Breakthrough in Cancer Treatment: CD22-Targeted CAR-T Therapy Offers Hope for Relapsed Lymphoma Patients

In a groundbreaking development, a phase 1 clinical trial at Stanford Medicine has unveiled a new CAR-T cell therapy that targets a different protein on the surface of cancer cells, significantly improving outcomes for patients with large B-cell lymphoma who have relapsed after previous treatments, including the original CAR-T therapy. This innovative approach has the potential to transform the landscape of cancer care, providing a lifeline for those who have exhausted other options.

Unlocking a New Frontier in Cancer Immunotherapy

Tackling the Challenges of Relapsed Lymphoma

The original CAR-T therapy, approved by the FDA in 2017, has been a game-changer in the treatment of certain blood cancers, including large B-cell lymphoma. However, for a significant portion of patients, the cancer either fails to respond or eventually returns, leaving them with limited options and a dire prognosis. The median survival time after relapse is a mere six months, underscoring the urgent need for more effective therapies.

Targeting a New Protein: CD22

The researchers at Stanford Medicine have developed a novel CAR-T cell therapy that targets a different protein on the surface of cancer cells, known as CD22. This approach aims to address the limitations of the original CAR-T therapy, which targets the CD19 protein. By shifting the focus to CD22, the researchers hope to overcome the cancer's ability to evade the treatment by reducing the expression of CD19 on its surface.

Remarkable Results: High Response Rates and Durable Remissions

The phase 1 clinical trial enrolled 38 patients, the majority of whom had already relapsed after receiving the original CAR-T therapy. The results were nothing short of remarkable: over half of the patients (53%) achieved a complete response, meaning their cancers were no longer detectable. Moreover, more than half of the treated patients lived at least two years after the treatment, a significant improvement over the typical prognosis for these patients.

Breakthrough Therapy Designation: Accelerating the Path to Approval

The promising results of the trial have not gone unnoticed. In September 2022, the FDA designated the CD22-targeting CAR-T therapy for large B-cell lymphoma as a Breakthrough Therapy, a designation that is intended to expedite the development and review of drugs that may provide a substantial improvement over existing therapies for serious conditions. This recognition underscores the potential of this innovative approach and the urgency to bring it to the patients who desperately need it.

Leveraging Academic-Clinical Collaboration

The success of this trial is a testament to the power of collaboration between academic research and clinical practice. The study was entirely devised and conducted at Stanford Medicine, allowing the researchers to seamlessly translate their preclinical findings into a patient-focused clinical trial. This integrated approach enabled the team to quickly pivot and refine their approach, ultimately leading to the breakthrough results.

Paving the Way for Larger Trials and Broader Adoption

While the phase 1 trial has yielded remarkable results, the journey is far from over. A larger, phase 2 trial is now underway at multiple sites across the country, with the goal of further validating the efficacy and safety of the CD22-targeted CAR-T therapy. If these subsequent trials continue to demonstrate the therapy's superiority over existing options, it could pave the way for FDA approval and broader adoption, offering a lifeline to countless patients with relapsed or treatment-resistant large B-cell lymphoma.