OHC is the first, most experienced, and only certified independent adult cancer practice in the region – and among the very few independent oncology groups in the U.S. – to bring chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy (CAR-T) for adults with aggressive blood cancers, ushering in a new frontier in the fight against cancer.

CAR-T is one of the most exciting and promising cancer treatment breakthroughs in recent years. CAR-T has shown dramatic results in patients who had few options and little hope and are now experiencing life in remission.

OHC’s Team of CAR-T Experts

  • OHC doctors are the first adult cancer experts in the region certified to offer this advanced treatment to adults.
  • All staff involved in prescribing, dispensing or administering CAR-T therapy have received special training to recognize and manage treatment side effects and nervous system toxicities that may occur.

 

Dr. Essell, CAR-TThe OHC CAR-T team is led by James H. Essell, MD, who is a leading authority on blood and marrow stem cell transplants. Dr. Essell is a national expert and author who is leading the CAR-T program for The US Oncology Network as its Medical Director of Cellular Therapies. Dr. Essell also serves as the Medical Director of The Jewish Hospital — Mercy Health Cincinnati Cancer and Cellular Therapy Center and as a principal investigator for OHC blood cancer and cellular therapy clinical trials.
Dr. Broun, CAR-TE. Randolph Broun, MD, is a leading expert in the treatment of blood cancers. Dr. Broun is well-known for his advocacy work regarding payment reform and his outspoken support for community oncology practices and their patients. He serves as principal investigator for OHC leukemia clinical trials.
Dr. Ohlmayer, CAR-TMiguel Islas-Ohlmayer, MD, is a leader in the treatment of blood cancers and specializes in blood and marrow stem cell transplantation. He is actively involved in cancer research and serves as principal investigator for OHC lymphoma clinical trials.
Kruti Patel DOKruti Patel, DO is a leading medical oncologist, hematologist, and bone marrow transplant specialist. With a passion for cancer research, she contributes to innovation in the field of oncology through active involvement in clinical trials and serves as principal investigator for OHC myeloma clinical trials.

 

CAR-T is a type of immunotherapy that stimulates the body’s immune system to fight cancer. It uses genetically engineered immune T-cells to recognize specific proteins on tumor cells.

  • Thousands of T-cells are extracted from the patient (autologous), or a donor (allogeneic) and reengineered in a lab to produce special receptors on their surface that fight and kill cancer cells.
  • The reengineered cells are multiplied until there are millions and then infused back into the patient.
  • The cells continue to then multiply on their own in the patient’s body. These cells will recognize and kill cancer cells and help guard against recurrence.

Learn how CAR-T works in the infographic below:

CAR-T immunotherapy infographic

 

Eligible Patients

CAR-T provides another cancer treatment option when standard treatments are not effective. Adult patients with relapsed (came back after remission) or refractory (treatment-resistant) diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), follicular lymphoma, mantle cell lymphoma, multiple myeloma, B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), and chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) who have failed two or more types of cancer therapy may be eligible. CAR-T clinical trials may also be available for other blood cancers or solid tumors. If you are interested in CAR-T, please call OHC at 1-800-710-4674.

FDA-Approved CAR-T Offerings at OHC

  • ABECMA (idecabtagene vicleucel): OHC was one of the first provider/hospital groups in Ohio to provide ABECMA for adult patients with relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma after four or more prior lines of therapy.
  • BREYANZI (lisocabtagene maraleucel): OHC participated in the clinical trial that was instrumental in gaining FDA approval for this therapy for adults with relapsed/refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma after two or more lines of systemic therapy.
  • KYMRIAH (tisagenlecleucel): For the treatment of adults with relapsed/refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma.
  • TECARTUS (brexucabtagene autoleucel): For the treatment of adults with relapsed/refractory mantle cell lymphoma & ALL.
  • YESCARTA (axicabtagene ciloleucel): For the treatment of adults with relapsed/refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma or follicular lymphoma after two or more lines of systemic therapy.
  • *CARVYKTI (Ciltacabtagene autoleucel, cilta-cel): For the treatment of adults with multiple myeloma who relapsed or did not respond to four or more prior therapies. *Coming soon

Location:

OHC Kenwood
4777 E. Galbraith Road, Suite 320*
Cincinnati, Ohio 45236
*Located in The Jewish Hospital – Mercy Health

For more information about CAR-T, please call OHC at 1-800-710-4674.

