CAR-T cells : indications actuelles en pédiatrie et perspectives de développement

CURRENT INDICATIONS IN CHILDREN AND PERSPECTIVES: Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is the first cause of cancer in children. Five-year overall survival is greater than 90% but leukemia remains a major cause of death from cancer in children. A new class of immunotherapy based on a chimeric antigen receptor "CAR" targeting the CD19 on the B leukemic cells and that is transduced in an autologous or allogenic T lymphocyte will allow to transform the prognosis of refractory or relapsed B-ALL. Overall response rates range from 60 to 90% in phase I-II studies in patients with second relapse or more or with refractory disease. Persistent remissions and even cures have been observed. These very good results could lead to use this treatment in first line for patients with very high-risk disease. However, CAR-T cells production, costs and adverse events management represent major issues for the future of this therapeutic. The occurrence of CD19 negative relapses has led to develop bispecific CAR-T cells. Allogeneic CAR would permit to obtain a "CAR garage" off the shelf available from the diagnosis. Perspectives for CAR-T cells are immense but will involve technological progresses around the CAR conception and production, leading to further improve results in leukemias (ALL but also AML) and lymphomas and hopefully to the emergence of efficacy in childhood solid tumors. Cet article fait partie du numéro supplément Les cellules CAR-T : une révolution thérapeutique ? réalisé avec le soutien institutionnel des partenaires Gilead : Kite et Celgene.