Axicabtagene ciloleucel in relapsed or refractory large B-cell lymphoma patients in complete metabolic response

Introduction. Suboptimal CAR T-cell stimulation, expansion, and persistence is of theoretical concern in absence of CD19+ tumor B-cells. Adequate CAR T-cell expansion has been reported in the JULIET study among 7 relapsed or refractory (r/r) large B-cell lymphoma (LBCL) patients who had achieved complete metabolic remission (CMR) before tisagenlecleucel (tisa-cel) infusion. As patients in CMR at time of infusion were excluded from the ZUMA-1 trial, the efficacy of axicabtagene ciloleucel (axi-cel), whose construct and kinetics differ significantly from those of tisa-cel, remains unknown in this population.