CART- T Cells: The Future of Pediatric ALL
Friday, 12 November 2021 | 17:00 - 18:00 ( UTC+8 | SGT )
For Health Care Professionals
SYNOPSIS
CAR-T cells : the future of pediatric ALL?
The marketing authorization of tisagenlecleucel, a 2nd generation of CD19-directed CAR T-cells, containing the 4-1 BB co-stimulatory domain, in 2017 in USA and in 2018 in EU, has revolutionized the therapeutic strategy in advanced B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) in children, adolescents and young adults (AYAs) with relapsed or refractory disease. This innovative treatment, based on a “living drug”, has shown very impressive short-term responses. However, safety profile and complex logistics require high expertise centers and tight collaborations between addressing and treating centers. Current research is exploring the possibility to move to first line ALL with high-risk features and/or first high-risk relapse. More efficient CAR T-cells products, are still awaited to counteract the clonal escape mechanisms which have emerged. Moreover, to define the bridge-to-CAR for each patient remains a challenge to obtain optimal disease burden allowing expansion and persistence of CAR T-cells. Also difficult is to identify patients who will need a further therapy after infusion, such as allogeneic HSCT or may be immuno-modulatory treatment. Finally, CAR T-cells directed against T-ALL are only in their beginning but require a more complex engineering process to avoid T-cell immune-deficiency or fratricide. The future of this form of immunotherapy seems bright but the financial toxicity emerges as a major hurdle to equity in access for children an AYA with ALL.
Medical professionals in Singapore may eligible for CME/CPE/CNE credits for attending this webinar.
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SPEAKER
Prof Andre Baruchel
Head of Pediatric Hematology Department
Hôpital Saint-Louis
Paris
André Baruchel, MD, is Professor of Pediatrics at the Université de Paris and head of Pediatric Hematology-Immunology Department at the University Hospital Robert Debré (AP-HP) in Paris, France. After medical studies at University Paris Descartes, André Baruchel has been trained in Pediatric Haemato-Oncology as a fellow in the Saint-Louis Hospital. He specialized in the field of pediatric leukemias both on the laboratory aspects (MRD studies, clonal evolution) and clinical research finally becoming the leader of the FRench Acute Lymphoblastic LEukemia Group (FRALLE) with a special interest in the adolescent. He is the coordinator of the French national ALL protocol (CAALL-F01). He is also involved in the new drugs field and became a member of the Innovative Therapies for Children with Cancer (ITCC) consortium executive board. Over the last years he particularly focused on the CAR-T cells area, Robert Debré Hospital being the first authorized center for pediatrics in France. He has served as a member of the International Member Committee of the American Society of Hematology (ASH) and has been a 10 year-member of the Data Safety Monitoring Committee of the Children’s Oncology Group (COG).
CHAIR:
Assoc Prof Allen Yeoh
Head & Senior Consultant, Division of Paediatric Haematology and Oncology
Khoo Teck Puat - National University Children's Medical Institute, National University Hospital
Head & Senior Consultant, Division of Paediatric Haematology and Oncology,
National University Cancer Institute, Singapore
Associate Professor, Department of Paediatrics,
Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore
Viva-Goh Foundation Associate Professor
Viva-Goh Foundation Associate Professor Allen Yeoh is a Senior Consultant and Associate Professor in Division f Paediatric Haematology and Oncology, Khoo Teck Puat-National University Children's Medical Institute, NUH and Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, NUS. He trained in NUS and NUH and obtained his clinical and research fellowship in St Jude Children's Research Hospital.
A/Prof Allen Yeoh's interest is in childhood leukaemia. He is currently the principal investigator of the multi-centre Malaysia-Singapore ALL and AML trials competitively funded by NMRC and A*STAR/Singapore Cancer Syndicate. Currently these trials have been highly successful with > 80% and >60% projected cure. He is the first Singapore doctor to receive the American Society of Haematology Merit Award for his pioneering work in gene expression profiling in leukaemia. This work was one of the highest cited article in this field for 2003.
A/Prof Yeoh is also the recipient of numerous National and International Awards including Singapore Youth Award 2002, NUS Office of Life Sciences Award 2002, Asian Innovation Award (Gold) 2003, the NMRC-BMRC Clinician Scientist Award from 2005 to date, the NUHS-Mokhtar Riady Pinnacle Award 2013 (Translational Research Innovator Award) and the National Medical Excellence Awards 2014 (National Outstanding Clinician Scientist Award). 