BLOOD: 20. 9. 2013

BLOOD: Donor-derived CD19-targeted T cells cause regression of malignancy persisting after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation

"New treatments are needed for B-cell malignancies persisting after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (alloHSCT). We conducted a clinical trial of allogeneic T cells genetically modified to express a chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) targeting the B-cell antigen CD19. T cells for genetic modification were obtained from each patient’s alloHSCT donor. All patients had malignancy that persisted after alloHSCT and standard donor lymphocyte infusions (DLIs). Patients did not receive chemotherapy prior the CAR-T-cell infusions and were not lymphocyte-depleted at the time of the infusions. The 10 treated patients received a single infusion of allogeneic anti-CD19-CAR T cells. Three patients had regressions of their malignancies. One patient with CLL obtained an ongoing complete remission after treatment with allogeneic anti-CD19-CAR T cells, another CLL patient had tumor lysis syndrome as his leukemia dramatically regressed, and a patient with mantle cell lymphoma obtained an ongoing partial remission. (...)"

http://bloodjournal.hematologylibrary.org/content/early/2013/09/20/blood-2013-08-519413.abstract

SCIENCE: New controversy over experimental IVF method

"A critique of potential in vitro fertilization (IVF) strategies to prevent babies from developing a common class of genetic diseases is sparking controversy. In today’s issue of Science, three evolutionary biologists argue that the ethical and scientific debates over an experimental IVF approach called mitochondrial replacement have underplayed some potential risks of the technique. While the trio support further development of the therapy, they say that more animal studies might be needed before clinical trials should proceed. But supporters of the technique—and a key IVF regulatory body in the United Kingdom—say that the concerns have already been taken into account and are minor compared with the symptoms the technique would prevent. (...)"

http://news.sciencemag.org/biology/2013/09/new-controversy-over-experimental-ivf-method