Description
This education is designed to increase the confidence of frontline clinicians in their understanding of the evolving technologies and clinical aspects of cellular therapies as well as inform them of how to access clinical trials for such therapies for potentially eligible patients. At the same time a growing number of patients are expressing interest in this new field and frontline clinicians need to be confident in their ability to counsel such patients.
The Basic and Clinical Immunology for the Busy Clinician live and virtual series of meetings has for over a decade been dedicated to translating the many advances in basic and clinical immunology for busy clinicians who lack ready access to ongoing immunologic education. The field of cellular therapy is now at the pinnacle of immunologic interest and thus we are proposing a new dedicated forum to meet the educational needs of busy clinicians to increase their declarative and procedural knowledge regarding cellular therapies including learning how to access cellular therapy trials for their patients.
The rapid advancements in CAR-T cell therapy and other cellular therapies for autoimmune diseases have created a pressing need for clinicians to stay informed and confident in this evolving field. The complexity of these therapies, combined with their potential to revolutionize treatment protocols, demands a focused educational effort. This Town Hall will provide clinicians with the knowledge and tools necessary to effectively guide their patients through these innovative treatment options and emerging clinical trials.
Learning Objectives
- Explain the evolution of cell-based immunotherapy by describing how CAR-T technology has transformed treatment paradigms from traditional pharmacologic management to immune system reprogramming and discuss its emerging role in achieving durable remission in autoimmune diseases.
- Compare and contrast autologous versus allogeneic (off-the-shelf) CAR-T cell therapies, identifying key differences in manufacturing, accessibility, scalability, and safety that influence therapeutic selection and clinical implementation.
- Assess current clinical evidence supporting off-the-shelf CAR-T and CAR-NK therapies in systemic autoimmune diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus, systemic sclerosis, and immune-mediated necrotizing myopathy, focusing on safety outcomes, immune reconstitution, and remission durability.
- Critically appraise translational and clinical challenges in the development and delivery of scalable cell-based immunotherapies, including potential risks of graft-versus-host disease, immune rejection, and genotoxicity, and evaluate strategies to mitigate these barriers.
- Incorporate evolving immune reset strategies into clinical practice and research design, recognizing how in vivo CAR-T engineering and allogeneic platforms may enhance accessibility, reduce cost, and expand the reach of transformative therapies for immune-mediated disorders.
Target Audience
The online series is directed to physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, and nurses with an interest in rheumatology, immunology, neurology, nephrology, and dermatology.
Accreditation
In support of improving patient care, this activity has been planned and implemented by Cleveland Clinic Center for Continuing Education. Cleveland Clinic Center for Continuing Education is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.
Physicians / American Medical Association (AMA)
Cleveland Clinic Center for Continuing Education designates this internet enduring activity for a maximum of 0.50 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
Participants claiming CME credit from this activity may submit the credit hours to the American Osteopathic Association for Category 2 credit.
Nurses / American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC)
Cleveland Clinic Center for Continuing Education designates this internet enduring activity for a maximum of 0.50 ANCC contact hours.
Physician Assistants / American Academy of PAs (AAPA)
Cleveland Clinic Center for Continuing Education has been authorized by the American Academy of PAs (AAPA) to award AAPA Category 1 CME credit for activities planned in accordance with AAPA CME Criteria. This activity is designated for 0.50 AAPA Category 1 CME credits. PAs should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation.
Certificate of Participation
A certificate of participation will be provided to other health care professionals for requesting credits in accordance with their professional boards and/or associations.
