306: Successful phase II trial using mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) in combination with steroid therapy for the primary treatment of acute graft-vs-host disease (aGVHD)

AGVHD is a major cause of morbidity and mortality after allogeneic stem cell transplantation (SCT). Primary treatment of aGVHD with steroids achieves complete response (CR) rates of only 20-40%. MSC may provide effective GVHD therapy. In this study, Prochymal, an ex-vivo cultured MSC derived from unrelated donors, was used in combination with conventional steroid therapy for primary treatment of aGVHD. Pts were eligible if they had newly diagnosed aGVHD, grades II-IV, after undergoing related or unrelated SCT, or donor lymphocyte infusion (DLI).