All News
Beyond the Breakthrough: Equity and Access in CAR-T Cell Therapy for RA
At ACR Convergence 2025, abstract 1039 entitled, “Global Cost-Effectiveness and Equity in CAR-T Cell Therapy for Rheumatoid Arthritis” adds a critical dimension to the growing enthusiasm around cellular therapies in autoimmune disease.
Read Article
LB04: Another approach to CAR-T, CD20+/BCMA bispecific CAR-T in refractory proliferative LN:
🔹100% discontinued biologics & IS at follow-up
🔹Renal response ~78%
🔹CRS mostly Grade 1–2 (~70%); ≥Grade 3 AEs = transient & hematologic
@RheumNow #ACR25 https://t.co/oNK4wtLGYV
Links:
Akhil Sood MD, MS AkhilSoodMD ( View Tweet)
Abstract 1563: Ongoing Phase 1/2 trial of Rese-cel CAR-T in systemic sclerosis
🔹Pt with severe skin involvement showed improvement in mRSS (42→34), PFTs & nailfold capillaroscopy at 6 mo
🔹Grade 2 CRS, no ICANS or DLT reported
Early but exciting findings
@RheumNow #ACR25
Akhil Sood MD, MS AkhilSoodMD ( View Tweet)
While post-CAR-T CRS might be semi-familiar for rheumatologists, ICANS is a new concept to get our heads around, and one which is far from heterogenous.
@CarolineDiorio @ChildrensPhila in the #ACR25 BCRC pre-meeting @RheumNow https://t.co/qX2jKMG2oB
David Liew drdavidliew ( View Tweet)
@CarolineDiorio @ChildrensPhila @RheumNow Indeed, there are a lot of familiar HLH/MAS friends in the post-CAR-T CRS mix...
(indeed, rheum friends from many places)
@CarolineDiorio @ChildrensPhila in the #ACR25 BCRC pre-meeting @RheumNow https://t.co/OzWu3MV1FA
Links:
David Liew drdavidliew ( View Tweet)
Another toxicity signal to watch in the CAR T space: LICATs
Abstract 1537 reports a new immune-related toxicity distinct from CRS or ICANS:
🔹Affects organs prev involved in autoimmune dx: skin (35%) and kidneys (22%)
🔹Mostly mild (Grade 1–2); 3 cases Grade 3
@RheumNow #ACR25 https://t.co/mtZh47nWtv
Akhil Sood MD, MS AkhilSoodMD ( View Tweet)
I've always (very) simplistically considered post-CAR-T CRS and HLH/MAS in the same bucket, and there certainly are substantial similarities.
It raises the obvious question - can we borrow therapies?
@CarolineDiorio @ChildrensPhila in the #ACR25 BCRC pre-meeting @RheumNow https://t.co/2HkHxpl89u
David Liew drdavidliew ( View Tweet)
What dictates how severe CRS is following CAR-T?
(Often the critical question, and will especially be in the autoimmune space, where CAR-T is largely less time-critical)
@CarolineDiorio @ChildrensPhila in the #ACR25 BCRC pre-meeting @RheumNow https://t.co/u0w4lx7YVn
Links:
David Liew drdavidliew ( View Tweet)
@CarolineDiorio @ChildrensPhila eloquently told the #ACR25 BCRC pre-meeting about the lessons they've learned about CRS and ICANS, the major CAR-T toxicities.
Many questions still to answer, but they've also understood a lot we can learn from.
@RheumNow https://t.co/Jhk1eCLpD4
Links:
David Liew drdavidliew ( View Tweet)
CAR-T vs bispecific antibodies - what's the difference?
