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Genetically engineered T cells target lymphomas, leukemias that express CD19
53rd ASH Annual Meeting
SAN DIEGO — A novel treatment was successful in targeting and depleting CD19 cells in a cohort of patients with B-cell lymphoma and leukemia, according to results presented here.
James N. Kochenderfer, MD, assistant clinical investigator at the Experimental Transplantation and Immunology Branch at the NCI, and colleagues from the Sunnybrook Odette Cancer Centre in Toronto induced patient-derived T cells to express anti-CD19 chimeric antigen receptor-encoding genes. The aim was to observe the T cells as they recognize and destroy B-cell lymphomas and leukemias that express CD19.
The study involved eight patients who were infused with autologous T cells that expressed chimeric antigen receptor genes. Four of the patients had chronic lymphocytic leukemia and four had B-cell lymphoma.
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These patients were treated with chemotherapy, infused with the genetically engineered T cells and then administered a high dose of interleukin-2. All patients demonstrated expression of chimeric antigen receptor-expressing T cells after the infusion, according to .
At 15 months of follow-up, one patient in the CLL cohort had ongoing complete remission, and one CLL patient had attained stable disease. Five patients were in partial remission at 15 months.
Half of the patients demonstrated a striking depletion of CD19 cells, which suggests that the T cells were successful in targeting and reducing malignant cells, according to Kochenderfer.
However, significant toxicity — including hypotension — was reported by all patients during the first 10 days of therapy.
“While this gene technology is in the early stages of development and we need to improve the toxicity profile, our study validates that it has a potent ability to eliminate the specific cells being targeted, an important basis for future research,” Kochenderfer said at a press conference. “We believe that, with these positive results, we can explore a wide range of opportunities and potential applications for future clinical use.”
Disclosure: Dr. Kochenderfer reports no relevant financial disclosures.
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