in 2026, medical breakthroughs sometimes include uses of technology that sound like the stuff of science fiction stories. Among those breakthroughs is CAR T therapy, a form of genetic engineering that involves using a patient’s own genetic material to help treat a physical condition. Initially, CAR T therapy was used to treat cancer, but more recently the techique has been expanded to treat other conditions, such as lupus.
A paper published earlier this month in the journal Med chronicles another use of this form of genetic therapy: helping someone address autoimmune conditions. That is indeed “conditions” and not “condition” — the patient described in the paper had been diagnosed with three distinct conditions: autoimmune hemolytic anemia (AIHA), immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) and antiphospholipid antibody syndrome (APLAS).
In an article on the study for Nature, Edward Chen reports that the patient’s combination of diagnoses led to lengthy periods where she was in serious pain, sometimes to the extent to which she was unable to leave her bed. (The paper notes that she was given this treatment “on the basis of compassionate use.”) What is most notable here, however, is that the patient has thrived since receiving the genetic treatment.
Revisiting the Conference That Shaped Genetic Engineering
In 1975, the Asilomar Conference changed a field of research, and provided guidance for other thorny scientific debatesAs the University of Pennsylvania’s Carl June, an expert on immunotherapy, told Nature, the combination of conditions the patient faced could have been fatal. “[T]here’s no cure other than treatment with long-term, high-dose steroids,” June told Nature — and in this patient’s case, steroids had not been effective. Treating her with modified T-cells, however, has proven effective, with the patient’s symptoms being absent more than a year after her treatment. It’s encouraging news for future usage of this technique.
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