UK HealthCare patient enters experimental CAR-T therapy trial for lupus

LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX NEWS) — A University of Kentucky HealthCare patient is among the first in the United States to receive an experimental treatment for lupus.

"I'm actually gonna be able to see my kids graduate college. Hopefully see my grandkids; before I'm gonna be honest, I thought I will never be able to see that," explains Angela Rondón-Colón, 43, who was first diagnosed with lupus in 2011.

Rondón-Colón's quality of life for nearly two decades has been nothing but pain, hospital visits, and treatments. She said what led her to get diagnosed with swelling in her knees. They thought it was arthritis.

But she actually tested positive for four different autoimmune diseases. The main one being lupus, specifically, systemic lupus erythematosus, or SLE.

It's where the immune system mistakenly attacks healthy tissues and organs, leading to widespread inflammation

Angela Rondón-Colón - patient

"Like a sleeping monster. Sometimes you feel good and all of a sudden boom," said Rondón-Colón.

Over the years, she tried various treatments with no success. She was also on prednisone and needed a cane to walk. All while still raising her kids and working.

In 2025, her primary rheumatologist at the University of Kentucky wanted to give a new CAR T-cell trial for lupus a try after she became allergic to her last treatment. In March 2026, they began her first round. By mid-June, she was able to walk.

Rondón-Colón is one of two people in the United States who have qualified for the trial.

The trial at UK HealthCare is spearheaded by UK HealthCare's Division Chief of Rheumatology, Dr. Paramarajan Piranavan.

"So we reserve it for refractory patients, treatment-refractory patients, and also patients who have very severe disease activity," explains Piranavan.

He says the best way to eliminate a cell is by using our bodies' T-cells. Which is exactly what the CAR-T therapy does: "So it's kind of similar like a machine, like a dialysis machine that will be extracting her own white blood cells, and then only the T-cells will be enriched, and then that will be modified in the lab."

"I've never been able to walk if I don't have prednisone," said Rondón-Colón. "Seeing myself being able to walk and even take my dog out on a walk. I wouldn't be able to if I didn't have this treatment."

Even though this trial is new, she has years of treatment to go. Angela holds onto hope

"I guarantee you that I'm a vivid example that there's hope for quality of life," said Rondón-Colón.

If you'd like to read more about UK's experimental treatment for lupus, you can click this link for more.

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