Clinical Impact Forum CAR-T Cells for Autoimmune Diseases

ABOUT THE WEBINAR

Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy has revolutionized the treatment of hematological cancers, and exciting research is now exploring its potential in autoimmune diseases like systemic lupus erythematosus. Join us for a dynamic panel discussion featuring a clinician-scientist, a regulatory expert, and a patient/advocate who will share the real-world challenges faced by those living with these conditions.

Together, we’ll explore how CAR T-cells may offer new hope for patients with autoimmune diseases, the mechanisms behind their action, and the critical unmet needs they aim to address. We’ll also discuss the regulatory hurdles specific to CAR T-cell therapy in this field, and what’s needed to bring these treatments to patients. Don’t miss this opportunity to gain insights into one of the most promising developments in autoimmune disease treatment. 

KEY LEARNING OBJECTIVES

  • Understand the potential of CAR T-cell therapy in treating autoimmune and explain the mechanisms behind its action in these conditions.
  • Analyze the unmet clinical needs in autoimmune disease treatment and evaluate how CAR T-cell therapy could address these challenges.  
  • Identify the key regulatory considerations for CAR T-cell therapy in autoimmune diseases, and discuss the steps required to move these treatments from research to clinical practice.
  • Discuss the impact of autoimmune diseases on patient’s daily lives by identifying key physical, emotional and social challenges. 
 WEBINAR CO-CHAIRS

Thane Kubik, MD, MS, FCAP, FRCPC
Cellular Therapy Fellow
University of Minnesota
United States

Thane completed a Master's of Science at the Rockefeller University in New York City while on a Fulbright Fellowship. He completed medical school at the University of British Columbia and then AP/CP residency at the University of Calgary. He completed his transfusion medicine fellowship at Mayo Clinic and is currently a cellular therapy and regenerative medicine fellow at the University of Minnesota. He will be joining Alberta Precision Labs as transfusion and cell therapy physician in July and will oversee standard-of-care and investigational products. 

Theodros (Teddy) Mamo, MD, PhD
Resident Physician
University of Minnesota
United States

Teddy obtained his MD/PhD degree from the Mayo Clinic and is currently wrapping up a combined training in Clinical Pathology and Transfusion Medicine with a focus on Cell and Gene Therapies. Prior to this, he completed a Pediatric internship and a Post-doctoral fellowship in Cellular Therapy. For the last five years, he has trained under the mentorship of Dr. David McKenna, the Medical Director of the GMP facility at the University of Minnesota that supports a range of Cell and Gene therapy INDs. He has experience working with approved products and clinical trials, including gene-edited hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs), CAR-T cells and NK cells as well as various levels of expertise in developing tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs), Tregs and MSCs.  

 WEBINAR SPEAKERS

Fabian Müller, MD
Professor; Senior Attending Physician and Head of the CAR-T Cell Unit
University Hospital Erlangen 
Germany

Prof. Müller obtained his MD in Freiburg, Germany and started his clinical education in Hamburg. With a focus on targeting malignant B cells from his early research career he did a postdoctoral fellowship with Dr. Ira Pastan, at the NCI on resistance to CD22-targeted therapy in ALL and aggressive lymphoma. After his post-doc he continued the work on B cell targeting in Erlangen, Germany using first antibody directed therapies and then CAR T cells with a focus on immunologic questions. As head of the CAR T cell unit he pioneers CAR T cell therapies in novel indications including solid tumors but also rheumatologic diseases. 

Simona Stankeviciute, MD, MSc
Vice President, Technical
Parexel
Lithuania

Simona Stankeviciute, MD, MSc, has a background in clinical and regulatory research and development. Dr. Stankeviciute's professional experience includes working as a clinician at the Hospital of Lithuanian University of Health Sciences Kauno klinikos, Clinical Expert for the European Medicines Agency (EMA) and served as an alternate member of the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP). Currently she works at Parexel where she provides regulatory and clinical expertise, optimizing product development programs and serving as a trusted advisor to clients. During both her time at the agency and Parexel, she is working on a number of Cell and Gene projects. 

Jacquie Hellowell
CAR-T Recipient and Patient Advocate with Blood Cancer UK
United Kingdom

"At 18, I started my working life as a Biomedical Scientist in Haematology. I was diagnosed with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus at 27 and had an anti-dsDNA at >300 in 2018.

In 2019, at 57, I was diagnosed with Diffuse Large B Cell Lymphoma and received 4 lots of chemotherapy and radiotherapy treatments, meaning that I had 2 relapses. After the 2nd relapse, I was privileged to be selected to have CAR-T cell therapy.

My T cells were trained to kill the cancerous B cells, and I was given them back on 16/2/22 (an exciting day as a former Biomedical Scientist!). My cells did their big job in 28 days! My clinician told me I was in the Goldilocks zone (not too hot, not too cold) after 2 weeks and I am still in the Goldilocks zone now over 3 years later. In addition, my dsDNA is now at 20 so no Lupus treatment needed.

I do lots of voluntary work as a CAR-T advocate with Blood Cancer UK, and I was the Patient Case Study in their Action Plan presented at Westminster in September 2024."