Patient dies in Bristol Myers Squibb autoimmune CAR-T trial, raising safety concerns

Bristol Myers Squibb reported that a participant in its Phase 1 CAR-T study for multiple sclerosis died. The trial was testing an investigational CAR-T therapy aimed at autoimmune disease.

The patient developed motor symptoms that did not improve with standard autoimmune treatments. After receiving a potent immunosuppressant, the individual contracted septic pneumonia and subsequently died, according to the company’s press release.

The fatality adds to growing safety concerns surrounding CAR-T approaches for autoimmune conditions. Bristol said it had already paused the study after observing transient inflammatory events in earlier surveillance, and the incident may prompt further scrutiny of the technology.