Cancer Tumor Therapies with T-Cell Authorities are currently halting clinical trials due to deaths

Treatment with a new "miracle cure" is obviously dangerous
Radiation or chemotherapy play an important role in the treatment of blood cancer. Health experts, however, assume that even a "living medicine" can achieve great success in the fight against leukemia. We are talking about genetically modified T-lymphocytes ("T-cells") that detect the blood cancers and completely destroy them within a few days. The new process is considered a possible new "miracle weapon" - but apparently not without risk. A clinical test had to be stopped because of several deaths.

New method uses immune cells against blood cancer
For some years, a new immunotherapy against blood cancer is being researched. In this so-called "T-cell therapy" T-cells of the own immune system are used to specifically target malignant cells in patients with advanced leukemia. The cells removed from the blood are genetically modified in the laboratory so that they can detect blood cancer cells, attack them directly and finally destroy them completely. The new method is already traded as a new "miracle cure" for aggressive cancers - but apparently the treatment method is not without risk.

The US regulator FDA had to temporarily discontinue a clinical study on T-cell tumor therapy. Previously, three subjects had died during the project. (Image: crevis / fotolia.com)

As the magazine "Technology Review" reported in its online edition, a clinical test in the US even had to be stopped because of several deaths. Thus, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) food and drug administration (FDA) discontinued Juno Therapeutics' trial after three patients died of toxic reactions.

Pretreatment led to brain swelling
The Seattle-based biotech company ROCKET was asked to evaluate the safety and efficacy of JCAR015 therapy in at least 50 subjects with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. The treatment is being tested on adults who have already had three or four leukemia relapses. The likelihood of complete control of cancer is very low in these cases, which justifies risky treatment. However, the three subjects did not die from the altered T cells, Juno Therapeutics said. Instead, pretreatment with fludarabine has resulted in deadly brain swelling.

Study is now continuing
"Everyone here comes to work to develop therapies that help people, but that brings humility to all of us here," quotes Juno boss Hans Bishop of the magazine "Technology Review." The share of the company had fallen in the meantime by more than 30 percent after becoming aware of the deaths. Meanwhile, the FDA has allowed the continuation of the research project ROCKET, the report continues. However, the planned for 2017 approval is probably no longer achievable.

According to the company, the procedure has worked in previous Juno leukemia studies in 8 out of 10 patients. But the medication is very strong and the intervention in the immune system is associated with risks. Therefore, T-cell therapy requires continuous development. "I do not think these incidents reduce the long-term potential of genetically engineered T cells," said Michel Sadelain of the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York, according to the magazine. (No)