title: How do CARs work?: Early insights from recent clinical studies targeting CD19.
abstract: Second-generation chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) are powerful tools to redirect antigen-specific T cells independently of HLA-restriction. Recent clinical studies evaluating CD19-targeted T cells in patients with B-cell malignancies demonstrate the potency of CAR-engineered T cells. With results from 28 subjects enrolled by five centers conducting studies in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) or lymphoma, some insights into the parameters that determine T-cell function and clinical outcome of CAR-based approaches are emerging. These parameters involve CAR design, T-cell production methods, conditioning chemotherapy as well as patient selection. Here, we discuss the potential relevance of these findings and in particular the interplay between the adoptive transfer of T cells and pre-transfer patient conditioning.
authors.affiliation: Center for Cell Engineering; Department of Medicine; Molecular Pharmacology and Chemistry Program; Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center; New York, NY.
authors.forename: Marco L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Davila
authors.forename: Renier
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Brentjens
authors.forename: Xiuyan
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Isabelle
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Rivière
authors.forename: Michel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sadelain