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Table 3 Summary of potential anticytokine agents for CAR-T associated CRS and/or ICANS

From: Mechanisms of cytokine release syndrome and neurotoxicity of CAR T-cell therapy and associated prevention and management strategies

Agent

Target

Application

Mechanism

Stage and clinical trial

Tocilizumab

IL-6

CRS

Blocking IL-6R, inhibiting IL-6, the key cytokine of the CRS

FDA-approved first-line agent for severe CRS [143]

Siltuximab

IL-6

CRS

ICANS

Blocking IL-6

Clinical trial [152]

Corticosteroids

NA

CRS

ICANS

Non-specific anti-inflammatory effects to suppress immune cells

First-line agent for severe and isolated ICANS [156]

Anakinra

IL-1

CRS

ICANS

Blocking IL-1, an important cytokine in CRS and ICANS

Ongoing trials: NCT04148430, NCT04150913, NCT04205838, NCT04432506, NCT04359784, NCT03430011, NCT04227275

Lenzilumab

GM-CSF

CRS

ICANS

Blocking GM-CSF and inhibiting myeloid cells and T cells entering CNS

Ongoing trial: NCT04314843

Ruxolitinib

JAK1/2

CRS

Broadly inhibiting JAK-STAT pathways, the downstream of multiple cytokines

Clinical trial [175]

Itacitinib

JAK1

CRS

Selectively inhibiting the JAK-STAT pathways

Ongoing trial: NCT04071366

Dasatinib

TK

CRS

Blocking the adenosine triphosphate binding sites of LCK, reversibly inhibiting the activation of CAR T-cells

Ongoing trial: NCT04603872

Ibrutinib

ITK

CRS

ICANS

Inhibiting the ITK-induced cytokine release of T cells, monocytes and tumor cells

Ongoing trials: NCT04234061, NCT03331198, NCT03310619, NCT04640909, NCT03570892

Metyrosine

Catecholamine

CRS

Blocking tyrosine hydroxylase to inhibit the synthesis of catecholamine

Preclinical [28]

ANP

Catecholamine

CRS

Inhibiting cytokine secretion

Preclinical [28]

Etanercept

TNF-α

CRS

Blocking TNF-α, an important cytokine in CRS

Clinical trials [29, 192, 193, 225]

Adalimumab

TNF-α

CRS

ICANS

Blocking TNF-α

Preclinical, administered with anti-IL-1β antibody [194]

Extracorporeal cytokine removal

Plasma exchange

Hemofiltration

NA

CRS

ICANS

Removal of pro-inflammatory mediators from the blood

Ongoing trial: NCT04048434

TO-207

mRNA 3′-end

CRS

An mRNA 3′-end processing antagonist, inhibiting the secretion of multiple cytokines

Preclinical [196]

THZ1

CDK7

CRS

Suppressing a set of inflammatory genes, mainly STAT and IL-1

Preclinical [197]

  1. CAR-T Chimeric antigen receptor T cell, CRS Cytokine release syndrome, ICANS Immune effector cell associated neurotoxicity syndrome, IL Interleukin, FDA US Food and Drug Administration, NA Not applicable, GM-CSF Granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor, JAK Janus kinase, STAT Signal transducer and activator of transcription, TK Tyrosine kinase, LCK Lymphocyte-specific protein tyrosine kinase, ITK IL-2-induced tyrosine kinase, TNF-α Tumor necrosis factor-α, CDK7 Cyclin-dependent kinase 7