Dr. Kambhampati on the Potential of CAR T-Cell Therapy in CLL

Suman Kambhampati, MD, co-medical director, Blood Cancer Program, Sarah Cannon Research Institute, discusses the potential of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL).

CAR T-cell therapy has shown strong efficacy in other hematologic malignancies such as acute lymphoblastic leukemia, diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, and multiple myeloma. Now, it’s in the beginning stages of exploration in CLL, explains Kambhampati. Investigators from the University of Pennsylvania presented some compelling data with ibrutinib (Imbruvica), which is traditionally not associated with deep remissions. However, priming patients with ibrutinib for up to 6 months followed by CAR T-cell therapy infusions led to deeper remissions and minimal residual disease-negative status fairly early on, says Kambhampati.

Kambhampati himself has cared for patients enrolled in the trial and can speak first-hand to this groundbreaking research. If this research moves forward, he hopes that physicians will see an earlier introduction of cellular therapies in CLL.