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CD19 CAR T cell therapy for treatment-refractory seropositive rheumatoid arthritis: a phase 1 trial

Item Type:Article
Title:CD19 CAR T cell therapy for treatment-refractory seropositive rheumatoid arthritis: a phase 1 trial
Creators: Albach, Fredrik N. ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2697-9080, Rehm, Marie C. ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4196-7838, Hütter-Krönke, Marie Luise ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4531-9889, Le, Thanh Hang ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0001-8020-354X, Giezen, Julia M. ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1024-4028, Torgutalp, Murat, Sattler, Arne, Minopoulou, Ioanna, Biesen, Robert ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0434-7832, Wiebe, Edgar, Casteleyn, Vincent, Witte, Thorben ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3313-6759, Furth, Christian, Zernicke, Jan ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5163-2177, Nuesch Germano, Melanie, Verhagen, Johan ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8414-1342, Wilhelm, Artur, Dzamukova, Maria ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2389-3222, Engel, Klaus, Schallenberg, Simon ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7897-7116, Kannt, Aimo ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5197-2286, Ziegler, Nicole, Fehringer, Michaela ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0002-1366-1628, Schneider, Udo, Unterwalder, Nadine, Beling, Mark, Pfeil, Alexander, Phithak, Elpida, Krusche, Martin, Penack, Olaf ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4876-802X, Alexander, Tobias ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1193-0097, Stenzel, Werner, Wuhrer, Manfred ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0814-4995, Movassaghi, Kamran, Dörner, Thomas ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6478-7725, Latz, Eicke, Vogl, Thomas ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3892-1740, Busse, Antonia ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3470-6947, Schett, Georg ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8740-9615, Scherer, Hans Ulrich ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5700-5617, Toes, Rene E.M. ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9618-6414, Kleyer, Arnd, Keller, Ulrich ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8485-1958, Bullinger, Lars ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5890-5510, Simon, David ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8310-7820 and Krönke, Gerhard ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7566-4325
Abstract:Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell-mediated B cell depletion has demonstrated efficacy in several autoimmune diseases. Here we report clinical and molecular data obtained during the nonrandomized phase 1 part of the phase 1/2 COMPARE trial, evaluating safety and efficacy of mivocabtagene autoleucel (miv-cel), an autologous fully human CD19 CAR T cell therapy, in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Six patients (three men, three women) with severe, treatment-refractory, anti-citrullinated protein antibody (ACPA)-positive RA received a single infusion of miv-cel after stopping all disease-modifying antirheumatic drug treatments and after standard lymphodepletion therapy. Patients were followed for 36-52 weeks for safety and efficacy. Primary endpoints were the incidence and severity of cytokine release syndrome (CRS), immune effector cell-associated neurotoxicity syndrome (ICANS) and adverse events (AEs) within the first 4 weeks after treatment. Secondary and explorative endpoints assessed clinical efficacy and cellular and humoral immune responses. CRS occurred in all patients and was limited to grade 1 and 2 events. No ICANSs or serious AEs occurred; one dose-limiting toxicity was recorded (grade 3 transaminase elevation, resolved without sequelae). The primary endpoint was met with acceptable safety findings, allowing advancement to phase 2. CAR T cell therapy resulted in depletion of CD19(+) B cells across blood and tissue, coinciding with a continuous decline of autoantibodies with seroconversion in four of the six patients for ACPAs against mutated citrullinated vimentin and five of six for rheumatoid factor immunoglobulin M. Despite cessation of immunosuppressive treatments, disease activity improved in all patients (median 34% DAS28-CRP reduction at the latest follow-up with DAS28-CRP remission and American College of Rheumatology 70% response in 3 of 6 patients). CD19 CAR T cells showed acceptable short-term tolerability in patients with treatment-refractory RA, justifying further evaluation. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT06475495 .
Source:Nature Medicine
ISSN:1078-8956
Publisher:Nature Publishing Group
Date:27 August 2026
Official Publication:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41591-026-04603-3
PubMed:View item in PubMed

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