Abstract
T cells, genetically modified to express chimeric antigen receptors (CAR T), successfully used in hemato-oncologic malignancies, are showing promising and sustained benefits in refractory autoimmune neurological diseases, including Myasthenia Gravis, stiff-person syndrome, neuromyelitis optica, myositis, autoimmune neuropathies, and multiple sclerosis. Several reported patients with a steadily progressive disease and evolving disability unresponsive to available therapies, including rituximab and new biologics, after 2-3 months of treatment with CARs targeting CD19-positive, antibody-secreting, long-lived plasma cells, and plasmablasts exhibit impressive, long-lasting, and drug-free clinical improvements with the potential for immune reset shifting immunity to a healthy state without the need for continuing more immunotherapy cycles. The review discusses what the unmet needs are with the present neuroimmunotherapeutics pointing out the disease stage and patient subsets for which CAR T-therapy is most suitable highlighting that CAR T should be applied in the early stages of disability development when patients reach early-active/refractory status rather than waiting for very late disease progression when neurological deficits might be irreversible. The future trajectory of CAR T cells is also described as a promising means destined to change the present therapeutic algorithm in all neuro-autoimmunites, even offering a promising path toward a cure, pointing out that, in contrast to currently approved biologics that selectively target one immunoregulatory factor, CD19 CAR T cells exert effects even beyond B cells, cross the blood-brain barrier and lymphoid tissues, and expand as "living cells" to memory cells ensuring sustained long-term benefits. Key therapeutic uncertainties and practicalities are however highlighted, including the exact duration of CAR T-cell therapy-induced drug-free remissions, logistical challenges, economic limitations, and the need for extensive collaborative efforts with experts in specialized clinical centers.