Novartis' CAR-T Therapy Kymriah Demonstrates Durable Efficacy with 60% of Patients in Remission at Five Years

A long-term study published today in The New England Journal of Medicine demonstrated positive efficacy for Kymriah, a CAR-T therapy developed by Novartis, in long-term follow-up. Sixty percent of patients with B-cell lymphoma treated with Kymriah remained in remission five years after treatment.

Kymriah is the first CAR-T therapy approved by the FDA. It works by targeting the CD19 antigen on the surface of B cells, enabling engineered CAR-T cells to eliminate B lymphocytes in the blood. In this study, researchers conducted long-term follow-up of patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) and relapsed/refractory follicular lymphoma who received Kymriah treatment. Among 24 DLBCL patients, 46% achieved complete remission after five years. Among 14 patients with relapsed/refractory follicular lymphoma, 71% remained in complete remission after five years.

The researchers also evaluated the persistence of CAR-T cells in patients. They found that among patients who maintained remission for more than one year, 50% had undetectable levels of the transgene encoding the CD19-targeting chimeric antigen receptor after five years. In contrast, among the 18 patients who relapsed within one year of receiving CAR-T cell therapy, only one patient had undetectable transgene levels. These results suggest that the loss of CAR-T cells is not a common cause of therapeutic resistance.

“We found that the majority of patients who maintained remission for more than one year after receiving CAR-T cell therapy remained in remission after five years. This is very exciting and demonstrates the durability of this therapy,” said Dr. Elise A. Chong, corresponding author of the study and a specialist in the Division of Hematology/Oncology at the Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania. “For patients who do not respond to chemotherapy, this offers a treatment option that may lead to long-term remission.”

Note: This article is intended to introduce medical and health research and does not constitute a recommendation for treatment plans. For guidance on treatment options, please consult a licensed healthcare provider at a reputable hospital.

References:

[1] Penn-developed CAR T therapy shows long-lasting remissions in non-hodgkin lymphoma. Retrieved February 18, 2021, from https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2021-02/uops-pct021721.php

▽Follow [WuXi AppTecDe】WeChat Official Account