India’s own CAR-T cell therapy: What is it, when will it be available, and at what cost?
- November 4, 2023
- Posted by: OptimizeIAS Team
- Category: DPN Topics
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India’s own CAR-T cell therapy: What is it, when will it be available, and at what cost?
Subject : Science and Tech
Section: Health
Context:
- The Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) granted market authorisation for NexCAR19, India’s first indigenously developed CAR-T cell therapy, to ImmunoACT, a company incubated by IIT Bombay.
What is CAR-T cell therapy, and how do CAR-T cells find and destroy cancer cells?:
- In CAR-T therapy, scientists genetically modify T-cells into cancer-fighting cells which are then put back into the body, and they search and kill the cancer cells — especially in blood cancers like leukaemia and lymphomas.
- T-cells are special cells (white blood cells that find and fight illness and infection) whose primary function is cytotoxic, meaning they can kill other cells.
- Effectiveness compared to other cancer treatments:
- While chemotherapy and immunotherapy may add a few months or years to a cancer patient’s life, cell-and-gene therapy is designed to cure and provide lifelong benefits. It makes treatment easier with a one-time therapy.
Is NexCAR19 a type of CAR-T therapy?
- NexCar19 is a type of CAR-T and gene therapy developed indigenously in India by ImmunoACT (an IIT Bombay incubated company).
- India is now one of the first developing countries to have its indigenous CAR-T and gene therapy platform.
- NexCAR19 carries the CD19 protein which acts like a flag on cancer cells, which allows CAR-T cells to recognise and attach themselves to the cancer cells and start the process of elimination.
- Who can get the NexCAR19 therapy?
- It is for people with B-cell lymphomas who didn’t respond to standard treatments like chemotherapy. B-cell leukaemia is most common among children, however, ImmunoACT has received CDSCO approval for use in patients aged 15 years and older.
Effects of this therapy:
- It leads to significantly lower drug-related toxicities. It causes minimal damage to neurons and the central nervous system, a condition known as neurotoxicity.
- Neurotoxicity can sometimes occur when CAR-T cells recognise the CD19 protein and enter the brain, potentially leading to life-threatening situations.
- The therapy also results in minimal Cytokine Release Syndrome (CRS), which is characterised by inflammation and hyperinflammation in the body due to the death of a significant number of tumour cells.
Will it be covered under the insurance schemes?
- When a therapy is approved by regulatory agencies like CDSCO or DCGI, it typically should be covered by national insurance schemes and private insurance companies. However, since this is an expensive treatment, the extent of coverage and accessibility to insurance may vary.
Source of this article: Indian Express