Cellular Therapy
From the Journals
Autologous fecal transplant restores microbiota after allo-HSCT
The therapy could help stave off graft-versus-host disease in stem cell transplant patients.
Conference Coverage
CAR T-cell studies dominate ongoing cellular therapy trials
Out of 753 cellular therapy trials listed at ClinicalTrials.gov as of March 30, 2018, 404 were CAR T therapy studies.
Feature
NICE looks likely to reject use of Kymriah for DLBCL
The U.K. agency issued draft guidance recommending against use of tisagenlecleucel (Kymriah) a month after issuing similar guidance about...
From the Journals
Kymriah cost effectiveness depends on long-term outcomes
The value proposition for the pricey CAR T-cell therapy depends on whether the real-world outcomes are as good as the ones seen in clinical trials...
Conference Coverage
Early CAR T data on P-BCMA-101 in refractory myeloma
P-BCMA-101 has demonstrated efficacy in a phase 1 trial of relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma.
Feature
England green-lights coverage of one CAR T-cell therapy
Tisagenlecleucel (Kymriah) will be available for certain leukemia patients through the Cancer Drugs Fund.
Conference Coverage
CAR T coverage: Drugmakers say no to patient reported outcomes
Medicare officials are expected to make a national coverage decision on CAR T-cell therapies in February 2019.
News
Signal strength may limit potency of CAR T-cell therapy
The “slower burning” 4-1BB CAR signal led to T cells that better retained their function in vivo and were associated with longer median survival...
Feature
CMS finalizes CAR T-cell therapy inpatient payments
Medical associations are disappointed with CMS’s payment structure for CAR T-cell therapy usage, calling it insufficient.
From the Journals
Feds aim to streamline gene therapy oversight
“It seems reasonable to envision a day when gene therapy will be a mainstay of treatment for many diseases,” Dr. Collins and Dr. Gottlieb wrote....