Kymriah Infusion Process

Kymriah Infusion Process

The Kymriah infusion process involves the following steps:

1. Leukapheresis: Blood is collected from the patient, and the white blood cells, including T-cells, are separated from the blood.

2. T-cell activation and genetic modification: The patient’s T-cells are genetically modified in a laboratory to express a chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) that targets and binds to a specific antigen (CD19) present on the surface of cancer cells.

3. Cell expansion: The CAR T-cells are allowed to multiply and grow in the laboratory until enough cells are produced for the treatment.

4. Lymphodepleting chemotherapy: The patient receives a short course of chemotherapy to deplete their existing immune cells, making room for the modified CAR T-cells to proliferate and function effectively.

5. Infusion: The expanded CAR T-cells are infused back into the patient’s bloodstream through an intravenous (IV) line. This process typically takes a few hours.

6. Monitoring: The patient is closely monitored for potential side effects, such as cytokine release syndrome (CRS) and neurological toxicities, which can be life-threatening but are manageable with appropriate care.

After the infusion, the CAR T-cells circulate in the patient’s body, recognize and bind to the CD19 antigen on cancer cells, and initiate an immune response to kill the cancer cells.

Kymriah is currently approved for the treatment of certain types of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) in specific patient populations.