As many as 1 in 10 people worldwide are affected by autoimmune diseases. The disorders arise when rogue immune cells release antibodies that attack the body’s own tissue. There is no cure, and most treatments only focus on managing symptoms and trying to mitigate further damage. Huji Xu and his team have now developed a cell therapy to target the root cause of autoimmune diseases. His 2024 landmark study, published in Cell, showed that their treatment led to unprecedented long-term remission in three patients with serious treatment-resistant autoimmune diseases. Within days of treatment, all study participants showed significant positive changes in their conditions, including regained mobility and improved organ function. While further study is needed to establish the long-term safety and efficacy in a broader population of patients, Xu’s research marks a huge step forward in treating autoimmune diseases.
Xu’s new therapy, known as allogeneic CAR-T therapy, is the first to use engineered immune cells from healthy donor cells to target the B cells that are mistakenly attacking the body’s own tissues in autoimmune diseases. The method is also less costly and time-consuming than traditional CAR-T therapies that rely on the patient’s own cells. “The biggest advantage of allogeneic CAR-T is that the product can be industrially mass-produced, which ensures quality while reducing costs,” says Xu. “I believe that in the coming years, with the progress of research and development (R&D), allogeneic CAR-T will definitely enter the market and benefit patients.”
Since the groundbreaking study was published in July, Xu and his team have given the therapy, or a modified version, to an additional two dozen patients with positive results. “These studies have changed our clinical practice and benefited patients, which serves as the driving force that keeps us moving forward in scientific research,” says Xu.