[Chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy for hematological malignancies]

The adoptive transfer of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-modified autologous T cells targeted at the B-cell antigen CD19 is highly effective in patients with relapsed or refractory B-cell malignancies. In Japan, tisagenlecleucel has been approved in March 2019, whereas axicabtagene ciloleucel, lisocabtagene maraleucel, and TBI-1501 have been tested in clinical trials. In addition, allogeneic CD19 CAR T cells from family or third-party donors have been developed for treating B-cell malignancies. Moreover, CAR T-cell therapies for acute myeloid leukemia (AML), T-cell leukemia, and multiple myeloma are still under development. Our group is currently preparing a phase I study on granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor receptor-targeted CAR T cells in pediatric and adult patients with AML.