A team of doctors from the German Center for Immunotherapy at Erlangen University Hospital has successfully treated a 21-year-old patient with therapy-resistant ulcerative colitis using CD19 CAR T-cells for the first time worldwide. The results were published in the New England Journal of Medicine (DOI: 10.1056/NEJMc2508023).
The patient had suffered from severe ulcerative colitis for five years, which did not respond to any conventional therapies, including biologics and JAK inhibitors. Frequent bloody diarrhea and abdominal pain significantly impaired her quality of life, made it impossible to work, and even made doctor's visits difficult. After CAR T-cell therapy, the symptoms disappeared completely, colonoscopies showed a healed intestinal lining, and the patient reached a healthy body weight. For the first time in years, a normal life is possible for her.
In CAR T-cell therapy, the patient's own T-lymphocytes are modified to recognize the CD19 molecule on B-lymphocytes, which can be misdirected in autoimmune diseases. This technology, originally developed for lymphoma, specifically eliminates diseased B-cells, which are subsequently replaced by healthy cells. The therapy was made possible through close collaboration between Medical Clinics 1, 3, and 5 of Erlangen University Hospital, with the CAR T-cells being produced in a specialized cleanroom laboratory.
The treatment marks a breakthrough for severe autoimmune diseases that were previously considered incurable. Nevertheless, the researchers emphasize that this is a single case. Further studies are needed to confirm safety and efficacy and to identify suitable patients. However, the results offer hope for new therapeutic options for those affected.
