After struggling to exercise, Michael Lomonaco was diagnosed with AL amyloidosis. Not in remission after chemotherapy, he joined Ohio State's CAR-T trial; he says biomarkers hit zero in a week and a bone marrow biopsy confirmed full remission a month later.
A cardiologist suspected AL amyloidosis in early 2025, and additional tests confirmed it. Lomonaco completed six months of chemotherapy from March to September 2025; he said his biomarkers fell substantially but had not disappeared. The Ohio State trial reengineered his own immune cells to attack the disease. He said CAR-T had not been an option earlier because it had not yet been FDA-approved.
AL amyloidosis can affect the heart, kidneys and other body parts and lead to organ failure, according to the Cleveland Clinic. At his worst, Lomonaco said he struggled to walk from his car to his work desk without stopping for breath; he said his heart could not pump enough blood to his muscles and fluid had built up in his lungs. He says he is now regaining strength and hopes eventually to run a 5K.
