CAR-T Cell Therapy for Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia

Chimeric antigen receptor-modified T (CAR-T) cells directed against the B-cell surface antigen CD19 have shown impressive activity in relapsed and refractory B-cell malignancies.

Now, investigators have conducted a partially funded, phase I–II study to assess the safety and feasibility of CD19 CAR-T cell therapy in heavily pretreated patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) who had failed ibrutinib. All but one patient had high-risk cytogenetics, five had Richter's transformation, and two had active central nervous system disease. Peripheral blood CD4+ and CD8+ T-cells were isolated and modified via a lentiviral vector, propagated in vitro, and then infused following lymphodepletion chemotherapy with cyclophosphamide and/or fludarabi…