Dr. Mato on Utilizing CAR T Cells in CLL

Anthony R. Mato, MD, MSCE, hematologic oncologist, director, CLL Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, discusses where CAR T cell-therapy will fit into the treatment paradigm of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL).

As of today, CAR T cell-therapy is not approved by the FDA and is only available in the context of a clinical trial, says Mato.

However, the novel concept of modulating the immune system to kill cancer cells does have relevance in CLL, despite the number of targeted therapies that have emerged, such as ibrutinib (Imbruvica) and venetoclax (Venclexta).

Small studies have reported promising data regarding CAR T cells alone or in combination with drugs like ibrutinib, but it remains unknown what setting CAR T cell-therapy should be used in.

Mato believes that CAR T-cell therapy could potentially be used where transplant once was. However, it is too early to say whether CAR T cells will impact the paradigm.