A cancer therapy put severe rheumatoid arthritis into remission
CAR T-cell therapy dramatically reduced disease activity in six people with severe rheumatoid arthritis that had resisted other treatments, with three achieving medication-free remission. The treatment may work by clearing out harmful immune cells and effectively rebooting part of the immune system, although much larger studies are still needed.
Scientists at Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin have initiated the world's first clinical trial of CAR T-cell therapy for severe rheumatoid arthritis. This innovative treatment, originally developed for cancer immunotherapy, involves modifying a patient's own immune cells to target specific disease-causing cells. In this trial, researchers tested CAR T-cell therapy in six patients with particularly severe rheumatoid arthritis.
The results were promising, with all participants experiencing a significant reduction in disease activity, and three patients achieving remission without needing any rheumatoid arthritis medication. Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic autoimmune disease that causes inflammation and joint damage. Existing treatments can control symptoms but do not cure the disease, leaving many patients in need of lifelong medication and side effects from immune-suppressing drugs.
In this trial, researchers aimed to target the disease-driving B cells responsible for inflammation, which may be difficult to reach with existing therapies. The CAR T cells are designed to recognize and eliminate cells carrying a specific marker, CD19, on their surface. By clearing out these cells, the treatment may allow the immune system to reset and restore normal function.
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- A cancer therapy put severe rheumatoid arthritis into remission sciencedaily.com