CAR-T Clinical Trials at OHC

Not all patients diagnosed with a blood cancer experience a response from traditional treatments. Others aren’t eligible for treatments due to other medical conditions they have. For these patients, OHC is one of only five adult cancer groups in Ohio to offer chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy (CAR-T) for adult cancer patients, a revolutionary treatment that’s changing the world’s approach to cancer.

OHC has been treating patients with aggressive blood cancers with CAR-T since 2018. During this time, almost half have experienced remission, offering a viable option where there was once no hope. OHC has expanded the use of CAR-T to more patients through its nationally-recognized clinical trials and research program.

Presently, OHC offers the following CAR-T clinical trial:

ANTLER: A phase 1, multicenter, open-label study of CB-010, a CRISPR-edited allogeneic anti-CD19 CAR T-cell therapy in patients with relapsed/refractory B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

OHC Cancer Research Experts Remain at the Forefront of CAR-T Research.

CAR-NK Cell Clinical Trials – OHC will soon offer three clinical trials utilizing natural killer (NK) cells. NK cell is a specialized immune effector cell type that plays a critical role in immune activation against abnormal cells. Different from events required for T-cell activation, NK cell activation is governed by the interaction of NK receptors with target cells, independent of antigen processing and presentation.

Soon, OHC will expand the use of CAR-T for other B-cell malignancies and solid tumors, including breast and lung cancer.

Frequently Asked Questions About CAR-T

The following are frequently asked questions about CAR-T:

Q: How does CAR-T therapy work?
CAR-T is a type of immunotherapy that stimulates the body’s immune system to fight cancer. It uses genetically engineered immune T-cells to recognize specific proteins on tumor cells.

  • Thousands of T-cells are extracted from the patient or a donor and reengineered in a lab to produce special receptors on their surface that fight and kill cancer cells.
  • The reengineered cells are multiplied until there are millions and then infused back into the patient.
  • The cells continue to then multiply on their own in the patient’s body. These cells will recognize and kill cancer cells and help guard against recurrence.

Q: Who is eligible for CAR-T therapy?
CAR-T provides another cancer treatment option when standard treatments are not effective. Adult patients with relapsed (came back after remission) or refractory (treatment-resistant) diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), follicular lymphoma, mantle cell lymphoma, multiple myeloma, B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), and chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) who have failed two or more types of cancer therapy may be eligible. CAR-T clinical trials may be available for other blood cancers or solid tumors. If you are interested in CAR-T, please call OHC at 1-800-710-4674.

Q: Why is CAR-T therapy limited to certain blood cancers?
To date, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved CAR T-cell therapy for adult patients with certain types of blood cancers. OHC is conducting multiple clinical trials to test CAR-T therapies for other types of cancer.

Q: Are telemedicine consults available for CAR-T therapy?
In unique circumstances, OHC blood and marrow transplant specialists may offer a telemedicine consult to assess a patient’s eligibility.

Q: Where is CAR-T therapy available?
CAR-T is provided by OHC’s blood and marrow transplant specialists at the OHC Kenwood office. Patients who are eligible for CAR-T treatment and live outside the Cincinnati area may be able to schedule a consult with our CAR-T transplant experts via telemedicine.

Q: Why doesn’t my oncologist provide CAR-T therapy?
OHC’s transplant experts worked diligently to meet the rigorous criteria set by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in order to offer this revolutionary treatment, which is why OHC is one of only five adult cancer groups in Ohio to offer CAR-T to adults with cancer. It’s another example of OHC’s ongoing commitment to bringing leading-edge treatments to patients in the region.

Q: How can I enroll in a CAR-T clinical trial?
All patients are welcome to meet with a member of the OHC research team to learn more about CAR-T clinical trials and help you determine if a CAR-T clinical trial is right for you. Call 1-800-710-4674 to speak with a team member or request an appointment.

Q: Will insurance cover CAR-T therapy?
OHC’s team of financial navigators will help you verify coverage.

Q: How can I learn more about CAR-T therapy?
If you would like to learn more about CAR-T, click Request An Appointment or call OHC at 1-800-710-4674 and ask to speak with someone about CAR T-cell therapy.