Cleveland Clinic Experts Discuss the Potential for Allogeneic CAR T-Cell Agents

Craig Sauter, MD, is director of the Blood and Marrow Transplant Program at Cleveland Clinic. Brian T. Hill, MD, PhD, is director of the Lymphoid Malignancies Program and a Staff Physician at the Cleveland Clinic Taussig Cancer Institute. In this interview, they discuss potential advantages for allogeneic CAR T-cell products.

The manufacturing process for autologus CAR T-cell products, made from the patient's own T cells, is time consuming and expensive. "Off the shelf" CAR T-cell products may be able to reduce production time and cost.

Hill noted that allogeneic CAR T-cell products require gene editing to reduce the risk for graft-vs-host disease. However, these products might make CAR T-cell therapy available outside of major medical centers.

Sauter said that response rates have been promising, but trial populations have been small and he is eagerly awaiting long-term data.