time points after vaccination. The duration of viral replication and the titers of live-attenuated influenza virus shed was evaluated from nasal swab specimens collected at scheduled time points after administration of FluMist.

Eligibility Criteria:
Inclusion Criteria:

* Age 5 through 17 years of age (not yet reached their 18th birthday) at the time of entry into the study;
* Patient's parent or legal guardian available by telephone during the course of the study;
* Written informed consent (assent if applicable) and Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) authorization (if applicable) obtained from the patient's parent or legal guardian;
* Ability of the patient or patient's parent/guardian to comply with the requirements of the protocol;
* Currently receiving chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy for the treatment of cancer or have received chemotherapy in the past 12 weeks;
* If the subject's underlying cancer is a solid tumor, current status must be stable disease, partial response, or complete response to therapy; if the subject's underlying disease is a hematologic malignancy, current status must be in remission;
* Estimated life expectancy of \>1 year; and
* Currently has no worse than mild to moderate immunosuppression (meets none of the exclusion criteria).

Exclusion Criteria:

* History of hypersensitivity to any component of FluMist, including egg or egg products, or monosodium glutamate;
* History of hypersensitivity to gentamicin;
* Close contact with a severely immunocompromised patient (e.g., a hematopoietic stem cell transplant patient, during those periods in which the immunocompromised patient requires care in a protective environment);
* History of Guillain-Barré syndrome;
* History of asthma;
* Use of aspirin or salicylate-containing products in the 30 days prior to study vaccination or expected receipt within the study duration;
* Use of anti-influenza medications (including amantadine, rimantadine, oseltamivir, and zanamivir) within 14 days prior to enrollment or expected receipt (unless medically indicated) during this study;
* Currently receiving inhaled steroid therapy;
* Receipt of immunoglobulin within the past 90 days;
* Receipt of stem cell transplant;
* Acute febrile \[\>100.0°F (37.8°C) oral\] illness or acute respiratory illness, e.g., cough or sore throat, within three days prior to enrollment;
* Administration of any live vaccine within 30 days prior to enrollment or if receipt of another live vaccine is expected within 30 days after the vaccination in this study;
* Administration of any inactivated vaccine within two weeks prior to enrollment or if receipt of another inactivated vaccine is expected within two weeks after the vaccination in this study;
* Receipt of an investigational product studied under an investigational new drug (IND) within 10 days prior to study entry or expected receipt of such an investigational product within 10 days after study vaccination (Note: an investigational product not studied under an IND is allowed at the investigator's discretion);
* Pregnancy or, in biologically capable females (e.g., menses within the last year), not willing to agree to acceptable birth control for three months after study vaccination (for those biologically capable, a urine pregnancy test must be performed on the day of vaccination with a negative result);
* Female who is breastfeeding or lactating;
* Any condition or receipt of other medication that, in the opinion of the investigator, might interfere with the evaluation of the vaccine or interpretation of study results;
* At the study screening visit (within 16 days before study vaccination) a CD4+ T cell percentage of \<15%;
* At study entry, an absolute neutrophil count less than or equal to 500 cells/mm3;
* Receipt of high-dose systemic corticosteroids (≥ 2 mg/kg total of prednisone or equivalent given daily or on alternating days) for ≥ 14 consecutive days within 30 days prior to or following study vaccination