UK CAR-T Trial Puts 5 of 6 Lupus Patients in Remission for 18 Months
Updated
Updated · BBC.com · Jun 11
UK CAR-T Trial Puts 5 of 6 Lupus Patients in Remission for 18 Months
2 articles · Updated · BBC.com · Jun 11
Summary
Five of the first six lupus patients given an experimental CAR-T immune reset in the UK remain in remission after more than 18 months, while a sixth improved but flared after 11 months.
The treatment engineers patients' own T cells to destroy B cells driving the autoimmune attack, then allows new healthy B cells to regrow — effectively resetting the immune system.
Katie Tinkler, treated in November 2024 at University College London Hospitals, is off all lupus medication 18 months later and says her kidneys, heart, lungs and blood disorder have improved.
Doctors say the approach is still early, involves chemotherapy and serious risk, and must prove it can keep patients in remission for three to five years in larger trials.
CAR-T is already approved for some blood cancers, and researchers say the lupus results could open the way for similar treatments in multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis.
By destroying B cells, does CAR-T therapy also eliminate the EBV virus, the suspected trigger for lupus and other autoimmune diseases?
Is this high-risk cell therapy the true future, or will safer, targeted drugs ultimately win the race to cure autoimmune diseases?
After the immune system is 'reset,' what stops new cells from repeating the same mistakes and attacking the body all over again?
Immune Reset in Lupus: UK CAR-T Trial Shows Unprecedented Remission Rates and Future Promise
Overview
A UK CAR-T trial has brought new hope to lupus patients by showing that CAR T-cell therapy can potentially reset the immune system and lead to long-term remission. Unlike current treatments that only manage symptoms and require lifelong medication, this innovative approach targets and removes the harmful immune cells driving lupus. Early results are promising, with no relapses seen in patients after more than a year, suggesting the possibility of a cure. However, experts stress the need for larger studies to confirm safety and effectiveness, as well as to address challenges in making this therapy widely accessible.