Revolutionary CAR-T cells: cure for autoimmune diseases!

Revolutionary CAR-T cells: cure for autoimmune diseases!

Many people in Bavaria struggle with serious autoimmune diseases. The pain and constant exhaustion place a burden on everyday life and often require lifelong medication. In particular, diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus, systemic sclerosis and autoimmune muscle inflammation are often in the foreground. But now there is hope: The CASTLE study, which is being carried out at Erlangen University Hospital in collaboration with FAU, shows promising results in the field of CAR T-cell therapy. This is the largest study of its kind for the treatment of autoimmune diseases, as reported by UK Erlangen.

What makes the CASTLE study so special? CAR T cell treatment could revolutionize the way autoimmune diseases are treated. For months, 24 seriously ill patients were observed who had little or no response to conventional therapies. The results are promising: a single infusion of CD19 CAR T cells made it possible to permanently stop the autoimmune diseases without the patients having to take additional medication. Dr. Melanie Hagen, senior physician at the university hospital, emphasizes that many patients ended up in a treatment-free state.

A new hope for those affected

The CAR-T cells are isolated from the patients' T lymphocytes and genetically modified to combat the autoreactive immune cells. This innovative approach gives researchers the opportunity to treat the dysfunction of the immune system. This therapy is already established in the treatment of cancer and now also has the potential to be used in the treatment of autoimmune diseases. A major goal is to avoid lifelong suppression of the immune system while simultaneously promoting immune system self-regulation.

In addition, there are reports of the world's first therapy of a young woman with CAR T cells in March 2021. This pilot study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, shows that the therapy was able to resolve chronic inflammation in various organs and joints. Immuno-inhibiting agents such as cortisone have been able to be discontinued for years in many patients, which significantly improves the quality of life, as FAU highlights.

One step further in research

CAR T-cell therapy continues to be intensively researched. The treatment includes not only common autoimmune diseases such as lupus and sclerosis, but also rarer diseases. Scientists hope that CAR T cells will specifically eliminate B lymphocytes, which are responsible for the development of autoimmune diseases. After therapy, these B cells can no longer trigger new inflammation and new, healthy B cells can return. For this purpose, therapeutic approaches are being advanced in close cooperation between different medical clinics, as discussed in Tagesschau.

Overall, it shows that CAR T-cell therapy can be a promising ray of hope for the treatment of autoimmune diseases. The challenges in producing CAR-T cells in specialized cleanroom laboratories are still numerous, but the success of the first patients motivates the researchers. If you would like to find out more about the current studies and, if necessary, take part, you can contact the Erlangen University Hospital directly.