Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-Cell Therapy for Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma

CD19 chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CAR-T) therapy, a genetically engineered cell therapy, showed unprecedented efficacy in the treatment of relapsed or refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. Two agents, axicabtagene ciloleucel and tisagenlecleucel, were approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 2017. However, CAR-T therapy is a treatment with complex logistics and high costs, as well as inherent adverse events, including cytokine-release syndrome and neurotoxicity. In addition, predictive biomarkers for efficacy and toxicity are lacking. Industry-academy cooperation is urgently required to develop CAR-T therapy that is effective, safe, and affordable for patients in Korea. (