Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is an incurable disease with the unmutated immunoglobulin heavy chain variable region (IGHV) gene status being an unfavorable prognostic marker. These patients have shorter time to first treatment which consist of toxic chemotherapy.~Programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) and programmed death ligand 2 (PD-L2) are immune checkpoints hampering immune responses in many tumors including CLL. These proteins are expressed by suppressive bystander cells as well as CLL cells. Vaccinating subcutaneously with PD-L1 and PD-L2 peptides mobilises cytoxic T-cells specific towards PD-L1 and PD-L2 expressing cells. In this study we investigate if the PD-L1 and PD-L2 specific responses can overcome leukemic cells in CLL.
This study is investigating the efficacy of PD-L1 and PD-L2 peptides in untreated CLL patients with unmutated IGHV gene status.