Haplo+4Kids Trial

The Haplo+4Kids Trial started in 2024 on Ward 3

The trial is for children with immune deficiencies who need a stem cell transplant.

If a child does not have a fully matched donor, they can receive cells from a parent who is a half-match (haplo donor). Normally, these half-matched cells need special preparation, which can slow down how quickly the child’s immune system recovers — leaving them more at risk from infections. In this trial, children also receive extra “memory T cells” from to help their immune system recover faster and fight infections better.

The team are closely checking how quickly children’s immune systems recover and comparing:

• Children with a fully matched donor.

• Children at Great Ormond Street who don’t get the memory T cell boost.

The team is also looking at the levels of medicines given before transplant to see if these affect recovery.

The trial is led by:

Prof. Sophie Hambleton (Chief Investigator)

Dr. Su Han (Principal Investigator)

Dr. Christo Tsilifis (Associate Principal Investigator)

The work is mainly funded by the Medical Research Council, with vital support from the Bubble Foundation, which funds research nurses Kath Poad and Ka-Yuk Ko.