Three Chinese patients with severe autoimmune diseases have gone into remission after receiving treatment with bioengineered, CRISPR-modified immune cells derived from donors. This is a breakthrough, as it marks the first time donor-derived immune cells, rather than autologous ones, have been used to treat autoimmune disorders. The treatment involved chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cells, commonly used for blood cancers, and it showed promising results. One recipient, Mr. Gong, who suffers from systemic sclerosis, reported significant improvement in just three days. This development may pave the way for mass manufacturing of CAR-T therapies, reducing costs and production time for treating autoimmune diseases. However, further research is needed to assess long-term risks.
Source : CGTN