University College London Hospitals has launched Europe’s first CAR T cell clinical trial for people with light chain amyloidosis, a rare but serious blood disease that affects around 500 people in the UK each year. The early-phase study, called ALARIC, is designed to test whether the immunotherapy can be used safely and effectively in patients whose disease has relapsed or is refractory to standard treatment.
The announcement, published on 7 May 2026, marks a significant step for a condition that can lead to organ failure and has no cure. At present, the standard treatment for AL involves chemotherapy, often delivered weekly for six months, followed by maintenance therapy for up to 18 months. UCLH says the current approach can cause substantial side effects and may leave patients with limited options if treatment stops working.
A targeted approach built on success in related blood cancer
CAR T cell therapy works by collecting a patient’s own T cells and genetically modifying them in a laboratory so they can recognise and destroy abnormal plasma cells that produce amyloid-forming proteins. In AL amyloidosis, those harmful cells express BCMA, the same protein targeted in multiple myeloma, where CAR T treatment has already shown strong results.
According to UCLH consultant haematologist Lydia Lee, the trial is intended to assess whether this highly targeted therapy can eliminate the cells driving the disease. Professor Ashutosh Wechalekar, chief investigator of the study, said the scientific rationale is strong and that the first priority is safety. He added that interrupting the disease at its source could improve both disease control and quality of life.
First patients already treated as study expands
UCLH said three patients have already received CAR T cell therapy as part of the ALARIC trial. The study aims to treat at least 12 patients over the next two years and is expected to open shortly in Leeds as well. For patients with advanced AL amyloidosis, the trial represents one of the few new approaches being tested in a condition where treatment choices remain limited.
The story of Sheffield patient Tim Wiberg illustrates the challenge. He was diagnosed after protein was found in his urine, despite feeling generally well. After six months of chemotherapy, he had only a partial response and later joined the trial. UCLH said he is now recovering at home after receiving his CAR T cells on 2 March, with the treatment producing a marked fall in his lambda light chain levels.
If the approach proves successful, UCLH says CAR T cell therapy could eventually offer patients a single treatment with a high and lasting response, while also giving damaged organs a better chance to recover. For now, the trial remains an early test of whether a therapy transformed by blood cancer care can be extended to one of the UK’s rarest and most difficult-to-treat diseases.
Source: UCLH news release
