Recruiting
Phase 2

CAR T-Cells

Sponsor:

Cartesian Therapeutics

Code:

NCT07391605

Conditions

Antisynthetase Syndrome

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: All

Age: 18+

Healthy Volunteers: Not accepted

Interventions

Descartes-08

Placebo

Study Details

Brief summary:

This is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase 2 study to evaluate the efficacy, safety and tolerability of an autologous T-cells expressing a chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) directed to B-Cell maturation antigen (BCMA) in patients with autoantibody-mediated myositis, including antisynthetase syndrome (ASyS) and dermatomyositis (DM).

Conditions

Antisynthetase Syndrome

Study ID

NCT07391605

Start date

Apr 28, 2026

Status verified date

Aug, 2026

Completion date

May, 2028

Anticipated

Primary completion date

Nov, 2027

Anticipated

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: All

Age: 18+

Healthy Volunteers: Not accepted

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Confirmed diagnosis of one of the following:

Dermatomyositis (DM): Probability score ≥55% on the 2017 EULAR/ACR (European Alliance of Associations of Rheumatology/ American College of Rheumatology) criteria for classification of dermatomyositis (corresponding to diagnosis of 'probable or definite' DM). OR Antisynthetase Syndrome (ASyS): Diagnosis based on ACR/EULAR Classification Criteria (1)."

  • Participants must have dermatomyositis or antisynthetase syndrome with muscle and/or skin involvement.
  • Refractory or intolerance to standard therapy.
  • Stable background immunosuppressive therapy for ≥8 weeks.
  • Adequate hematologic, renal, hepatic, and pulmonary function (SpO₂ ≥92% on room air).
  • Informed consent, compliance with visits, contraception, and vaccinations required.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Isolated interstitial lung disease (ILD) without muscle or skin involvement

  • Severe irreversible muscle damage or advanced weakness (e.g., wheelchair-bound).
  • Interstitial lung disease (ILD) requiring oxygen, severe pulmonary impairment (FVC ≤45%, DLCO ≤40%), or pulmonary hypertension.
  • Other inflammatory myopathies (PM, IMNM, IBM, cancer- or drug-induced myositis, overlap myositis except Sjögren's).
  • Other severe neuromuscular, cardiac, pulmonary, or systemic autoimmune diseases requiring immunosuppression.
  • Significant uncontrolled chronic illnesses or psychiatric conditions interfering with participation.
  • Pregnancy or lactation.
  • Recent use of prohibited immunosuppressants/biologics or investigational agents (per washout periods).
  • Live vaccination within 4 weeks.
  • History of primary immunodeficiency, organ or bone marrow transplant.
  • Active or uncontrolled infections: HBV, HCV, HIV, tuberculosis, or recurrent/severe infections.

Study Design

Enrollment

60 participants

Anticipated

Allocation

Randomized

Intervention Model

Parallel Assignment

Primary purpose

Treatment

Interventions and Outcome Measures

Arms

experimental: Decartes-08

placebo comparator: Placebo

Interventions

Descartes-08

Autologous T-cells expressing a chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) directed to B-Cell maturation antigen (BCMA)

Placebo

Plasma-Lyte

Primary outcome measure

  • Major improvement of 2016 ACR/EULAR Total Improvement score [ Time Frame: 24 weeks ]

Central Contacts and Locations

Central contacts

Locations

University of California, Irvine

Recruiting

Orange, California, United States, 92868

Brigham and Women's Hospital

Recruiting

Boston, Massachusetts, United States, 02115

University of North Carolina

Recruiting

Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States, 27599

National Neuromuscular Research Institute

Recruiting

Austin, Texas, United States, 78759

More Information

Sponsor

Cartesian Therapeutics

Last update posted

Aug 17, 2026

Last verified

Aug, 2026

Keywords

  • MYOSITIS
  • DESCARTES-08
  • MRNA CAR-T
  • TOTAL IMPROVEMENT SCORES
  • CDASI

Trial information was received from ClinicalTrials.gov and was last updated on 2026-09-09. This information was provided to ClinicalTrials.gov by Cartesian Therapeutics on 2026-08-17.