Tatyana Grgich, PharmD, BCOP, CPP, is a stem cell transplant and cell therapy pharmacist and pharmacy specialist at USC Medical Center.
Jacqueline Del Pena, PharmD, is a clinical pharmacy specialist at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, focusing on adult cell therapy services.
Catie Cash, PharmD, BCOP, is a stem cell transplant and cell therapy pharmacist at Duke University Hospital.
Rebecca Gonzalez, PharmD, BCOP, FASTCT, is a clinical pharmacist specialist in bone marrow transplant and cellular therapy at Moffitt Cancer Center.
In this episode of Pharmacy Focus: Oncology Edition, transplant and cellular therapy pharmacists Tatiana Gergich, PharmD; Jacqueline Delpena, PharmD; Katie Cash, PharmD; and Rebecca Gonzalez, PharmD, discuss the evolving treatment landscape for acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), with a focus on the role of CAR T-cell therapy and emerging data on obecabtagene autoleucel (obe-cel).
The conversation begins with an overview of the current burden of ALL and limitations associated with traditional treatment approaches, setting the stage for how cellular therapies are reshaping care for patients with relapsed or refractory disease. The speakers then examine the mechanism of action and clinical trial data supporting obe-cel, highlighting how its design may influence efficacy and safety outcomes compared with earlier CAR T products.
Throughout the discussion, the panel emphasizes practical considerations for pharmacists, including toxicity recognition and management, adverse event monitoring, and interdisciplinary coordination across transplant and cellular therapy teams. The episode underscores the critical role of oncology pharmacists in translating clinical trial evidence into real-world practice and supporting the safe integration of novel CAR T-cell therapies into evolving treatment paradigms for ALL.
