A biology teacher has become the first patient in the UK to receive a revolutionary CAR T-cell therapy for multiple sclerosis (MS), in a clinical trial at University College London Hospital (UCLH). Emily Henders, 37, from Bushey, Hertfordshire, was diagnosed with MS on Christmas Eve 2021 after experiencing tingling in her hands. Despite taking one of the most effective medications, she suffered four debilitating relapses.
The CAR T-cell treatment, which is custom-built for each patient, involves genetically engineering the patient's own T cells to recognise and kill B cells that cause damage in MS. The therapy was administered via a three-minute infusion. Ms Henders reported feeling “really good” afterwards, with restored energy and no side effects such as nausea or fever.
Ms Henders, a mother of two young sons, described her relapses as progressively worse, including a frightening episode where she could not stand up and was taken away by ambulance. She hopes the therapy will prevent future relapses and the need for a wheelchair, a common outcome for MS patients.
Consultant haematologist Claire Roddie said the goal is to achieve long-term remission with a single treatment, potentially allowing patients to stop all other drugs. Caitlin Astbury of the MS Society called it a potential “gamechanger”. The global trial aims to recruit up to 18 patients by early 2027.
