India is taking a big step towards making CAR-T cell therapy, a cutting-edge cancer treatment for certain types of blood cancers, affordable and accessible to its citizens.

This revolutionary treatment, known as CAR-T cell therapy, involves modifying a patient’s own immune cells to target and destroy cancer cells. Currently, the cost of such treatments in countries like the United States ranges between Rs 3-4 crore per patient.

However, India’s initiative aims to reduce the cost to Rs 25-35 lakh, making it much more affordable.

Under the National Biopharma Mission (NBM) of the Central Government, supported by the Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC), researchers at Tata Memorial Center (TMC), Mumbai have launched the country’s first clinical trial for this advanced therapy. Have done.

India’s first clinical trial for affordable CAR-T cell therapy

The trial focuses on treating children with a type of blood cancer called relapsed/refractory B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-cell ALL) that does not respond to standard treatments.

Dr. Raj K Shirumalla, Mission Director, National Biopharma Mission, in an exclusive interview said, “BIRAC support through NBM will help in bringing indigenously developed CAR-T therapy to India, significantly reducing the cost, enhancing clinical research “has been instrumental in advancing clinical trials and improving patient outcomes.” With India Today Digital.

The project marks a milestone as India’s first trial using indigenously developed CD-19-targeted CAR-T cells. These cells are manufactured at ACTREC’s CAR-T Cell Therapy Center, a facility within TMC, using a cost-effective process.

This indigenous production ensures that advanced treatments become accessible to a larger section of the population.

Ongoing Phase 2 clinical trials are further expanding the understanding of CAR-T therapy, which has shown promise in improving patients’ quality of life.

Benefits include fewer hospitalizations, fewer symptoms, and the possibility of longer periods of remission, giving hope to people who have exhausted other treatment options.

One of the key components of CAR-T therapy is lentivirus, which is used to modify the patient’s immune cells.

Approximately 50% of the total cost of therapy is spent on lentivirus manufacturing, making it a financial barrier to affordability.

To address this, NBM is supporting Ahmedabad-based Intas Pharmaceuticals in developing a cost-effective lentivirus manufacturing process.

This initiative can significantly reduce the overall cost of CAR-T therapy and make it more accessible to the Indian population.

Additionally, the lentivirus manufacturing facility being developed can be used by other pharmaceutical companies, startups and academic institutions to produce proprietary lentivirus systems addressing the limited supply in India.

building local infrastructure

BIRAC support has also led to the construction of a state-of-the-art, GMP-compliant facility for the manufacturing of CAR-T cells.

The facility not only provides blood cancer care, but also has the potential to develop cell-based treatments for solid tumors and other non-cancer conditions.

Dr. Shirumalla highlighted that this initiative has contributed to developing a skilled workforce in Cell and Gene Therapy (CGT). “Growing a skilled and knowledgeable workforce builds a strong foundation of local expertise, which is critical to sustaining and growing the sector in India and beyond,” he said.

With a combination of manufacturing processes, indigenous research and local expertise, this initiative represents a huge leap towards making advanced cancer treatments affordable and accessible to Indians.