Over a decade since the clinical trial for CAR T cell therapy started at the University of Pennsylvania, Dr. Carl June, a Merion Station resident, believes we might finally have a cure for leukemia, writes Gina Kolata for The New York Times.

Dr. June was the principal investigator for the trial at Penn that started in 2010.

Three patients were given the new treatment at the time, including Doug Olson, who had a case of chronic lymphocytic leukemia and had exhausted all existing treatment options.

At that time, the therapy “was way out there,” said June, and he had tempered his expectations that the cells he was providing to Olson as part of therapy would survive.

But a decade later, June and his colleagues have reported that the CAR T treatment made cancer disappear in two out of the three patients, including Olson. All of them had chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

“Now we can finally say the word ‘cure’ with CAR T cells,” said June.

Although not as effective in all patients, it does provide hope of a full recovery for some.

Read more about the revolutionary CAR T Treatment Clinical Trial for leukemia in The New York Times.