The Scleroderma Research Foundation is deeply saddened by the report on the deaths of three participants who developed a rare and severe inflammatory complication in clinical trials of a CAR T-cell therapy for autoimmune diseases. Please join us in extending heartfelt condolences to their families and loved ones. We recognize that this news is also greatly concerning to people living with systemic sclerosis, particularly those participating in or considering clinical research.
CAR T-cell therapy remains an investigational approach with potentially transformative benefits. Its scientific and early clinical promise does not lessen the gravity of these deaths or the obligation to understand them fully. These events underscore the importance of conducting clinical research in closely monitored clinical trials and allowing the evidence to guide the path forward.
The SRF is fully committed to supporting rigorous, responsible research across a broad range of therapeutic approaches and to keeping the scleroderma community informed as reliable information becomes available. Overall, we are strongly encouraged by the broader momentum in autoimmune disease research and clinical development—including B-cell depletion and immune-system “reset.”
