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The role of allogeneic HSCT after CAR T cells for acute lymphoblastic leukemia

Abstract

Enthusiasm with results of early phase trials using chimeric-antigen-receptor (CAR)-T cells targeting CD19 have led to fast approval of this novel immunotherapy for the treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukemia and diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, and to an explosion of clinical trials with such cells. Despite potential for long-term immune surveillance by CAR-T cells, many patients treated on these trials are referred to a consolidative hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, as are all patients responding to CAR-T cells in a study we conducted. Overall, paucity of long-term data and lack of randomized trials focusing on consolidative HSCT impact clinical evidence. Nevertheless, limited T cell persistence and inherent leukemia resistance mechanisms have led us, as well as others, to this clinical decision making, and are hereby reviewed.

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Funding

Publication of this supplement was sponsored by Gilead Sciences Europe Ltd, Cell Source, Inc., The Chorafas Institute for Scientific Exchange of the Weizmann Institute of Science, Kiadis Pharma, Miltenyi Biotec, Celgene, Centro Servizi Congressuali, Almog Diagnostic.

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Correspondence to Elad Jacoby.

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The author has received lecture fees from Novartis, Israel, and received grant support from the Dotan Center for Hematologic Malignancies.

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Jacoby, E. The role of allogeneic HSCT after CAR T cells for acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Bone Marrow Transplant 54 (Suppl 2), 810–814 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41409-019-0604-3

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