CAR T cell therapy is now being studied in autoimmune diseases, including:
- Systemic lupus erythematosus, including lupus nephritis
- Idiopathic inflammatory myopathies, including different forms of myositis, such as antisynthetase syndrome, polymyositis, and dermatomyositis
- Systemic sclerosis or scleroderma
- Multiple sclerosis, including relapsing-remitting MS and progressive MS
- Myasthenia gravis
The immune system is the body’s natural defense system
T cells and B cells are immune cells that defend the body
The immune system protects the body from invaders, like bacteria or viruses, and harmful cells like cancer. T cells and B cells are immune defenders. They detect and destroy these threats, while sparing healthy cells.
In autoimmune diseases, the immune system attacks healthy tissues
Overactive B cells attack healthy cells
An overactive immune system is a key contributor to autoimmune diseases. Instead of attacking invaders, some B cells target healthy cells. Left alone, overactive B cells are free to multiply and continue to attack the body’s healthy tissues. If they are not stopped, the damage to the body can get worse over time.
CAR T cell therapy may be able to give the immune system a fresh start
CAR T cell therapy is an innovative treatment now being studied in autoimmune diseases.
CARs act as sensors programmed to detect B cells
CAR=chimeric antigen receptor.
CAR T cell therapy—a type of immunotherapy—is a personalized medicine. It is made by collecting the patient’s T cells, adding CARs to them, and then returning them to the patient’s body in a one-time infusion.
Inside the body, CARs act as sensors programmed to detect B cells—and only B cells. CARs give CAR T cells the power to search throughout the body to find B cells. CAR T cells find and destroy B cells, which may include overactive and healthy cells. By targeting B cells, CAR T cell therapy removes a key contributor to autoimmune diseases.
When CAR T cell therapy removes B cells, the body replaces them. The theory is that these new B cells may "reset" the immune system, giving it the potential for a fresh start. This is similar to how we reboot a computer or phone to restart it when it is malfunctioning.
Encouraging evidence for CAR T cell therapy in autoimmune diseases
CAR T cell therapies are approved to treat conditions other than autoimmune diseases. Experts are studying whether CAR T cell therapy can help people with autoimmune diseases. Recently, an early study looked at CAR T cell therapy in patients with certain autoimmune diseases. The results show promise that invites further study for people with systemic lupus erythematosus, idiopathic inflammatory myositis, or systemic sclerosis. .
CAR T cell therapy is being studied in a range of autoimmune diseases, including lupus, myositis, scleroderma, multiple sclerosis, and myasthenia gravis.