ASH 2021 | Treatment-free intervals decrease T-cell exhaustion
Nora Zieger
• 10 Dec 2021
Nora Zieger, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany, describes strategies to overcome T-cell exhaustion induced by bispecific T-cell engagers (BiTEs) such as blinatumomab. An in vitro system was developed to simulate T-cells being continuously exposed to BiTEs and it demonstrated that overexposure to BiTEs resulted in T-cell exhaustion. BiTE RNA sequencing also showed that intermittent application of the therapy resulted in rejuvenated, reprogrammed T-cells and the findings were validated in an in vivo model, where a treatment-free interval regimen successfully treated acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) in mice. This interview took place at the 63rd ASH Annual Meeting and Exposition congress in Atlanta, GA.
