Stem-Cell Memory CAR-T Shows Success in 11 Refractory Blood Cancer Patients
Updated
Updated · erictopol.substack.com · May 24
Stem-Cell Memory CAR-T Shows Success in 11 Refractory Blood Cancer Patients
3 articles · Updated · erictopol.substack.com · May 24
Eleven patients with refractory blood cancers showed encouraging responses in the first reported use of stem-cell memory CAR-T, or CAR T SCM, cells.
The approach used long-lived immune cells designed to persist and proliferate, plus a cytokine fusion scaffold combining interleukins 7, 15 and 21 to boost CAR-T function.
The report places the result within a broader push to improve CAR-T durability and overcome exhaustion, a key limit even as cell therapies have expanded in leukemias, lymphomas and multiple myeloma.
Researchers are also trying to move beyond bespoke ex vivo manufacturing toward in vivo, off-the-shelf CAR therapies that could cut cost and weeks of delay, though none are FDA-approved yet.
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Phase I Success for TSCM CAR-T: Chemotherapy-Free, Durable Remission and Next-Gen Engineering
Overview
A recent Phase I clinical trial led by Luca Gattinoni’s team marks a major step forward in CAR-T cell therapy for relapsed or refractory CD19 B-cell malignancies. Traditional CAR-T treatments often fail because the infused cells do not last or expand well in the body. To solve this, the team developed a new therapy using stem-cell memory T (TSCM) cells, which are known for their strong self-renewal and proliferation abilities. By creating a highly homogeneous CD8+ CAR T-cell product enriched with TSCM cells, this approach aims to deliver more consistent and lasting benefits for patients.