Researchers Report CAR-T Cell Therapy Success in Severe Autoimmune Disease Case

Fabian Müller, a hematologist-oncologist at the University Hospital of Erlangen in Germany, treated a 47-year-old mother of two who had been battling three severe autoimmune diseases. These conditions caused her body to attack components of her blood.

By the start of 2025, she had been hospitalized in Dresden, Germany, for more than two months, receiving multiple immunosuppressive drugs and up to three daily red blood cell transfusions to manage a disease flare.

Her care team had attempted nine separate treatments, none of which succeeded. In early 2025, they contacted Müller, whose team has been conducting experimental CAR-T cell therapies for autoimmune diseases. CAR-T therapy involves reengineering T cells, a type of immune cell, into chimeric antigen receptor T cells that target and eliminate specific cells, such as B cells implicated in autoimmune responses.

The patient received the CAR-T treatment early in 2025. Since then, she has returned to a mostly normal life and has not required hospital stays for many months. The patient requested anonymity to protect her privacy, as reported by Müller.

cell therapy was first trialed for autoimmune diseases in 2021, after its initial development for cancer treatment.

Small studies and ongoing clinical trials, including those referenced in Nature, indicate that many patients with autoimmune diseases achieve remission following the treatment. Some patients remain in good health without medications years after receiving CAR-T therapy.

Autoimmune diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis and type 1 diabetes, involve the immune system attacking healthy cells for reasons that remain poorly understood.

Traditional management relies on immunosuppressive drugs, but no method has previously achieved permanent correction of the immune response. CAR-T therapy aims to eliminate malfunctioning B cells, allowing the body to regenerate healthy ones.

team published findings on this case, the most complex autoimmune application of CAR-T to date, in a paper in Cell Medicine.

Early experiments, including those led by Müller's group, suggest the therapy can induce prolonged remission after a single treatment. Researchers note uncertainties regarding the duration of remission and potential long-term side effects. The treatment's application to autoimmune diseases builds on its cancer success, where it has shown efficacy in targeting specific cells.

Ongoing trials continue to evaluate its safety and effectiveness across various autoimmune conditions. This case highlights potential for broader use, though further studies are needed to confirm outcomes.