Scientific report 2021 of the Autoimmune Diseases Working Party (ADWP)

Over the last 25 years, hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) has been increasingly used to treat patients affected by severe and refractory autoimmune diseases (ADs). The EBMT Autoimmune Diseases Working Party (ADWP; Photo 1) has been central to development of this approach, with over 3,600 HSCT registrations for ADs (Sep 2021, Photo 2). The ADs section of the EBMT Registry is the largest database of its kind worldwide. Recent data have improved the evidence base to support autologous HSCT in multiple sclerosis, systemic sclerosis, and Crohn’s disease, along with a wide range of rarer disease indications, and autologous HSCT has become an integral part of treatment algorithms in various ADs, providing treatment-free remissions by the reinduction of self-tolerance. A multidisciplinary approach is key in this field, and the ADWP is continuing to expand the evidence-base and support best practice with studies and guidelines, including significant collaborative outputs with other EBMT Working Parties, JACIE, and the EBMT Nurses Group. Education is central in ADWP activities. A successful and comprehensive ADWP Educational Meeting was held on a virtual platform, due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. Moreover, a section specifically designed for ADs was developed within the EBMT e-learning platform, covering all important aspects of HSCT in relation to the pathophysiology and therapy of ADs, including current and future indications, immunological mechanisms and novel targets.