Prognostic significance of immune reconstitution following CD19 CAR T‐cell therapy for relapsed/refractory B‐cell lymphoma

Abstract Immune deficits after CD19 chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T‐cell therapy can be long‐lasting, predisposing patients to infections and non‐relapse mortality. In B‐cell non‐Hodgkin lymphoma (B‐NHL), the prognostic impact of immune reconstitution (IR) remains ill‐defined, and detailed cross‐p...

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Main Authors: Sophia Stock, Veit L. Bücklein, Viktoria Blumenberg, Giulia Magno, Alica‐Joana Emhardt, Alessandra M. E. Holzem, David M. Cordas dos Santos, Christian Schmidt, Stefanie Grießhammer, Lisa Frölich, Sebastian Kobold, Michael vonBergwelt‐Baildon, Kai Rejeski, Marion Subklewe
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2025-01-01
Series:HemaSphere
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1002/hem3.70062
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author Sophia Stock
Veit L. Bücklein
Viktoria Blumenberg
Giulia Magno
Alica‐Joana Emhardt
Alessandra M. E. Holzem
David M. Cordas dos Santos
Christian Schmidt
Stefanie Grießhammer
Lisa Frölich
Sebastian Kobold
Michael vonBergwelt‐Baildon
Kai Rejeski
Marion Subklewe
author_facet Sophia Stock
Veit L. Bücklein
Viktoria Blumenberg
Giulia Magno
Alica‐Joana Emhardt
Alessandra M. E. Holzem
David M. Cordas dos Santos
Christian Schmidt
Stefanie Grießhammer
Lisa Frölich
Sebastian Kobold
Michael vonBergwelt‐Baildon
Kai Rejeski
Marion Subklewe
author_sort Sophia Stock
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Immune deficits after CD19 chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T‐cell therapy can be long‐lasting, predisposing patients to infections and non‐relapse mortality. In B‐cell non‐Hodgkin lymphoma (B‐NHL), the prognostic impact of immune reconstitution (IR) remains ill‐defined, and detailed cross‐product comparisons have not been performed to date. In this retrospective observational study, we longitudinally characterized lymphocyte subsets and immunoglobulin levels in 105 B‐NHL patients to assess patterns of immune recovery arising after CD19 CAR‐T. Three key IR criteria were defined as CD4+ T helper (TH) cells > 200/µL, any detectable B cells, and serum immunoglobulin G (IgG) levels >4 g/L. After a median follow‐up of 24.6 months, 38% of patients displayed TH cells, 11% showed any B cells, and 41% had IgG recovery. Notable product‐specific differences emerged, including deeper TH cell aplasia with CD28z‐ versus longer B‐cell aplasia with 41BBz‐based products. Patients with any IR recovery experienced extended progression‐free survival (PFS) (median 20.8 vs. 1.7 months, p < 0.0001) and overall survival (OS) (34.9 vs. 4.0 months, p < 0.0001). While landmark analysis at 90 days confirmed improved PFS in patients with any recovery (34.9 vs. 8.6 months, p = 0.005), no significant OS difference was noted. Notably, 72% of patients with refractory disease never displayed recovery of any IR criteria. Early progressors showed diminished IR at the time of progression/relapse compared to patients with late progression/recurrence (after Day 90). Our results highlight the profound immune deficits observed after CD19 CAR‐T and shed light on the intersection of IR and efficacy in B‐NHL. Importantly, IR was impaired considerably postprogression, carrying significant implications for subsequent T‐cell‐engaging therapies and treatment sequencing.
