A revolutionary cancer treatment could transform autoimmune disease
CAR T cell therapy, originally developed to treat blood cancers, is now being tested as a potential treatment for autoimmune diseases like multiple sclerosis and lupus. The therapy aims to reset the immune system by eliminating malfunctioning B cells that attack the body's own tissues. While early results are promising, researchers caution that risks, long-term effects, and durability of benefits remain uncertain.
- ▪CAR T cell therapy was first approved by the FDA in 2017 for treating aggressive leukemia.
- ▪The therapy involves extracting a patient’s T cells, genetically engineering them to target specific cells, and reintroducing them into the body.
- ▪In autoimmune diseases, CAR T is being used to destroy B cells that produce harmful antibodies against the body’s own tissues.
- ▪Janisch-Hanzlik, a multiple sclerosis patient, became the first participant in a CAR T trial at the University of Nebraska Medical Center.
- ▪Researchers are conducting hundreds of clinical trials to evaluate CAR T’s effectiveness across various autoimmune conditions.
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striking results A revolutionary cancer treatment could transform autoimmune disease Researchers are testing CAR T cell therapy as a way to reset the immune system. Amber Dance, Knowable Magazine – May 17, 2026 7:00 am | 0 Artist's rendering of a T cell. Credit: Getty Images Artist's rendering of a T cell. Credit: Getty Images Text settings Story text Size Small Standard Large Width * Standard Wide Links Standard Orange * Subscribers only Learn more Minimize to nav At age 49, Jan Janisch-Hanzlik’s multiple sclerosis was destroying her freedom to live the life she wanted. She gave up her active nursing job for a desk role. Frequent falls made her afraid to carry her grandchildren.
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