Systemic lupus erythematous (SLE) is a chronic diffuse connective tissue disease with unexplained etiology that can involve multiple systems in the body. SLE is considered as an incurable disease and traditional SLE treatment aims at long-term remission. Glucocorticoids combined with immunosuppressive agents are still the main treatment strategies. Recently, biological agents targeting abnormal immune cells, such as rituximab and belimumab, which deplete B cells have also achieved some success in the treatment of SLE. However, these agents cannot permanently reverse the production of abnormal antibodies as they are unable to eliminate pathogenic long-lived plasma cells. The BCMA-CD19 CAR T-cells are designed to deplete antibody-producing 'root, B cells and plasma cells.
This is a phase I, interventional, single arm, open label, treatment study to evaluate the safety and tolerability of BCMA-CD19 cCAR T cells in patients with relapsed and/or refractory SLE.