CAR-T Cell Therapy
Mechanism and Significance
CAR-T (Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-cell) therapy is a form of personalised immunotherapy in which a patient's own T-cells are extracted, genetically engineered to express synthetic receptors that recognise cancer-specific antigens, expanded in a laboratory, and reinfused into the patient to attack tumour cells. It represents a paradigm shift in oncology — moving from broad-spectrum chemotherapy and radiation toward precision, cell-based therapies that harness the immune system. CAR-T therapy has shown remarkable efficacy against certain blood cancers (lymphoma, leukaemia, multiple myeloma) that are otherwise resistant to conventional treatment.
- NexCAR19 targets CD19, a protein expressed on B-cell cancers (lymphoma and leukaemia).
- In Indian clinical trials (64 patients), 67% achieved objective response; approximately 50% achieved complete remission.
- India's second approved CAR-T therapy is Qartemi (by Immuneel Therapeutics) for B-cell Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma.
- A key innovation in NexCAR19 is its "humanised" antibody design, which reduces cytokine release syndrome — a dangerous immune overreaction seen with earlier CAR-T therapies.
- Cost advantage: Indian CAR-T therapy costs ~6% of Western equivalents, democratising access.
● Tracked since March 02, 2026 · last seen July 02, 2026 · updates as the daily brief publishes