Risk-Adapted Preemptive Tocilizumab Decreases Severe Cytokine Release Syndrome (CRS) after CTL019 CD19-Targeted Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR) T-Cell Therapy for Pediatric B-Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (B-ALL)

Patients (pts) receiving CTL019 (tisagenlecleucel) for B-ALL with high tumor burden (HTB) are at high risk for developing severe CRS. Tocilizumab, an IL-6 receptor antibody, is a vital component of severe CRS management; however, its role in preventing severe CRS is not known. We sought to determine the effectiveness of preemptive tocilizumab (PT) administration in decreasing the rate of grade (gr) 4 CRS in HTB pts.

Source: Biology of Blood and Marrow Transplantation - January 24, 2020 Category: Hematology Authors: Regina M. Myers, Stephan Kadauke, Yimei Li, Colleen A. Callahan, Whitney Gladney, Julie C. Fitzgerald, Lisa Wray, Allison Barz Leahy, Diane Baniewicz, Laura S. Motley, Regina McGuire, Vikram Shenoy, David M. Barrett, David T. Teachey, Shannon L. Maude, Am Tags: 49 Source Type: research