IMMUNOLOGY2026™ Conference Recordings For Attendees-CAR-T Cell Therapy for Autoimmunity II

Video Transcription

Video Summary

Dr. Safaris Hesni reviewed the rapidly evolving use of CAR-T cell therapy for autoimmune diseases, emphasizing that the field is still early but promising. He highlighted the possibility of durable, drug-free remission, especially for young women who often face lifelong treatment burdens and psychosocial and economic impacts. Current clinical trials are numerous but mostly early-phase, with most approaches targeting B cells (CD19, CD20, BCMA), while some use autoantigen-specific CARs, NK/gamma-delta cells, or Treg-based strategies.  <br /><br />Early data, especially from the German group, show dramatic reductions in disease activity in lupus, myositis, and systemic sclerosis, with many patients becoming steroid-free and off immunosuppressants. Vaccine responses appear largely preserved, and B-cell reconstitution tends to favor naive cells. Safety so far looks encouraging: low rates of CRS, rare ICANS, and few severe infections, though a distinctive localized inflammatory syndrome may occur in affected tissues.  <br /><br />Major challenges include unclear optimal targets, manufacturing complexity, cost, fertility concerns, access, and uncertain long-term efficacy and safety. Future directions include allogeneic “off-the-shelf” CAR-T and in vivo delivery using RNA-lipid nanoparticles. The discussion underscored that many questions remain about persistence, lymphodepletion, and the best CAR design for autoimmunity.

Meta Tag

Date April 16, 2026 1:35 PM - 1:50 PM

Room 151

Session Accelerating CAR-based Approaches for Autoimmunity and Cancer, Sponsored by the Society For Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC)

Speaker Sarfaraz Hasni

Track Tumor Immunology: Checkpoints, Prevention, And Treatment (TIPT)

Year 2026

Keywords

CAR-T cell therapy

autoimmune diseases

B-cell targeting

lupus remission

systemic sclerosis

clinical trials

safety profile

allogeneic CAR-T

April 16, 2026 1:35 PM - 1:50 PM

151

Accelerating CAR-based Approaches for Autoimmunity and Cancer, Sponsored by the Society For Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC)

Sarfaraz Hasni

Tumor Immunology: Checkpoints, Prevention, And Treatment (TIPT)

2026