On March 5, 2021, The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced it has approved the use of axicabtagene ciloeucel (YESCARTA, Kite, a Gilead Company) for the treatment of adult patients with relapsed or refractory follicular lymphoma (FL) after two or more lines of systemic therapy. This is the second chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy approved for FL and the first for indolent FL.
CAR T cell therapy provides engineered molecules called chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) that recognize and destroy antigens present on the surface of lymphoma cells. T cells are removed from patients and genetically modified to produce CARs. The genetically engineered CAR T cells are grown in the laboratory until they number in the billions and are then infused back into the patient.
For more information on the FDA approval of axicabtagene ciloeucel (YESCARTA), visit the FDA’s website. To learn more about FL, visit the Follicular Lymphoma Learning Center.
Understanding the CAR T Cell Therapy Process
CAR-T cell therapy provides engineered molecules called chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) that recognize and destroy antigens present on the surface of lymphoma cells. T cells are removed from patients and genetically modified to produce CARs. The genetically engineered CAR-T cells are grown in the laboratory until they number in the billions and are then infused back into the patient. Learn more >