A Milestone for CAR T Cells

https://goo.gl/H4bHcW

More than 7 years have passed since the regression of advanced lymphoma was first reported in a patient who had undergone the infusion of T cells engineered to express a chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) targeting the CD19 antigen expressed on the surface of both normal and malignant B cells.1Subsequent trials of CD19-targeted CAR T-cell therapy showed a complete response in some patients with relapsed or chemotherapy-refractory hematologic cancers for which there were no effective therapies.2-5

The recent approval of anti-CD19 CAR T-cell therapy for the treatment of relapsed or refractory acute lymphoblastic leukemia and large B-cell lymphomas by the Food and Drug Administration sets a new standard of care for the patients who receive these therapies. However, the approval also comes with substantial economic challenges because of the high cost of care, a challenge that will grow as the indications for these therapies expand in the future. Policies will need to be developed to ensure that eligible patients receive these potentially curative therapies.