ASGCT Podcast Network 03 - Carl June, MD - Giants of Gene Therapy
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Jan 17, 2023 Carl June, MD, a pioneer in immunotherapy and director of the Center for Cellular Immunotherapy at UPenn, shares his groundbreaking journey in gene therapy. He details his transition from engineering to medicine and recounts the pivotal moments that led to FDA approval for CAR T-cell therapy. Dr. June shares inspiring patient stories, discusses future innovations in cell therapies, and addresses the challenges of work-life balance in with scientific careers. He even reveals his passion for extreme biking as a metaphor for perseverance in both life and science.
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Early CAR T HIV Study
- Carl June's lab used CD28 beads to grow T cells from AIDS patients with high viral loads and low T cells, improving growth quality and quantity.
- They discovered CD28 activation downregulates CCR5, reducing HIV pathogenicity, leading to one of the first CAR T cell trials in HIV patients.
Unexpected CAR T Cell Persistence
- Targeting CD19 in B cell cancers induced unexpected tolerance allowing CAR T cells to persist over a decade.
- This long-term persistence was unanticipated given the mouse origin of the CAR antibody domain.
Tocilizumab Saves Patient
- Emily Whitehead, a pediatric ALL patient, developed life-threatening cytokine release syndrome after CAR T therapy.
- Treatment with tocilizumab dramatically reversed her condition, saving her life.