Chimeric Antigen Receptor T Cell Therapies and Bispecific Antibodies in Hematologic Malignancies

About this Research Topic

Background

In recent years, the therapeutic landscape for hematological malignancies has undergone a profound transformation, driven by the development and regulatory approval of innovative immunotherapies. A landmark achievement occurred in 2017 with the first approval of chimeric antigen receptor T cell (CAR-T) therapy for relapsed/refractory acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). CAR-T therapy involves the genetic engineering of a patient’s autologous T cells to enable precise targeting and eradication of cancer cells, representing a paradigm shift in personalized cancer treatment. Concurrently, bispecific antibodies (BsAbs) have emerged as a groundbreaking therapeutic modality, designed to simultaneously engage tumor cells and immune effector cells, thereby eliciting a robust anti-tumor immune response. Since their introduction, multiple CAR-T therapies and BsAbs have received regulatory approval, demonstrating remarkable clinical efficacy in treating a range of hematological malignancies, including high response rates and durable disease remission in a subset of patients. These advancements highlight the transformative potential of immunotherapies in redefining treatment paradigms, offering new hope for patients with historically poor prognoses. However, challenges such as toxicity, resistance, and accessibility remain, underscoring the need for continued research and innovation in this rapidly evolving field.

This research topic aims to elucidate the mechanistic foundations of CAR-T therapies and bispecific antibodies (BsAbs), with a particular focus on their clinical applications in multiple myeloma, acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), and non-Hodgkin lymphoma. The primary objective is to provide a comprehensive analysis of their individual efficacy, safety profiles, limitations in broader clinical implementation, and the synergistic potential of combination therapies. By exploring these critical aspects, this research seeks to address key knowledge gaps, optimize therapeutic protocols, and identify strategies to overcome existing barriers. Furthermore, the study aims to evaluate emerging trends, such as next-generation CAR-T designs and novel BsAb formats, to enhance their clinical utility. Ultimately, this research endeavors to advance the field, contributing to the development of safer, more effective, and widely accessible therapeutic strategies for patients with hematological malignancies.


We invite contributions that address, but are not limited to, the following themes:
1. Mechanistic insights into CAR-T cell engineering, BsAb design, and their modes of action in targeting hematological malignancies.
2. Clinical efficacy and safety profiles of CAR-T therapies and BsAbs in multiple myeloma (MM), acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), and non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL).
3. Limitations and challenges, including toxicity management, resistance mechanisms, and barriers to broad clinical implementation.
4. Combination therapies integrating CAR-T cells, BsAbs, and other immunotherapies to enhance therapeutic outcomes.
5. Emerging innovations, such as next-generation CAR-T designs (e.g., armored CAR-T, dual-targeting CAR-T) and novel BsAb formats (e.g., trispecific antibodies).
6. Strategies to improve accessibility, scalability, and cost-effectiveness of these therapies in diverse healthcare settings.


Please note: Manuscripts consisting solely of bioinformatics, computational analysis, or predictions of public databases which are not accompanied by validation (independent clinical or patient cohort, or biological validation in vitro or in vivo, which are not based on public databases) are not suitable for publication in this journal.

Article types and fees

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Case Report
• Clinical Trial
• Editorial
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• ... View all formats

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Article types

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Case Report
• Clinical Trial
• Editorial
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Review
• Systematic Review
• Technology and Code

Keywords: chimeric antigen receptor T cells, bispecific antibodies, hematologic malignancies, efficacy, limitations, combination therapies

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.

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