CAR-t cell therapy helps patients recover mobility from stiff person syndrome

Researchers at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, United States, used CAR-T cell therapy to treat patients with stiff person syndrome (SPS).

This immunotherapy trains the body's immune system to identify and destroy disease-causing cells. While the National Health Service in the United Kingdom currently approves CAR-T therapy for certain cancers, the treatment is still undergoing medical research for other conditions.

The study, published in Jama Neurology, involved patients who suffered from SPS, a rare autoimmune neurological condition that causes physical stiffness in the body, spine, arms, and legs. Two trial participants regained essential daily functions after receiving a single dose of the treatment. One participant, Jonathan Walden, previously relied on his family for help with walking and daily tasks but resumed working and participating in hobbies like hunting and fishing after the procedure.

Another participant, Shari St Germain, who faced severe leg cramps and muscle rigidity, reported being able to walk on a treadmill again after her symptoms stopped responding to standard treatments. Dr. Anastasia Zekeridou and Dr. Sean Pittock from the Mayo Clinic stated that while existing treatments can improve symptoms, they rarely help patients return to their previous level of function. They noted that the results offer a new avenue for treating autoimmune neurologic diseases.

Because SPS affects about 8,000 people worldwide, researchers plan to conduct larger trials to see if these improvements last over time.