Many autoimmune diseases are driven by abnormal B cells, which can produce anti-self antibodies and also dysregulate other immune system components.Earlier reports have indicated that the oncology drug teclistamab (Tecvayli), which targets B-cell maturation antigen (BCMA) and the CD3 protein, was helpful in a small number of autoimmune disease patients.These new studies, involving a total of 18 patients, confirmed that teclistamab holds substantial promise as an off-the-shelf treatment for refractory autoimmune diseases.
Prospects are growing that an approved, off-the-shelf drug can rescue patients with certain ultra-refractory autoimmune diseases, a pair of new reports suggest.
Among 18 patients with various autoimmune conditions treated with teclistamab (Tecvayli), 11 achieved "major clinical responses" and four others saw at least some improvement -- and that was with their previous meds completely discontinued, according to Tobias Alexander, MD, of Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin in Germany, and colleagues.
Some of these patients kept their major responses for 18 months or more, with follow-up ongoing, the researchers reported in Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases. On the other hand, one of the responders -- a patient with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) -- relapsed after 8 months, and two with heart-involved systemic sclerosis (SSc) died within a few weeks of receiving teclistamab. Severe infections related to depressed antibody production were also seen.
