CAR-T cells are effective in reducing autoantibodies in myasthenia gravis

German researchers have developed and tested CAR-T cells using serum from patients with myasthenia gravis:

• this novel cell therapy aimed to enable effector cells to recognise the alpha-1 and beta-1 subunits of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (NAChR),
• this led to a depletion of the B lymphocytesC’est une catégorie de globules blancs. Ces petites cellules au noyau arrondi et volumineux sont impliquées dans les aspects spécifiques des réactions immunitaires. Il existe deux catégories de lymphocytes les lymphocytes B (qui secrètent les anticorps) et les lymphocytes T. responsible for producing autoantibodies against the nAChR,
• a consequent reduction in circulating anti-nAChR autoantibodies was observed, as was a lower presence of these antibodies at the neuromuscular junction itself.

This work perfectly illustrates the great potential of this approach combining cell and gene therapies in refractory forms of RAch-related myasthenia gravis. The next steps will involve testing the method on patients themselves.

Engineered Bi-Specific AChR CAAR T Cells for Selective Elimination of Myasthenia Gravis B Cells. von Wardenburg N, Spagni G, Reincke SM et al. Res Sq [Preprint]. 2026 Mars.