CAR T Cells Continue May Strides in Hematologic Malignancies

Michael Bishop, MD, a professor of Medicine and director of Hematopoietic Stem cell Transplantation Program at the University of Chicago, discusses the impact of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy across hematologic malignancies.

The exploration of CAR T-cell therapies in hematologic malignancies have made a major impact on patient care, says Bishop. In 3 areas, in particular, CAR T cell agents have been granted FDA approval and are improving outcomes for patients. The areas include non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), adult and pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), and mantle cell lymphoma. The other setting in which an FDA approval of a CAR T cell agent is expected in March 2021.

Looking at the pediatric population for ALL, the use of CAR T cells has been a game-changer because the typical survival for this patient population is about 6 months. In the B-cell NHL lymphoma setting, 3 CAR T-cell agents are now FDA approved for and these have been significant for patients with refractory disease. Finally, in MCL, CAR T cells provide an additional option to a vast treatment landscape with high response rates and complete responses.