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spelling doaj-art-47af631fe3324025aa5f5ba4e9f8fe0c2025-08-20T02:11:46ZengWileyHemaSphere2572-92412025-01-0191n/an/a10.1002/hem3.70062Prognostic significance of immune reconstitution following CD19 CAR T‐cell therapy for relapsed/refractory B‐cell lymphomaSophia Stock0Veit L. Bücklein1Viktoria Blumenberg2Giulia Magno3Alica‐Joana Emhardt4Alessandra M. E. Holzem5David M. Cordas dos Santos6Christian Schmidt7Stefanie Grießhammer8Lisa Frölich9Sebastian Kobold10Michael vonBergwelt‐Baildon11Kai Rejeski12Marion Subklewe13Department of Medicine III LMU University Hospital LMU Munich Munich GermanyDepartment of Medicine III LMU University Hospital LMU Munich Munich GermanyDepartment of Medicine III LMU University Hospital LMU Munich Munich GermanyDepartment of Medicine III LMU University Hospital LMU Munich Munich GermanyDepartment of Medicine III LMU University Hospital LMU Munich Munich GermanyDepartment of Medicine III LMU University Hospital LMU Munich Munich GermanyDepartment of Medicine III LMU University Hospital LMU Munich Munich GermanyDepartment of Medicine III LMU University Hospital LMU Munich Munich GermanyDepartment of Medicine III LMU University Hospital LMU Munich Munich GermanyDepartment of Medicine III LMU University Hospital LMU Munich Munich GermanyDivision of Clinical Pharmacology, Department of Medicine IV LMU University Hospital, LMU Munich Munich GermanyDepartment of Medicine III LMU University Hospital LMU Munich Munich GermanyDepartment of Medicine III LMU University Hospital LMU Munich Munich GermanyDepartment of Medicine III LMU University Hospital LMU Munich Munich GermanyAbstract Immune deficits after CD19 chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T‐cell therapy can be long‐lasting, predisposing patients to infections and non‐relapse mortality. In B‐cell non‐Hodgkin lymphoma (B‐NHL), the prognostic impact of immune reconstitution (IR) remains ill‐defined, and detailed cross‐product comparisons have not been performed to date. In this retrospective observational study, we longitudinally characterized lymphocyte subsets and immunoglobulin levels in 105 B‐NHL patients to assess patterns of immune recovery arising after CD19 CAR‐T. Three key IR criteria were defined as CD4+ T helper (TH) cells > 200/µL, any detectable B cells, and serum immunoglobulin G (IgG) levels >4 g/L. After a median follow‐up of 24.6 months, 38% of patients displayed TH cells, 11% showed any B cells, and 41% had IgG recovery. Notable product‐specific differences emerged, including deeper TH cell aplasia with CD28z‐ versus longer B‐cell aplasia with 41BBz‐based products. Patients with any IR recovery experienced extended progression‐free survival (PFS) (median 20.8 vs. 1.7 months, p < 0.0001) and overall survival (OS) (34.9 vs. 4.0 months, p < 0.0001). While landmark analysis at 90 days confirmed improved PFS in patients with any recovery (34.9 vs. 8.6 months, p = 0.005), no significant OS difference was noted. Notably, 72% of patients with refractory disease never displayed recovery of any IR criteria. Early progressors showed diminished IR at the time of progression/relapse compared to patients with late progression/recurrence (after Day 90). Our results highlight the profound immune deficits observed after CD19 CAR‐T and shed light on the intersection of IR and efficacy in B‐NHL. Importantly, IR was impaired considerably postprogression, carrying significant implications for subsequent T‐cell‐engaging therapies and treatment sequencing.https://doi.org/10.1002/hem3.70062
spellingShingle Sophia Stock
Veit L. Bücklein
Viktoria Blumenberg
Giulia Magno
Alica‐Joana Emhardt
Alessandra M. E. Holzem
David M. Cordas dos Santos
Christian Schmidt
Stefanie Grießhammer
Lisa Frölich
Sebastian Kobold
Michael vonBergwelt‐Baildon
Kai Rejeski
Marion Subklewe
Prognostic significance of immune reconstitution following CD19 CAR T‐cell therapy for relapsed/refractory B‐cell lymphoma
HemaSphere
title Prognostic significance of immune reconstitution following CD19 CAR T‐cell therapy for relapsed/refractory B‐cell lymphoma
title_full Prognostic significance of immune reconstitution following CD19 CAR T‐cell therapy for relapsed/refractory B‐cell lymphoma
title_fullStr Prognostic significance of immune reconstitution following CD19 CAR T‐cell therapy for relapsed/refractory B‐cell lymphoma
title_full_unstemmed Prognostic significance of immune reconstitution following CD19 CAR T‐cell therapy for relapsed/refractory B‐cell lymphoma
title_short Prognostic significance of immune reconstitution following CD19 CAR T‐cell therapy for relapsed/refractory B‐cell lymphoma
title_sort prognostic significance of immune reconstitution following cd19 car t cell therapy for relapsed refractory b cell lymphoma
url https://doi.org/10.1002/hem3.70062
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