Tisagenlecleucel for treatment of children and young adults with relapsed/refractory B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

The treatment landscape for cancer therapy has changed drastically over the past decade. Tisagenlecleucel, the first genetically engineered adoptive cellular therapy approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration, has revolutionized this field by demonstrating impressive clinical success in children and young adults with relapsed/refractory B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (r/r B-ALL). Now 3 years since its approval, we have gained a deeper understanding on the basic immunobiology and clinical efficacy of this drug. This review will provide an updated summary of tisagenlecleucel in childhood and young adults with r/r B-ALL, common side effects and their associated management strategies, as well as barriers that remain to be addressed in order to realize the maximum potential of this drug.