CAR-T works, so why stop at cancer?

The advent of CAR-T cancer therapy, in which human immune cells are rewired to attack tumors, has transformed treatment for certain blood malignancies. And while there are hundreds of clinical trials trying to expand its utility to other tumor types, a growing number of scientists see a future in which CAR-T could treat diseases that have nothing to with cancer.

As STAT’s Andrew Joseph reports, researchers in academia and industry are exploring whether genetically engineered T cells can treat immunological diseases including lupus and the rare pemphigus. The idea is to program CAR-T cells not to seek out tumors but rather the aberrant antibodies that cause autoimmune disorders.

It’s all taking place in test tubes and mice at the moment, but scientists say the early results are promising.

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