DAN FINALLY ACHIEVED REMISSION WITH BREYANZI^® AFTER 2 OTHER TREATMENTS FAILED

A promising treatment option

Because Dan had received at least 2 previous treatments that didn’t work or stopped working, the specialist told Jodi and Dan about a trial for a CAR T cell therapy, now approved as Breyanzi, which would be made from Dan’s T cells (a type of white blood cell) to help fight the cancer.

“I had never heard of CAR T cell therapy, but after the doctor explained it, I said, ‘That’s what I’d like to have,’” Dan says. “I liked the idea that you’re using your own reprogrammed white blood cells to help fight the cancer.”

Dan asked to get on the hospital’s waiting list. His doctor replied, “You already are.”

In the meantime, Dan and Jodi considered the risks. They learned about the potential side effects of Breyanzi that are life-threatening and can lead to death, including cytokine release syndrome and neurologic toxicity, as well as other common side effects, including fever, low white or red blood cells, severe diarrhea, or severe nausea. But Dan and Jodi felt Breyanzi would be the right option for him.

See additional Breyanzi Important Safety Information.

“In my mind, what was my choice? I knew I might not make it if we didn’t do something. We had to go for it,” Dan says.

Fortunately, he didn’t have to wait long. He rose to the top of the list, and soon, Dan’s T cells were collected through a process called leukapheresis. For 4 weeks, Jodi and Dan went to the hospital 3 to 4 days a week for transfusions, infusions, and salvage chemo—trying to keep Dan alive so he could receive his CAR T cell therapy.

By this time, the always-healthy Dan could only walk 12 to 15 feet before having to rest for 10 minutes. Jodi was worried, but Dan, as always, put a smile on her face.

“Danny has this amazing attitude, and I think we laughed every day throughout the horrible journey,” she says. “We were able to find some good in every single day.”

For Dan, it was just his way of life.

“You’ve got to keep a positive attitude,” he says.

Day One: Infusion Day

One day, they got the call: “Your T cells are coming.”

After 3 days of tests, bloodwork, scans, and lymphodepletion chemo to make sure he was ready, Dan was admitted to the hospital for his CAR T cell treatment.

“The nurse came into my room and spent hours setting up every possible contingency. When the doctor finally came in, the infusion took less than a half hour,” Dan says.

As the CAR T cells entered his body, Dan and Jodi held on to hope, the words “Day One” written on the whiteboard nearby.

In the days following his infusion, Dan remained in the hospital for monitoring and treatment for Breyanzi side effects. Ten days later, he managed to walk from the hospital to the car. He had to remain close to the hospital for at least 4 weeks for continued monitoring for potentially serious side effects, but 1 month later, PET scans revealed that Dan was in remission. Because of the risk of cytokine release syndrome, neurologic toxicity, and other side effects, patients like Dan must remain at, or close to, where they received treatment for at least 4 weeks after the infusion for side-effect monitoring.

“When we saw the scans, everyone was so happy for Danny, which was incredible,” Jodi says. “I was crying my eyes out in gratitude.”

While the scans showed that Dan was in remission, it does not mean he’s cancer-free. Dan continues to be monitored for possible disease recurrence and long-term side effects from CAR T cell therapy.