A preparation of autologous CD4- and CD8-positive T-cells that are transduced with a lentiviral vector encoding for a chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) consisting of a human single chain variable fragment (scFv) of anti-CD19 and fused to the hinge and transmembrane domains of CD8alpha co-receptor, the cytoplasmic costimulatory domain of human CD28, and the T-cell antigen receptor complex zeta chain (CD3-zeta), with potential immunostimulating activity. Upon transfusion, autologous anti-CD19 CAR-CD8alpha-CD28-CD3zeta T cells KYV 101 recognize and induce selective toxicity and lysis in CD19-expressing B-cells. CD19, a B-cell-specific cell surface antigen, is overexpressed in B-cell lineage malignancies and in certain B-cell-driven autoimmune diseases.