- President Droupadi Murmu introduced India’s first indigenously developed CAR T-cell therapy, describing it as a tremendous milestone in cancer treatment.
- The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay and the Tata Memorial Centre created this therapy, which is called ‘NexCAR19 CAR T-cell therapy’.
How are CAR-T cells made?
CAR T Theory’s Significance:
- This therapy has shown encouraging results in treating specific forms of blood malignancies, such as lymphoma, paediatric leukaemia, and adult leukaemia. It has demonstrated that roughly 70% of individuals respond to the treatment.
- CAR T-cell therapies typically require a single infusion and less than two weeks of hospital care, whereas stem cell transplants and chemotherapy treatment regimens can take months to complete.
Limitations of CAR-T therapy:
- Risks of CAR-T therapy: The success of CAR-T therapy varies from person to person, and it is premature to pronounce it a complete cure. While it has made significant progress in difficult cases, its efficacy is not widespread.
- High-Cost Treatment: Although NexCAR19 is less than its US equivalent, it is still expensive for many Indians, costing between ₹40 and 45 lakh..
- It’s Side Effects includes:
- Cytokine Release Syndrome (CRS) is the most common adverse effect of CAR-T therapy, resulting in a ‘Inflammatory Response’ that causes immune system hyperactivity.
- Neurotoxicity: While not seen in early-stage clinical studies, neurotoxicity is a typical side effect of CAR-T therapy and can appear as confusion, seizures, or trouble speaking or walking.
- Infections and Low Blood Cell Counts: Patients receiving CAR-T therapy may have infections and low blood cell counts as expected side effects.
Conclusion:
India is on the verge of making a significant breakthrough in cancer care therapy. Despite cost constraints, the government’s initiatives are targeted at improving accessibility and outputs in the healthcare sector.
Source: https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/crafted-in-indian-labs-nexcar19-takes-india-to-next-level-in-cancer-care/article68046475.ece