A 47-year-old woman bedridden with autoimmune hemolytic anemia, immune thrombocytopenia, and antiphospholipid syndrome has achieved complete remission after CAR-T cell therapy at University Hospital Erlangen in Germany. Treated by Fabian Müller after nine failed therapies, she recovered rapidly and remains healthy over a year later without medication—the first simultaneous treatment of multiple autoimmune diseases with this method.
Fabian Müller at University Hospital Erlangen treated the patient, whose conditions—triggered over a decade ago during pregnancy—destroyed red blood cells, targeted platelets, and raised clotting risks despite blood thinners. Previously requiring daily transfusions and immune suppressants that failed, she was bedridden. "She was deathly sick and bedridden... seven days later, she got out of bed," Müller said. One week post-infusion, transfusions stopped; two weeks later, she felt stronger; three weeks after, hemoglobin, platelets normalized, and clotting risk reduced. Eleven months (over a year) later, "She’s perfectly fine," Müller confirmed.
"The really crazy thing is that you have three autoimmune diseases, and all three... you can tackle with one treatment," Müller noted. The therapy engineers patient's T-cells to deplete rogue B-cells producing harmful antibodies, pioneered by his team for autoimmunity in 2022 from cancer applications. CAR-T cells cleared without compromising long-term immunity; healthy B-cells regenerated.
"The treatment has been extremely efficient... significantly improved her quality of life," Müller added. Cristina Pascual of Spain's GEPTI called it "further proof that CAR-T therapy can reset the immune system." Reuben Benjamin at King’s College London praised: "For a therapy that’s very powerful to have very few side effects... is pretty remarkable." Jun Shi at Chinese Academy cautioned: "Longer follow-up is needed before anyone can speak confidently about cure."
Promising for lupus, MS, colitis, asthma with fewer side effects than in cancer (less cell death). Minor issues from prior drugs. Costs $200k-$600k upfront but saves long-term. Early trials underway, including in Spain (Ramón y Cajal for RA, Sjögren's, lupus). Controlled studies needed.