THE DOCTORS OF HADASSAH FOUND A WAY TO TREAT MULTIPLE MYELOMA WITH CAR-T THERAPY
The new technique is already undergoing the first phase of clinical trials at the Hadassah hospital, and several patients are taking part in the study. This invention is a real breakthrough in the treatment of myeloma, as until now it was impossible to completely cure it.
The effectiveness of the new method
Although it is too early to discuss the final results of the study, the process is proceeding well and has all the prospects for a successful completion: in the course of laboratory studies using this technique, the condition of 6 patients who were not helped by other treatment methods was significantly improved.
The safety and effectiveness of the new technique was confirmed by a special commission consisting of the leading Israeli hematologists and hemato-oncologists.
The Hadassah Hospital is ready to put patients from anywhere in the world on the waiting list for participation in clinical trials on the multiple myeloma with CAR-T treatment.
Hadassah is the only hospital in Israel to provide treatment for multiple myeloma with CAR-T therapy.
Who is the new treatment method suitable for?
Candidates for CAR-T therapy are patients with recurrent myeloma after 3 lines of drug treatment or with a refractory course of the disease.
For more information, consultation with prof. Stepensky or to register for a clinical study on the myeloma with CAR-T treatment, please contact our employees.
The essence of the method
The use of T cells with chimeric antigen receptor (CAR-T) is based on a mechanism that differs from all existing therapies. More than 20 clinical studies have been conducted on the use of CAR-T in multiple myeloma, demonstrating that it can be used to achieve positive results in the treatment of patients with relapsed or refractory disease. Moreover, the acceptability of the therapy was satisfactory.
In the Hadassah hospital, the procedure is absolutely transparent, patients receive detailed information about each stage of the study.
The Hadassah hospital has received accreditation for the use of CAR-T therapy from the well-known transnational pharmaceutical corporation NOVARTIS and the leading Israeli company GILAD.
Cost of CAR-T at the Hadassah hospital
The price of the procedure is an essential advantage of the hospital. By comparison, CAR-T costs $ 1 million in the US. In Europe, CAR-T costs about 400,000 euros, but for Europeans, its cost is covered by health insurance. In Israel, the price is only $ 140,000.
Founders of the new technique
Prof. Polina Stepensky
- Prof. Polina Stepensky,Head of the BMT and Immunotherapy in Children and Adults Department at the Hadassah Hospital and a leading Israeli specialist in bone marrow transplantation;
- Dr. Moshe Gatt, the Israeli leading specialist in the treatment of multiple myeloma, Chairman of the Israeli Association of the Multiple Myeloma Treatment;
- Prof. Cyril Cohen, Head of the Immunotherapy Laboratory at Bar-Ilana University. (Ramat Gan).
Until now, such clinical trials have only been conducted in the United States and China, and American trials have been opened only to citizens of the country.
For more information, consultation with prof. Stepensky or to register for a clinical study on the treatment of myeloma with CAR-T, please contact our staff.
Areas of CAR-T application at the Hadassah hospital
In the hospital, CAR-T therapy has been successfully used for several years to treat children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and adults with large cell lymphoma. Both directions are well developed, which allowed the hospital researchers to devote themselves to expanding the area of this method.
Commonly, the patient is offered CAR-T after two lines of treatment if they are not effective enough. In the hospital, this has become a routine practice; doctors have gained extensive experience in using this technique.
For more information, consultation with prof. Stepensky or to register for a clinical study on the treatment of myeloma with CAR-T, please contact our staff.
The next project of the Hadassah hospital is TCR therapy
This clinical study by Prof. Stepensky will be conducted together with prof. Michal Lotem, Head of the Melanoma Treatment and Cancer Immunotherapy Center. TCR is the treatment of solid tumors by genetically modifying lymphocytes. Statistically, such tumors are much more numerous than hematological, so the prospects of this study can hardly be overestimated. With this technique, the type of tumor is less important, the type of protein or antigen manifested in the neoplasm is more important.
TCR will be investigated for treating
- melanomas
- multiple myeloma
- sarcomas
And many other tumors.
In contrast to the CAR-T method, which affects the malignant antigens that express on the cell surface (only 30% of them), TCR affects the antigens inside the cell (70% of the malignant antigens). Hereby, it is clear what great potential the development of the TCR method has.
