Lupus remission after CAR T‑cell therapy trial in England

Five patients with severe lupus in England are in remission following a pioneering treatment that genetically modifies their own immune cells, marking a significant step toward a potential cure for the chronic autoimmune disease. The results from an NHS trial, led by University College London Hospitals and University College London, were presented at the European Congress of Rheumatology in London last week.

The therapy, known as CAR T-cell therapy, involves extracting a patient's T-cells, a type of white blood cell, and genetically engineering them to recognize and destroy problematic B-cells that drive lupus. The modified cells are then infused back into the patient. This single-dose treatment aims to "reset" the immune system rather than merely suppress its activity, offering the possibility of freedom from lifelong medication.

In the trial, nine patients with severe, treatment-resistant lupus, most of whom had serious kidney complications, were enrolled. Six received a lower dose of the therapy, and three received a higher dose. After an average follow-up of 11 months, five of the six patients on the lower dose achieved remission within months, with rapid improvements in...