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Because cytotoxic T cells attack cancer cells, investigators have tried to augment natural T-cell attacks in various ways. However, such approaches have had limited success.
A German team constructed a monoclonal single-chain antibody called blinatumomab, which has two “sticky ends”: One end attaches to a cytotoxic T cell, and the other attaches to non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) cells. This antibody was given to 38 patients with NHL who had relapsed after receiving standard therapies. At follow-up examinations, mean T-cell counts had increased, and NHL cells had disappeared from circulation (an indicator for overall response to treatment). Chemical markers indicated that the NHL cells had been killed and had not simply exited the circulation. Si…