European patients had already seen improvement in their lupus symptoms after the therapy was tested in an earlier trial.
Three patients in the UK are taking part in a trial of a new treatment for the chronic disease lupus, with the aim of reducing their need to take medication.
Lupus is an autoimmune disease for which there is no cure. This happens when the immune system attacks healthy tissues in the body.
This can cause symptoms such as joint pain, rashes, and fatigue. These symptoms can occur during flare-ups, but the exact causes of the disease remain unknown.
UK patients are latest to take part in clinical trials of potential new lupus treatment.
Known as chimeric antigen receptor T cell therapy (CAR T cells), this is a type of immunotherapy in which scientists modify the body’s cells in hopes of reversing disease and reduce the need for medications.
“We are delighted to be the first to carry out this fantastic research in the UK, which we hope will revolutionize the treatment of high-risk lupus patients, and could potentially lead to a cure for the disease,” Ben Parker, consultant rheumatologist at the Kellgren Center for Rheumatology and study leader at Manchester Royal Infirmary (MRI), said in a statement.
“Lupus is a disease that requires lifelong treatment, but this therapy has the potential to change that, which is incredibly exciting.”
How does the new lupus treatment work?
CAR T cell therapy has been used to treat certain cancers and has shown potential in treating other diseases such as lupus.
The therapy involves genetically modifying the patient’s immune system cells so that they recognize and attack harmful cells.
This is done by drawing the patient’s blood to isolate the T cells, modifying the cells in the laboratory, and then reinjecting them into the patient’s bloodstream.
“We have seen the effectiveness of CAR-T in cancer, particularly blood cancers, and hope to be able to replicate this in autoimmune diseases, starting with lupus,” Dr Maria Leandro, consultant rheumatologist at the University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (UCLH). , said in a statement.
“Our early phase trial aims to recruit 12 people globally and we hope to replicate the results of a small German trial that showed improvement in lupus patients treated with CAR-T cell therapy.”
Germany was one of the first European countries to test the therapy, with five patients with severe lupus experiencing complete remission within three months of treatment and remaining treatment-free a year later.
“Beyond Enthusiasm”
One of the recent patients to undergo this treatment in the UK is Katie Tinkler, a fitness instructor who had to quit her job due to the side effects of her lupus.
“I was diagnosed with lupus when I was 20,” she told the PA news agency. “I started experiencing extreme joint pain and for the first few years that was my main symptom – quite excruciating.”
“It was very painful. My hands were so painful that I couldn’t hold the steering wheel.
Tinkler said she was “beyond excited” to receive the new treatment and hopes it will give people with autoimmune disease hope “that something is coming that will make a huge difference in their lives” .
