ImmunoACT’s NexCAR19 CAR T Cell Therapy Gets Market Approval from DCGI

14 Oct 2023

Context: 

  • Recently, ImmunoACT received market authorization for their chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy called NexCAR19  from the Drugs Controller General of India.

What Is CAR T Cell Therapy?

  • CAR T Cell therapy is a novel and highly complex immune therapy that redirects the body’s own immune system to fight cancer. 
    • CAR-T cells are often described as ‘the living drug’ because they actively search and target malignant cells.
    • It uses a type of immune cell called a T-cell, which is extracted from patients’ blood before being genetically altered to allow it to target surface proteins found on cancer cells.

CAR T Cell therapy

  • NexCAR19 is India’s first indigenously developed CAR T-cell therapy.
  • It targets relapsed-refractory B-cell lymphoma and leukemia, marking a significant advancement in cancer treatment.
  • Success Rate: In studies, 9 out of 10 people with acute lymphoblastic leukemia whose cancer didn’t respond to other treatments or whose cancer came back had full remission with CAR T cell therapy.
    • Remission means the cancer can’t be detected in tests.

Why is CAR T Cell therapy effective?

  • Improves immunogenic memory, which provides continuous surveillance to treat local and distant metastatic lesions.
  • Recognizes and eliminates damaged cells and cells infected with harmful pathogens, such as viruses and cancerous cells
  • Reduces the need for aggressive chemotherapy
  • This therapy is intended for the treatment of relapsed-refractory B-cell lymphoma and leukemia.
  • Affordability: Previously, CAR T cell therapy cost around $400,000 (approximately Rs 3.3 crore) in the United States. 
    • With this development, the therapy is expected to be accessible at approximately Rs 30-35 lakh per patient in 20 Indian government and private hospitals across major cities in India.

News Source: DTE

Attempt the PY Prelims Question

Consider the following statements: (2020)

1. Genetic changes can be introduced in the cells that produce eggs or sperms of a prospective parent.

2. A person’s genome can be edited before birth at the early embryonic stage.

3. Human induced pluripotent stem cells can be injected into the embryo of a pig.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 and 3 only

(c) 2 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3

Ans: (d) 

 

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