Dr. Burger on the Current Landscape of CAR T-Cell Therapy in CLL

Jan A. Burger, MD, PhD, tenured professor, Department of Leukemia, Division of Cancer Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, “privatdozent” (lecturer) in internal medicine, Albert-Ludwigs University, School of Medicine, Freiberg, Germany, faculty, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Texas-Houston Health Science Center, discusses the current landscape of CAR T-cell therapy in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL).

CAR T-cell therapy has generated more consistent and durable responses, especially for patients who go into deeper remission, Burger says. Patients without much active disease would serve as ideal candidates for CAR T-cell therapy, Burger adds. When patients are in a more stable remission, outcomes tend to be better, since the therapy could be used to eradicate residual disease, Burger explains.

CAR T-cell therapy is becoming an alternative treatment prior to allogeneic stem cell transplant (ASCT) in patients with CLL due to favorable toxicity profile of CAR T-cell therapy vs ASCT, Burger concludes.