August 20, 2026 - Dr. Paramarajan Piranavan & Dr. Izabela Antic (CAR-T Lupus Clinical Trial)

LEXINGTON, Ky. (August 20, 2026) – A UK HealthCare patient who has lived with severe lupus for more than 20 years recently became the second patient in the United States to receive an experimental CAR-T cell therapy through a Phase 2 clinical trial. On this episode of 'Behind the Blue,' Dr. Paramarajan Piranavan, chief of the Division of Rheumatology at UK HealthCare, and Dr. Izabela Antic, the patient's primary rheumatologist and a sub-investigator on the study, explain how the trial came to UK and why researchers are cautiously hopeful about what this approach could mean for patients with severe, treatment-resistant autoimmune disease. CAR-T cell therapy is most often associated with blood cancers. In this study, researchers are testing whether a similar approach can help patients with severe lupus by targeting the B cells that help drive the disease. Dr. Piranavan explains how lupus disrupts the immune system, why some patients become refractory to available treatments and how an "immune reset" could allow the body to rebuild without the same harmful immune memory. The episode also explores what the treatment process requires, including screening, cell collection, genetic modification, chemotherapy, infusion and a 14-day hospital stay for close monitoring. Dr. Antic discusses the patient's decision to participate after years of aggressive disease and failed treatments, while both physicians emphasize that this remains an experimental therapy and that one patient's experience cannot determine whether the treatment will work for others. Also central to this complex clinical trial is the UK Center for Clinical and Translational Science, which has provided extensive support from its research coordinators, clinical research clinics and nurses, and regulatory and finance teams.  Since the study involves multiple areas across UK's research enterprise and hospital system, combining standard patient care with investigational treatment, there are unique challenges that require a multidisciplinary, creative and highly dedicated team. "It has truly involved a herculean effort, and we are all so committed to the success of this clinical trial — not just for this patient but also to bring CAR-T forward as a cutting-edge treatment beyond oncology and thus open up the doors for so many other therapeutic areas," said Dorothy Ross, research coordinator and senior research development director for the CCTS. 'Behind the Blue' is available via a variety of podcast providers, including Apple Podcasts, YouTube and Spotify. Subscribe to receive new episodes each week, featuring UK's latest medical breakthroughs, research, artists, writers and the most important news impacting the university. 'Behind the Blue' is a production of the University of Kentucky. Transcripts for most episodes are now embedded in the audio file and can be accessed in many podcast apps during playback. Transcripts for older episodes remain available on the show's blog page.  To discover how the University of Kentucky is advancing our Commonwealth, click here. This interview has been edited for time and clarity.