International Journal of Medical Advances and Discoveries

International Journal of Medical Advances and Discoveries | Vol. 17, No. 2, February 2026 | pp. 10–18

DOI: 10.46882/2026/IJMAD/000113

Review Article

Title: Therapeutic Potential of CAR-T Cell Therapies in Autoimmune Pathologies: Current Clinical Trials and Mechanistic Insights

Names of Authors: Elena S. Petrova¹, Hans-Werner Schmidt²

Authors’ Affiliations: ¹Department of Immunology, Pavlov First Saint Petersburg State Medical University, St. Petersburg, Russia; ²Institute for Cellular Therapeutics, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany

Abstract: Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy has altered treatment frameworks within hematological oncology. Recently, this cellular platform has been repositioned to target autoreactive B-lymphocyte populations driving refractory autoimmune diseases. This review synthesizes early clinical trial data and mechanistic frameworks detailing the use of CD19-targeted CAR-T cells in severe, treatment-resistant systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), systemic sclerosis, and idiopathic inflammatory myositis. Clinical data from pilot cohorts indicate that a single infusion of anti-CD19 CAR-T cells leads to rapid, deep depletion of tissue-resident B cells, achieving complete clinical remission without sustained immunosuppressive maintenance. Systemic disease activity indexes, including the SLEDAI-2K, dropped from a baseline mean of 16.4 ± 2.8 to 0 within 3 months post-infusion. Autoantibody profiles, such as anti-double-stranded DNA (anti-dsDNA), systematically converted to negative. Mechanistic tracking demonstrates that following the clearance of CAR-T cells, newly emerging B cells show a completely naive phenotype with restored immune tolerance, avoiding relapse. Cytokine release syndrome (CRS) occurred predominantly at mild grades (Grade 1 or 2 in 72% of cases) and responded well to tocilizumab. CAR-T cell therapies offer a promising pathway for inducing long-term drug-free remission in severe autoimmune pathologies.

Keywords: CAR-T cell therapy, Systemic lupus erythematosus, Autoimmunity, B-cell depletion, Immune tolerance, Cytokine release syndrome

Manuscript Timeline: Received: November 11, 2025; Revised: December 29, 2025; Accepted: January 14, 2026; Published: February 18, 2026

Citation: Petrova, E. S., & Schmidt, H. W. (2026). Therapeutic Potential of CAR-T Cell Therapies in Autoimmune Pathologies: Current Clinical Trials and Mechanistic Insights. International Journal of Medical Advances and Discoveries, 17(2), 10–18. doi.org

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