FDA-approved CAR T cell therapy for non-Hodgkin lymphoma

To date, the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) has approved two forms of CAR T cell therapy for patients with non-Hodgkin lymphoma. City of Hope is one of the only institutions in the United States to offer both FDA-approved commercial products, axicabtagene ciloleucel (commercial name Yescarta) and tisagenlecleucel (commercial name Kymriah).

Axicabtagene ciloleucel is designed for adult patients with certain types of large B-cell lymphoma who have not responded to or who have relapsed after at least two other kinds of treatment. This is the second gene therapy approved by the FDA and the first for certain types of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL).

 

Axicabtagene ciloleucel targets the antigen CD19, a protein found on the cell surface of NHL as well as other lymphomas and leukemias.

 

In addition to being one of the only centers in the nation to offer this new FDA-approved therapy, City of Hope has the expertise, knowledge and specialized staff to successfully deliver axicabtagene ciloleucel to patients while continuing to develop additional CAR T therapies to save even more lives.

 

City of Hope has long been involved with axicabtagene ciloleucel, supporting its development with data from the ZUMA-1 phase 1 and phase 2 trials, for which City of Hope was a trial center.

Tisagenlecleucel CAR T cell therapy is designed for adult patients with relapsed or refractory (r/r) diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) – the most common type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma among adults – as well as high-grade B-cell lymphoma and DLBCL arising from follicular lymphoma.

 

Tisagenlecleucel – the first gene therapy approved by the FDA – was initially approved for pediatric patients with refractory or relapsed B cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). The drug’s supplemental Biologics License Application (sBLA) was recently approved for DLBCL patients.