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News
Real-world data backs up the clinical trial results for liso-cel in mantle cell lymphoma. Two separate analyses totaling over 150 patients with relapsed or refractory MCL showed overall response rates of 85–89% and complete response rates of 75–82%, closely mirroring the pivotal TRANSCEND NHL 001 trial. Notably, results held even in older patients and those with significant comorbidities who would have been excluded from trials.
Real-world data is confirming what clinical trials suggested: liso-cel (lisocabtagene maraleucel), the FDA-approved CAR T-cell therapy for relapsed or refractory mantle cell lymphoma (MCL), works just as well outside the controlled trial setting. Two analyses presented at SOHO 2026 — one involving 121 patients and another involving 34 — showed strikingly consistent outcomes, with overall response rates of 85–89% and complete response rates of 75–82%.
What makes these findings especially compelling is who was in the real-world cohorts. Patients were older (median ages of 71–74 years), many had significant comorbidities, and over half in the larger study would have been ineligible for the original clinical trial. Despite that, response rates remained robust. Infections were a notable concern, occurring in 24–38% of patients, with late infections (beyond day 30) highlighting that risk doesn't disappear after the initial monitoring window.
By the Numbers:
Why it matters: For clinicians, this real-world validation is crucial — it means liso-cel's benefits extend to the broader, more complex patient population seen in everyday practice, not just the healthier patients who typically enroll in trials. Long-term infection surveillance and structured survivorship care remain essential components of post-CAR T management.