@andrew02114 @MGHCancerCenter with the heme-onc point of view in the #ACR25 BCRC @RheumNow https://t.co/7KJCfiQKWM
Links:
David Liew drdavidliew ( View Tweet)
CAR-T toxicity in hematology
(the things we have to look out for in rheumatology, as application of CAR-T potentially broadens)
@andrew02114 @MGHCancerCenter with the heme-onc point of view in the #ACR25 BCRC @RheumNow https://t.co/1YjadL7LCF
Links:
David Liew drdavidliew ( View Tweet)
Andrew Yee @andrew02114 of @MGHCancerCenter details out how quickly the CAR-T paradigm changed in myeloma/lymphoma - from newsworthy to routine. Now that much more about CAR-T has been worked out, will adoption be quicker in autoimmune disease? #ACR25 BCRC pre-meeting @RheumNow https://t.co/oNuPXCwWQ9
Links:
David Liew drdavidliew ( View Tweet)
What to use in future for active #Sjogren's #SjD
B cell depletion, signal attenuation
Ianalumab 2+ phase3 RCTs
Telitacept +RCT
Nipocalimab FcRn +Ph2
Dazodalibep CD40L +Ph2
+RCTs
HCQ+Lef
Rituximab
?BTKi
#ACR25 @ACRheum @RheumNow
abst#LB24, LB11
Janet Pope Janetbirdope ( View Tweet)
Post-CAR-T myelopathy has been an issue in heme onc, and is still an unpredictable quantity without a clear cause. Will this be a problem for autoimmune CAR-T as we gain more experience? @CarolineDiorio @ChildrensPhila in the #ACR25 BCRC pre-meeting @RheumNow https://t.co/RhhdOiyEAX
Links:
David Liew drdavidliew ( View Tweet)
CAR-T Cell Therapies Show Promise for Autoimmune Disease
Two pioneering studies presented at #ACR25 spotlight the potential of CAR-T cell therapies to transform treatment for SLE and other autoimmune diseases. These early findings suggest a new frontier in immune modulation and https://t.co/KdNWmVc4Qc
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Phase 1 study of CAR-Treg in difficult to treat RA
4/6 pts had 50% reduction in TJC/SJC, no CYC/fludrabine required & good prelim safety data
CAR-T remains exciting, but less of the "totally magical everyone cured" stuff we saw w/initial CAR-T reports
@RheumNow #ACR25 https://t.co/kjBIkLCYpF
Links:
Mike Putman EBRheum ( View Tweet)
Will CAR-Treg Rx be helpful in active #refractory #rheumatoid #arthritis?
Early data n=6 treated w low dose (3 per arm), ongoing and doses will escalate
Improvemt in #clinical #disease #activity
less inflammation on #synovial #biopsies 3 pts
#LB23 #ACR25 @RheumNow @ACRheum https://t.co/PkhsvztVjx
Janet Pope Janetbirdope ( View Tweet)
#ACR25 Abstr#2695 Inguinal lymph node biopsies pre- and post-OBI, RTX, BLIN & CD19 CAR-T showed complete tissue depletion with CAR-T. B-cells reduced but often incomplete with protein-based depleters; OBI being the best. Still don’t agree with “immune reset” @RheumNow #ACRBest https://t.co/Sq7m9sXlLP
Links:
Md Yuzaiful Md Yusof Yuz6Yusof ( View Tweet)
Abstract 2696: Phase 1/2 study of rapidly engineered CD19 CAR T showed:
- rapid depletion of CD19 B cells w/ recovery by Day 90
- Days 180 and 360: returning B cells largely naive (CD27-IgD+)
- Interferon expression ↓ after CAR T treatment
@RheumNow #ACR25 https://t.co/FzdFbqWwtE
Links:
Akhil Sood MD, MS AkhilSoodMD ( View Tweet)
Abstract 2695: Deep dive into B-cell depletion (BCD)
Lymph node biopsy pre/post tx:
🔹 CAR T: complete BCD + disrupted follicular architecture
🔹 RTX, OBI, BLIN: reduced BCD + preserved follicular architecture
✅ Complete LN depletion → drug-free remission
@RheumNow #ACR25
Akhil Sood MD, MS AkhilSoodMD ( View Tweet)
