Highlight
– ZUMA-8 is a phase 1 clinical trial evaluating brexucabtagene autoleucel (brexu-cel), a CD19-directed CAR T-cell therapy, in patients with relapsed/refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia (R/R CLL).
– Among 15 heavily pretreated patients, the overall response rate was 47%, with complete responses in 7%, notably higher responses observed in patients with low tumor burden.
– Safety signals were consistent with known CAR T-cell toxicities, including cytokine release syndrome and neurologic events, with one dose-limiting toxicity observed.
– CAR T-cell expansion correlated inversely with pre-leukapheresis lymphocyte counts, suggesting tumor burden may influence therapeutic kinetics.