In News:

India has achieved a significant milestone in cancer treatment with the successful clinical trials of its first CAR T-cell therapy, marking a crucial step in indigenous biomedical innovation. The findings were recently published in The Lancet, making it the first CAR T-cell clinical trial from India to appear in an international journal.

What is CAR T-Cell Therapy?

• CAR T-cell therapy (Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-cell therapy) is a form of immunotherapy where a patient’s own T-cells are genetically modified to identify and destroy cancer cells.
• Primarily used for blood cancers, especially those unresponsive to first-line treatments, such as:
  • Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL)
  • Large B-cell Lymphoma

Indian Breakthrough

• Developed by ImmunoAct, a start-up incubated at IIT Bombay.
• 73% response rate recorded in Phase I and II clinical trials.
• Approved by India’s drug regulator in 2023, bypassing Phase III trials under conditional approval due to the urgent need and novelty.
• Therapy is now available in major hospitals like Apollo, Fortis, Max, and Amrita.

Key Findings (Lancet Report)

• Median progression-free survival:
  • 6 months for ALL patients
  • 4 months for lymphoma patients
• Therapy costs approx. ?25 lakh, about 1/20th of global CAR T-cell therapy prices (?8–10 crore abroad).

Side Effects

• Severe immune reaction (Haemophagocyticlymphohistiocytosis) in 12% patients, leading to at least one death.
• Other adverse effects:
  • Neutropenia (96%) – Low white blood cells
  • Thrombocytopenia (65%) – Low platelet count
  • Anemia (61%) – Low red blood cell count
  • Febrile neutropenia (47%) – Infection risk due to low immunity

Significance

• Makes advanced cancer care more accessible and affordable within India.
• Positions India among a select group of countries with indigenous CAR T-cell therapy capabilities.
• Marks progress towards self-reliance in high-end medical technologies.