Tuesday, September 20, 2022

Pushing the reset button on autoimmune disease

 

https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/965261

 

 News Release 20-Sep-2022
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-NürnbergAt Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), patients with severe forms of autoimmune diseases are being treated with cells from the body that have been genetically modified, which are known as CAR T cells. This study is the first of its kind in the world. Physicians were astounded to find that the therapy is like pushing a reset button: immediately after receiving treatment the autoimmune disease was resolved completely and did not return.

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Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), also known as red wolf disease, is a severe form of autoimmune disease that most frequently occurs in young women and forms antibodies that attack the body’s DNA. This leads to the inflammation of internal organs such as the kidneys, lungs and heart. Oftentimes, SLE patients need high dosages of corticosteroids and immunosupressive drugs to keep the disease in check.

“We have been able to help six young patients who were suffering from a life-threatening form of SLE and cure them of the disease completely by treating them with CAR T cells,” says Prof. Dr. Georg Schett, director of the Department of Medicine 3 – Rheumatology and Immunology. They are the first patients in the world who have received treatment with CAR T cells.

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