L’émergence des traitements par cellules CAR-T dans les lymphomes

Abstract

After the promising results obtained in North American academic centers suggesting the curative potential of these treatments, the development of T cells carrying a chimeric antigen receptor (CAR-T) directed against the CD19 antigen has experienced rapid developments in recent years. Three major trials (each involving about 100 patients with relapsed or refractory aggressive B-cell lymphoma) were conducted and evaluated the efficacy of these treatments (Zuma-1, Juliet and Transcend). Tumor responses are observed in 52% to 82% of patients, with a best complete response (CR) rate of 40% to 58%. Although some patients with early CR may relapse rapidly, the quality of the response appears to improve over time for other patients in partial response, all of which result in a proportion of patients with prolonged CR by approximately 30% to 40% (up to more than one year after treatment). Toxicities (mostly early and reversible) are mainly represented by the cytokine release syndrome (severe in 1% to 22% of patients) and neurological disorders sometimes severe (in 12% to 31% of patients), while other patients develop cytopenias or hypogammaglobulinemia. The updating of these studies over time and the new developments (in the improvement of their conception and in their use) of the CAR-T will allow to better defining the place of these innovative and promising treatments in the therapeutic strategy of patients with lymphoma. Cet article fait partie du numéro supplément Les cellules CAR-T : une révolution thérapeutique ? réalisé avec le soutien institutionnel des partenaires Gilead : Kite et Celgene.

Keywords: Cell therapy; Gene therapy; Immunotherapy; Immunothérapie; Lymphoma; Lymphome; Thérapie cellulaire; Thérapie génique.