A first person has been dosed with the therapy, Descartes-08, for treatment of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). The therapy has previously been used to treat people with myasthenia gravis, a chronic autoimmune disease that causes muscle weakness.
Descartes-08 is different than DNA-based CAR-T cell therapies. It is an autologous mRNA CAR-T therapy targeting B-cell maturation antigen and designed not to require preconditioning (pre-treatment) with chemotherapy. The treatment is purposefully intended to overcome the limitations associated with the need for preconditioning with chemotherapy in conventional, DNA-engineered CAR-T cell therapies for autoimmune diseases.
The Phase 2, open-label study is examining the safety and tolerability of Descartes-08 as an outpatient option without preconditioning chemotherapy for people with moderate or severe SLE (refractory to immunosuppressants) for whom existing therapies fall short. Up to 30 adults are expected to enroll in the study. Continue to follow the Lupus Foundation of America for updates on lupus drug developments and clinical trials.
Disclaimer: Susan Manzi, MD, MPH, serves as Medical Director and National Board Member for the Lupus Foundation of America. She is a consultant for Cartesian Therapeutics, Inc.
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