CAR T-Cell Therapy for Autoimmune Diseases

Introducing a potential paradigm-shift approach to autoimmunity.

We are developing advanced CAR T-cell therapies for
autoimmune diseases.

Kyverna is at the forefront of developing advanced cellular therapies designed to be selective, and durable, with sustained therapeutic effect. Our therapeutic platform leverages T-cell engineering to target the underpinnings of autoimmunity, including chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells.

Kyverna has treated patients with KYV-101 across multiple autoimmune diseases and in multiple sites around the world.1, 2

1. Haghikia A, et al. Lancet Neurol. 2023;22:1104-1105.
2. Data on File. Kyverna Therapeutics

What is cell therapy?

Cell therapy represents a sophisticated approach to treating autoimmune diseases without requiring extreme procedures such as bone marrow or stem cell transplants. This new type of therapy involves engineering immune cells from a patient or healthy donor and infusing those cells to correct an identified defective or pathogenic mechanism. This therapeutic approach may help reset the patient’s immune system and offer sustained therapeutic benefits, eliminating the need for chronic or suboptimal therapies.

inside-kyverna-team

Transforming autoimmune patients’ experience through cell therapies

Using our T-cell engineering platform, we are programming immune cells with instructions to eliminate pathogenic cells in the diseased tissues in which they are exerting their deleterious effects. Our product candidates leverage our deep understanding of the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases and are designed to deliver a rapid, deep, and complete B-cell depletion for potentially sustained, treatment-free remission.

 

01: Patient’s blood is collected and white blood cells (including T cells) are separated.

02: T cells are altered so that they can recognize, attack, and destroy the B cells.

03: Altered T cells are returned back to the patient via an intravenous infusion.

04: The CAR T cells attack B cells, including unhealthy B cells with the goal of helping to control, reduce, or reverse the disease.

05: The aim is for the body to replenish with its own healthy B cells.

Kyverna’s CAR T-Cell therapy holds the promise to change the treatment paradigm for autoimmune diseases

Designed to change the paradigm in the treatment of patients with B-cell driven autoimmune diseases, emerging data from our preclinical and Phase 1 studies have shown KYV-101 to induce deep and complete B-cell depletion.1

Overall, existing approaches to address B-cell driven autoimmune diseases are often limited by either modest effects, leading to resistant and uncontrolled disease, or significant treatment-related morbidity and mortality.

The CAR in KYV-101 was designed by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to improve tolerability and tested in a 20-patient Phase 1 trial in oncology. Results were published by the NIH in Nature Medicine.2 The expected anti-lymphoma activity was associated with a significant reduction of cytokines released.

 

  1. Data on File.
  2. Brudno J et al. Safety and feasibility of anti-CD19 CAR T cells with fully human binding domains in patients with B-cell lymphoma. Nature Medicine 2020;26:270-280.

See how we’re applying CAR T-cell therapy to disease targets