CAR T-cell therapy puts lupus into remission in pioneering NHS trial
Five lupus patients in England have entered remission following an NHS trial of CAR-T cell therapy, which genetically modifies patients' own T cells to destroy the rogue B cells driving the autoimmune disease. The trial, led by University College London Hospitals, enrolled nine patients with severe lupus who had not responded to prior treatments, with five of the first six lower-dose patients still in remission after more than 18 months. The results, presented at the EULAR European Congress of Rheumatology, raise the prospect of a one-time treatment that could eventually replace lifelong medication for lupus and potentially other autoimmune diseases.
An early NHS trial at University College London Hospitals has produced striking results for patients with severe lupus, with five of the first six treated patients remaining in remission following a single course of CAR-T cell therapy. The treatment works by harvesting millions of a patient's own T cells, genetically engineering them in a laboratory to target B cells — the immune cells that go rogue in lupus and produce antibodies that attack the body — and reinfusing them. Once inside the body, the modified T cells destroy both rogue and healthy B cells; months later, new healthy B cells regrow, effectively resetting the immune system. Nine patients in total were recruited, all with severe lupus unresponsive to prior treatments; six received a lower dose and three a higher dose, with the higher-dose group followed for only three months so far. One of the six lower-dose patients experienced a lupus flare after 11 months, but the remaining five are still well after more than 18 months. Patient Katie Tinkler, 52, who had suffered severe organ damage including near-kidney failure, says she is now off all lupus medication and has skied for the first time in a decade. Researchers caution that larger studies are needed to confirm durability and broader efficacy, and note the treatment currently involves chemotherapy as part of the process; however, they say the approach could also be applied to other autoimmune conditions such as multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis.
What's missing
The sources do not detail the full cost of CAR-T cell therapy per patient or the timeline and conditions under which it might become widely available on the NHS, which are significant practical barriers given the therapy's current expense in oncology settings. The trial's small size and lack of a control group are inherent limitations that the sources acknowledge only briefly.
How coverage differed
The Guardian framed the story primarily as a 'medical breakthrough' and potential 'cure,' emphasising the NHS institutional context and quoting researchers' most optimistic language. The BBC took a slightly more cautious tone, foregrounding uncertainty about how long remission will last and including a patient quote about not knowing the treatment's durability, while also broadening the story to highlight potential applications in other autoimmune diseases.
What different sources said
Lupus patients in England in remission after pioneering NHS trial of GM therapy
- BBC Top StoriesCenter
'I've never been this good' – revolutionary immune reset puts lupus in remission
- BBCCenter
'I've never been this good' – revolutionary immune reset puts lupus in remission
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