Follicular lymphoma is the second most common type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), diagnosed in around 14,000 new people each year in the US. While treatment options exist, the disease can sometimes return after treatment (relapse) or become resistant to therapy (refractory). On May 15, 2024, the FDA approved a new treatment option called lisocabtagene maraleucel or liso-cel (marketed as Breyanzi by Bristol Myers Squibb) for adults with relapsed or refractory follicular lymphoma.
Liso-cel is a CAR T-cell therapy. CAR stands for Chimeric Antigen Receptor. CAR T-cell therapy involves taking a patient's T cells, a white blood cell important for fighting infection, and modifying them in a lab to recognize and attack cancer cells. In the case of liso-cel, the modified T cells are designed to target a specific protein (CD19) found on the surface of follicular lymphoma cells.
Liso-cel has been granted an FDA accelerated approval, which allows the product to be commercially available for patients while continuing to monitor long-term outcomes in larger clinical trials.
Within the last three years, liso-cel has been approved in the US to treat patients with large B cell lymphoma, chronic lymphocytic leukemia (or small lymphocytic lymphoma), and now relapsed follicular lymphoma after two or more kinds of treatment have not worked or stopped working.
It's important to note that liso-cel is a complex treatment with specific criteria for eligibility. Here are some key things to consider:
Liso-cell joins two other FDA-approved CAR-T therapies for follicular lymphoma: axicabtagene ciloleucel (axi-cel, Yescarta) and tisagenlecleucel (tisa-cel, Kymriah). All three treatments target a protein called CD19 present on lymphoma cells, and have reported high rates of cancer remission with only one infusion. However, they have different safety considerations, and some patients may respond better to one over the others. It's important to consult your doctor to understand which CAR-T therapy might be the best fit for your specific situation.
Liso-cel represents a significant advancement in treatment options for adults with relapsed or refractory follicular lymphoma. Stay updated with the rapid developments in follicular lymphoma research by signing up for the HealthTree Newsletter:
SUBSCRIBE TO THE FOLLICULAR LYMPHOMA NEWSLETTER
Follicular lymphoma is the second most common type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), diagnosed in around 14,000 new people each year in the US. While treatment options exist, the disease can sometimes return after treatment (relapse) or become resistant to therapy (refractory). On May 15, 2024, the FDA approved a new treatment option called lisocabtagene maraleucel or liso-cel (marketed as Breyanzi by Bristol Myers Squibb) for adults with relapsed or refractory follicular lymphoma.
Liso-cel is a CAR T-cell therapy. CAR stands for Chimeric Antigen Receptor. CAR T-cell therapy involves taking a patient's T cells, a white blood cell important for fighting infection, and modifying them in a lab to recognize and attack cancer cells. In the case of liso-cel, the modified T cells are designed to target a specific protein (CD19) found on the surface of follicular lymphoma cells.
Liso-cel has been granted an FDA accelerated approval, which allows the product to be commercially available for patients while continuing to monitor long-term outcomes in larger clinical trials.
Within the last three years, liso-cel has been approved in the US to treat patients with large B cell lymphoma, chronic lymphocytic leukemia (or small lymphocytic lymphoma), and now relapsed follicular lymphoma after two or more kinds of treatment have not worked or stopped working.
It's important to note that liso-cel is a complex treatment with specific criteria for eligibility. Here are some key things to consider:
Liso-cell joins two other FDA-approved CAR-T therapies for follicular lymphoma: axicabtagene ciloleucel (axi-cel, Yescarta) and tisagenlecleucel (tisa-cel, Kymriah). All three treatments target a protein called CD19 present on lymphoma cells, and have reported high rates of cancer remission with only one infusion. However, they have different safety considerations, and some patients may respond better to one over the others. It's important to consult your doctor to understand which CAR-T therapy might be the best fit for your specific situation.
Liso-cel represents a significant advancement in treatment options for adults with relapsed or refractory follicular lymphoma. Stay updated with the rapid developments in follicular lymphoma research by signing up for the HealthTree Newsletter:
SUBSCRIBE TO THE FOLLICULAR LYMPHOMA NEWSLETTER
about the author
Marta Llobet Canela
Marta deeply believes that understanding how your body works is still a privilege today and that knowledge empowers. Leveraging her 9 years of experience in blood cancer, she translates complex medical jargon into easy-to-understand language, helping HealthTree’s mission to support patients stay informed about their disease and confidently participate in meaningful research. Outside of science, she enjoys trying new restaurants and hiking with her dog, Lia.
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