CAR-T-Cell Therapy for Relapsed Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia

Autologous T cells engineered to bind to and destroy tumor cells in relapsed or refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) showed dramatic responses in initial reports (NEJM JW Oncol Hematol Apr 3 2012 and NEJM JW Oncol Hematol Apr 9 2013). To extend this experience, investigators generated redirected chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) autologous T cells via lentiviral vector to bind to the B-cell surface antigen CD19 expressed on ALL cells, followed by in vitro expansion and infusion into the patient.

Five adults and 25 children and young adults (age, <22 years) with relapsed or refractory ALL (24 B cell, 1 T cell with aberrant CD19 expression) received CAR-T-cell infusions. Twenty-seven (90%) achieved…