A grandfather who was diagnosed with leukaemia a decade ago is now free of the disease thanks to an innovative treatement at Manchester's Christie Hospital. Robin Edwards, 66, is one of the first people in the UK to be given CAR-T therapy for chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CCL).
He recieved it as part of a trial run by a team at the University College of London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and UCL in collaberation with the UK-based CAR-T cell therapy company, Autolus Therapeutics.
Robin, a retired IT specialist from Buxton, underwent the therapy in May last year (2022), which involved 30 days in hospital at The Christie while his body’s own immune system attacked the cancer. Thankfully, it worked and three months after treatment he is in complete remission with no signs of cancer.
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CAR T-cell therapy involves collecting a patient’s own white blood cells (T-cells, responsible for fighting infection), ‘reprogramming’ them in the laboratory to seek and ‘fight’ the cancer cells and give them back to the patient via infusion. This therapy has been available in the UK since 2018 but is currently only licensed for treatment of a small number of aggressive blood cancers.
Patients in the trial have their T cells genetically modified with a new type of CAR (chimeric antigen receptor) called obecabtagene to make an artificial protein called a CD19 on their surface, directing them to specifically recognise cancerous cells.
CLL is the most common type of leukaemia. According to Cancer Research UK data, around 3,800 patients are diagnosed in the UK every year. Patients are commonly diagnosed with relatively asymptomatic disease which is managed with observation although most will ultimately require treatment.
Having first discovered he had cancer in 2012, Robin initially had standard chemotherapy to keep the cancer at bay. In 2016 he signed up for a clinical trial which took him into remission for four years. But when his CLL progressed in 2021, he was offered CAR-T therapy as part of the national ALLCAR19 clinical trial.
The treatment involved taking a sample of Robin’s blood, sending it to a laboratory at the UCL Cancer Institute in London where the T cells were genetically modified over a five-week period. The manufactured blood cells were then then put back into his body through two intravenous infusions.
Robin, who enjoys Morris dancing, gardening and walking explained: “I feel confident and relaxed at The Christie, totally trusting the excellent team who support me. They wanted to treat my CLL early before we got on the back foot and remedial action was needed. I didn’t think CAR-T was on the cards for a patient like me, but thanks to the clinical trial I now have no detectable disease which is fantastic.”
Professor Adrian Bloor, Consultant Haematologist at The Christie, said: “Whilst CAR-T therapy has become established as a standard treatment for some blood cancers, it is uncertain how effective this is for treatment of CLL. Robin is the first CLL patient treated with CAR-T therapy at The Christie and one of just a handful of patients who have been received this treatment for CLL in the UK.
“He has had a terrific response and currently completely clear of the disease, but it is still early days and we will need more follow up to assess how effective this is in the longer term. This is a pioneering treatment and hopefully has the potential to transform the outlook for patients with CLL that doesn’t respond to conventional treatment.”
Any patients interested in taking part in clinical trials should discuss this option with their consultant or GP. Not all patients will fit the criteria for a specific trial. While clinical trials can be successful for some patients, outcomes can vary from case to case.
