A study published in The Lancet Haematology has reported a 73% response rate for CAR T-cell therapy among patients with certain blood cancers. The clinical trials were conducted by researchers from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay and Tata Memorial Hospital, Mumbai.
The therapy, which involves modifying T-cells— a type of immune cell— was tested on patients with B-cell leukaemia and lymphoma. These cancers affect the bone marrow and lymphatic system, respectively.
CAR T-cells, like normal T-cells, remain in the body for a long time, which helps prevent relapses. “CAR T-cells, just like normal T-cells, persist in the body for a long time. These cells help to prevent a relapse,” said Hasmukh Jain, professor of medical oncology at Tata Memorial Hospital
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Addressing treatment gaps
In cases where B-cell tumours return after remission (relapse) or do not respond to initial treatment (refractory), treatment options are often limited. B-cells play a key role in the immune system by producing antibodies, and their uncontrolled growth can lead to severe complications.
“The clinical trials of India’s CAR T-cell therapy provide an additional treatment option for such patients,” said Rahul Purwar, professor at IIT Bombay and founder of ImmunoACT, a company working on gene-modified cell therapies.
Availability and cost
The therapy, delivered through an injection called talicabtagene autoleucel, has been approved in India and is available for USD 30,000. In comparison, similar therapies in other countries are priced between USD 3,73,000 and 4,75,000.
A commentary from researchers at the University of Pennsylvania noted that total treatment costs, including clinical care and travel, can exceed USD 1 million in high-income countries, making access a challenge globally.
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Trial observations and further research
The trials were conducted in two phases, with Phase-1 involving 14 patients with relapsed or refractory B-cell lymphoma and Phase-2 including 50 patients aged 15 and older with B-cell leukaemia or lymphoma. The study group had an average age of 44 years, comprising 49 men and 15 women. Among the 51 patients analysed, 73% showed a response to treatment. Some side effects were observed, including neutropenia (low neutrophil count) in 55 out of 57 patients, thrombocytopenia (low platelet count) in 37 patients, and anaemia in 35 patients. Two treatment-related deaths were reported, though the overall safety profile was considered manageable.
“This therapy addresses an important unmet need for patients with relapsed or refractory B-cell malignancies in India,” the study noted.
Jain added that the findings “give us an opportunity to test the therapy in the earlier settings and in combination with other immunotherapies.” Further trials are now being conducted at Tata Memorial Centre to examine these possibilities.
“We developed it over a period of 11 years, starting with drug design and lab work, which was then translated into animal studies, before progressing to clinical trials,” Purwar said.
Published - March 17, 2025 05:50 pm IST
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