The revolutionary cancer treatment known as CAR-T (Chimeric Antigen Receptor-T) cell therapy, created by the IIT-Bombay spin-off ImmunoACT, has received market authorization from the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI). The path for its commercial introduction in India is paved by this authorization.
About CAR-T Cell Therapy
What is it?
- Chimeric antigen receptor T cell therapy is referred to as CAR-T cell therapy.
- This kind of cancer immunotherapy makes use of the patient’s own T cells, which have been genetically altered in a lab to improve their capacity to identify and eliminate cancer cells.
How does it work?
- White blood cells called T cells are in charge of recognizing and combating infection and disease.
- Antigens are substances or compounds that the immune system recognizes, and each T cell has a receptor capable of identifying them.
- Antigens present in cancer cells may be recognized by the immune system as normal, so enabling the malignancy to elude the immunological response.
- In the lab, CAR-T cells are genetically modified to express a novel receptor that binds to cancer cells and kills them.
Therapy Process
The process involves several steps, including:
1. Collecting T Cells: Blood is drawn from the patient’s arm, and T cells are separated from the blood using an apheresis machine.
2. Engineering T Cells: In a laboratory, the T cells are modified by adding a manufactured CAR, and they are allowed to multiply and grow.
3. Infusing CAR-T Cells: Once enough CAR-T cells are prepared, they are injected back into the patient’s arm.
- Chemotherapy may be recommended before CAR-T cell infusion to enhance treatment effectiveness.
- The process can take place in an outpatient infusion center or a hospital setting.
Cancers Treated
- Certain cancers respond well to CAR-T cell therapy, especially when other therapies are failing.
- At the moment, the FDA has approved it for the treatment of hematological malignancies, such as multiple myeloma, lymphoma, and leukemia.
