A relapsed B-acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Patient with Low CD19 Density
Achieved Remission with a Low Dose of Blinatumomab After Repeated CAR-T
Cell Failure: a case report
Abstract
Patients were still at a high risk of relapse after achieving complete
remission by CAR-T therapy. The mechanisms underlying CD19+ relapse
still remain to be further clarified in B-acute lymphoblastic leukemia
(B-ALL). We reported a patient with B-ALL who relapsed at nine months
after allogeneic stem cell transplantation. After two times of
autologous anti-CD19 CAR-T infusion treatment, he recured with CD19 MRD
positive the third time. CD19 antigen density was assessed for
recurrence after a second CAR- T infusion and was found to be
decreasing. The patient obtained MRD-negative (sCR4) on day 7 of
treatment with the initial dose of Blinatumomab and remained negative
throughout the four courses of maintenance treatment. Our case
demonstrates that patients with CD19 + relapsed MRD treated with
CD19-targeted CAR-T are still effective with low-dose Blinatumomab. The
secondary infusion of CAR-T with 4-1BB domain may reduce the density of
CD19 target antigen on the surface of tumor cells, resulting in the
short maintenance of PFS. Treatment with Blinatumomab may not depend on
CD19 target antigen density. Blinatumomab as a Bispecific T engager may
act as an adaptor to improve T cell and CAR-T responses for patients
relapsed after CAR-T therapy, which explained one possible cause of
relapse after secondary CAR-T infusion and provided reference for
salvage treatment strategies after CAR-T relapse.