Will Patient Deaths Derail the CAR-T Train in Autoimmune Disease?

Two major pharmaceutical companies have reportedly paused clinical trials of CAR-T cell therapies in lupus and other autoimmune inflammatory diseases following severe adverse events, including patient deaths. The safety signals raise questions about the risk-benefit profile of repurposing CAR-T — originally developed for hematologic cancers — in non-oncology indications where the disease is not immediately life-threatening. The developments could influence regulatory scrutiny and public perception of the broader CAR-T platform, including its established oncology applications.