CAR T-cell therapy has revolutionised cancer treatment, demonstrating remarkable effectiveness in treating certain types of blood cancers, particularly B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) and diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL).
Studies have shown that the response rates of 70-90 per cent in patients with refractory or relapsed disease.
Since 2015, India has taken steps to promote research, development and deployment of CAR T-cell therapy. Investigators from the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IIT-B) & Tata Memorial Center, Mumbai worked jointly since 2015 to develop CAR T-cell therapy.
Both institutes together had developed CD19-directed CAR T-cell therapy which is effective against a type of blood cancer called B Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (B- ALL), and B- Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma (B-NHL).
According to the Ministry of Health, the therapy underwent extensive testing in pre-clinical models and then was successfully manufactured in clinical-grade manufacturing facilities.
The Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) approved the therapy in March 2021 for conducting a Phase 1 clinical trial at TMC on children and adolescents with B-ALL Adults with B-NHL.
The patients in the trials were those whose disease had relapsed and were not responding to any other known treatment.
However, the Phase 1 trials were successfully completed and Phase 2 trials were approved for both children and adults with B- ALL or B- NHL. The Phase 2 trials were conducted at Tata Memorial Center and a few other hospitals.
The research projects on CAR-T cell therapy for cancers B-cell Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia, Multiple Myeloma, Glioblastoma and Hepatocellular Carcinomas were supported by the Department of Biotechnology.
