Cell-based therapies relying on chimeric antigen receptor T-cells (CAR-T) have been proven effective against some hematologic tumors and they are currently approved for the treatment of several B cell malignancies. The success of this therapeutic strategy has increased the interest of clinicians and researchers in finding new CAR-T applications beyond the field of oncology. In this context, a recent study has shown that B cell depletion driven by CD19 CAR-T cells improve disease manifestations in patients with refractory SLE. However, the therapeutic application of this approach is restricted to the most aggressive forms of the disease, where the benefits on the survival of the patient significantly overcome the concomitant risks derived from the chronic B cell aplasia and hypogammaglobulinemia induced by CD19 CAR-T treatment.

This project endeavors to create innovative therapies based on chimeric T-cell receptors, specifically engineered to target pathogenic autoantibody-producing B cells in SLE while preserving non-autoreactive counterparts. This targeted approach aims to offer a safe and tailored treatment with minimized off-target effects, potentially extending its applicability to a broader spectrum of SLE patients.