Revolution in cancer treatment: New methods for immunotherapy!

Revolution in cancer treatment: New methods for immunotherapy!

Researchers at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) have developed a groundbreaking approach to increase the efficiency of modern immunotherapies. These therapies, including CAR T-cell therapies, use engineered immune cells to fight tumors. With their new method, the scientists can now better understand how these cells behave in the body, which is crucial for improving future treatment methods. There is great interest in understanding the behavior of these modified cells, particularly in relation to their mobility and proliferation in the body, as well as possible unexpected responses to healthy tissue. However, there is currently a lack of clinically usable procedures to monitor and evaluate these aspects, reports Technical University of Munich.

CAR T-cell therapy, first approved in the United States in 2017, is an outstanding example of this form of immunotherapy. In this form of therapy, T cells are taken from the patient's blood and genetically modified in the laboratory so that they form chimeric antigen receptors (CAR). These modified cells are trained to specifically recognize, bind to and destroy cancer cells. In order to increase the effectiveness of CAR-T cells, they are often multiplied in large quantities and given back to the patient. In some cases, bridging therapy may be necessary while CAR T cells grow. According to the vfa These genetically modified therapies are now a significant option, especially when conventional treatments fail.

A long road to application and research

In recent years, the scope of interest in CAR-T therapy has expanded beyond the treatment of cancer. Initial successes are being observed in the use of this therapy against autoimmune diseases. So far, around 50 to 100 people with autoimmune diseases have received experimental treatment worldwide. One example is the patient Fabienne Schröder, who suffered from myasthenia, a serious neuromuscular disease. After CAR T-cell therapy, she experienced significant improvements in her quality of life. Before the therapy she was severely limited and required a wheelchair, but after the treatment there was a significant positive development, reports daily news.

However, it becomes clear that the therapy must be tailored individually to each patient, which significantly increases the effort and costs. The cost of a single infusion of CAR T-cell therapy is estimated to be around 200,000 euros. Georg Schett and Andreas Mackensen from the Erlangen University Hospital have found similar successes in the treatment of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus. One of these patients was able to live without medication again after therapy.

Outlook for the future

Research shows that the use of CAR T-cell therapy in autoimmune diseases is already promising, but the journey is far from over. Large studies on the effectiveness of this form of therapy are currently underway worldwide, including projects on the effect on multiple sclerosis, which are being investigated by Manuel Friese at the Eppendorf University Hospital. The first patients with multiple sclerosis have received CAR T cells, but no immediately visible benefit is expected as the disease often leads to irreversible damage to the nervous system.

The promising advances make it clear that understanding the processes in the immune system and developing new monitoring methods are essential for the safety of therapies. In the near future, approvals for CAR T-cell therapies for autoimmune diseases may even follow, expanding the treatment spectrum and bringing new hope for affected patients.