The Role of CAR T-Cells in Changing the Therapeutic Algorithm in Autoimmune Neurology*
Date: October 17, 2026
Time: 5:00 pm to 6:30 pm
Room: Pacific Jewel Ballroom
Track: Plenary - Opening Symposium
Session Description
CAR T-cell therapy is emerging as a transformative treatment for patients with refractory autoimmune neurological disorders, including myasthenia gravis, multiple sclerosis, stiff-person syndrome, NMOSD, autoimmune encephalitis, and autoimmune neuropathies. This session will provide an overview of CAR T-cell therapy, including its development, mechanisms of action, and therapeutic potential. Faculty will review how these therapies target B cells, their capacity to induce durable responses, and their potential to alter the treatment paradigm in autoimmune neurology.
The session will also highlight the latest clinical data and ongoing studies evaluating autologous CAR T-cell therapies.
Learning Objectives
At the conclusion of this session, attendees will be able to:
- Discuss the efficacy, long-term outcomes, and potential complications of CAR T-cell therapies in refractory autoimmune neurological disorders.
- Explain the mechanisms of action of CAR T-cell therapies and how they differ from existing immunotherapies.
- Evaluate the risks and benefits of CAR T-cell therapies across a range of autoimmune neurological conditions.
Speakers
- (Chair, Speaker) Marinos Dalakas, MD, PhD, FAAN, FANA
- (Co-Chair) Francesca Bagnato, MD, PhD
- (Speaker) Scott Zamvil, MD, PhD, FAAN, FANA
- (Speaker) Josep Dalmau, MD, PhD, FANA
The Role of CAR T-Cells and Why They Promise to Change the Therapeutic Algorithm in Autoimmune Neurology: Experience from Stiff Person Syndrome and Myasthenia Gravis
Description
In this presentation, Dr. Dalakas will describe what are the CAR T-cells, how they are produced, how they work providing long-term benefits even reversing chronic disability in patients with autoimmune neurological disorders, and why they promise to change the therapeutic algorithm in patients with refractory Autoimmune Neurological Disorders. Highlighting the experience from the completed trial in 26 patients with stiff person syndrome and the ongoing trials in Myasthenia gravis.
CAR-T Cell Treatment in CNS Autoimmunity
Description
In this presentation, Dr. Zamvil will discuss how chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cells are being advanced for treatment of CNS autoimmune diseases and for many other conditions. Certain types of CAR-T cells, e.g. anti-CD19 and anti-BCMA CAR-T cells promote systemic depletion of B cells at different stages of B cell differentiation, whereas other approaches, e.g. SynNotch-based CAR-T cells, provide means to deliver anti-inflammatory molecules to the CNS selectively. Dr. Zamvil will describe those approaches for treatment of CNS autoimmunity.
CAR T-Cell Therapy in Autoimmune Encephalitides and Insights into Neurotoxicity Risk in Oncology Patients
Description
In this presentation, Dr. Dalmau will examine the emerging role of CD19 CAR T-cell therapy in autoimmune encephalitis refractory to conventional immunotherapies, focusing on the definition of refractory disease and the encephalitis subtypes most likely to require this approach. It will also examine pre-treatment risk factors for neurotoxicity in oncologic patients receiving CD19 CAR T-cell therapy and their impact on clinical outcomes.
