Use of CD19-directed CAR T-Cell Therapy in an Infant With Refractory Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia.

Infants with KMT2A-rearranged acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) have historically poor outcomes despite maximal intensification of chemotherapy. Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy has revolutionized our approach to pediatric patients with relapsed/refractory ALL. Unfortunately, infants were excluded from early CAR T-cell trials due to concerns regarding the feasibility of T-cell collection and expansion. Here, we report the use of tisagenlecleucel in an infant with chemotherapy-refractory KMT2A-rearranged ALL. While CAR T-cell therapy was not curative for this patient, collection and expansion of T-cells proved feasible despite prior chemotherapy, he achieved minimal residual disease negative remission with excellent quality of life, and it facilitated a delay in hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.
Competing Interests: C.L.P. has served on an advisory board for Novartis. The remaining authors declare no conflicts of interest.
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