Activity Director and Faculty
Activity Directors
Cassandra Calabrese, DO
Department of Rheumatic and Immunologic Diseases
Medical Specialty Institute
Cleveland Clinic
Cleveland, OH
Leonard H. Calabrese, DO
Professor of Medicine
Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine of Case Western Reserve University
R.J. Fasenmyer Chair of Clinical Immunology
Department of Rheumatic and Immunologic Diseases
Medical Specialty Institute
Cleveland Clinic
Cleveland, OH
M. Elaine Husni, MD, MPH
Director, Arthritis and Musculoskeletal Treatment Center
Vice Chair of Rheumatology
Department of Rheumatic and Immunologic Diseases
Medical Specialty Institute
Cleveland Clinic
Cleveland, OH
Emily Littlejohn, DO
Department of Rheumatic & Immunologic Diseases
Medical Specialty Institute
Cleveland Clinic
Cleveland, OH
Additional Planners
Debra Kangisser, PA-C
Clinical Affairs, PA Services
Cleveland Clinic
Cleveland, OH
Elizabeth (Betsy) Kirchner, DNP
Department of Rheumatic & Immunologic Diseases
Medical Specialty Institute
Cleveland Clinic
Cleveland, OH
Independent Peer Reviewer
Elizabeth File, MD
Faculty
Daniel J. Baker, PhD
Center for Cellular Immunotherapies,
Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine
Cardiovascular Institute
University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine
Philadelphia, PA
Disclosures
In accordance with the Standards for Integrity and Independence issued by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), Cleveland Clinic Center for Continuing Education mitigates all relevant conflicts of interest to ensure CME activities are free of commercial bias. All relevant financial relationships have been mitigated.
The following faculty have indicated that they may have a relationship, which in the context of their presentation(s), could be perceived as a potential conflict of interest:
| Cassandra Calabrese, DO |
| Astra Zeneca |
Consulting (Ended: 06/01/2024)
Teaching and Speaking (Ended: 06/01/2024) |
| Lilly |
Consulting (Ended: 12/01/2023) |
| Pfizer |
Consulting (Ended: 07/01/2023) |
| Sarofi-Regererun |
Consulting
Teaching and Speaking |
| Leonard Calabrese, DO |
| Astra Zeneca |
Teaching and Speaking |
| GSK |
Consulting |
| Sanofi Aventis |
Consulting |
| Genentech/Roche |
Consulting
Advisor or review panel participant
Teaching and Speaking |
| Novartis |
Consulting |
| UCB |
Consulting
Teaching and Speaking |
| Janssen |
Consulting
Teaching and Speaking |
| Abbvie Pharmaceuticals |
Consulting |
| M. Elaine Husni, MD |
| Lilly |
Consulting
Advisor or review panel participant |
| Amgen |
Consulting
Advisor or review panel participant |
| Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. |
Consulting
Advisor or review panel participant |
| Novartis Pharmaceuticals |
Consulting
Advisor or review panel participant
Teaching and Speaking |
| Pfizer, Inc. |
Advisor or review panel participant |
| UCB, Inc. |
Consulting |
| Janssen |
Consulting
Advisor or review panel participant |
| Regeneron |
Consulting (Ended: 01/01/2024)
Advisor or review panel participant (Ended: 01/01/2024) |
| Abbvie Pharmaceuticals |
Consulting
Advisor or review panel participant |
| National Psoriasis Foundation |
grant support to the project
Research |
| Elizabeth Kirchner, DNP |
| Lilly |
Consulting (Ended: 06/29/2023) |
| Pfizer |
Consulting (Ended: 11/09/2023) |
| Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc. |
Consulting (Ended: 12/07/2023) |
| RhAPP |
Teaching and Speaking (Ended: 09/30/2024) |
| Emily Littlejohn, DO |
| Synthekine |
Consulting |
| Aurinia Pharmaceuticals |
Teaching and Speaking (Ended: 12/31/2023) |
All other individuals have indicated no relationship which, in the context of their involvement, could be perceived as a potential conflict of interest.
Acknowledgment
The Cleveland Clinic Center for Continuing Education acknowledges educational grants for partial support of this activity from:
Fate Therapeutics Inc.
Mylan Inc., a Viatris Company
Thank you to our Platinum Level exhibitors:
Abbvie
Bristol Myers Squibb
Sanofi
This CME activity was produced by the Cleveland Clinic Foundation Center for Continuing Education and Cleveland Clinic’s R.J Fasenmyer Center for Clinical Immunology.
