Novel T-cell therapy cures aggressive leukemia in 2 kids

Washington, Mar. 26 (ANI): Two kids, who were suffering from an aggressive form of childhood leukemia, had a complete remission after they were treated with a novel cell therapy that reprogrammed their immune cells to rapidly multiply and destroy malignant cells.


11 months after receiving bioengineered T cells that zeroed in on a target found in this type of leukemia, called acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), Emily is now healthy and cancer-free.

The other patient, a 10-year-old girl, who also had a complete response to the same treatment, suffered a relapse two months later when other leukemia cells appeared that did not harbour the specific cell receptor targeted by the therapy.


The current study builds on Grupp's ongoing collaboration with Penn Medicine scientists who originally developed the modified T cells as a treatment for B-cell leukemias.

The new study used a relatively new approach in cancer treatment: immunotherapy that manipulates immune system to increase its cancer-fighting capabilities. Here the researchers engineered T cells to selectively kill another type of immune cell called B cells, which become cancerous.



The research has been published in The New England Journal of Medicine. (ANI)


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