Immuneel Therapeutics has launched Qartemi, India's first personalized CAR T-cell therapy for Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma. The groundbreaking treatment harnesses a patient's immune cells to target and eliminate cancer cells. Priced significantly lower than international alternatives, it offers new hope for patients with aggressive blood cancers. The therapy represents a major advancement in accessible, innovative cancer treatment in India.
"With Qartemi, our flagship CAR T-cell therapy, we aim to transform cancer treatment in India" - Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw
New Delhi, Jan 20: Bengaluru-based cell and gene therapy start-up
Immuneel Therapeutics on Monday announced the launch of Qartemi -- the
country's first personalised and precision therapy CAR T-cell therapy for
treating B-cell Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma (B-NHL) in adults.
Key Points
1. Revolutionary
personalized therapy targeting B-cell Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma
2. Priced
at one-tenth cost of similar US treatments
3. Indigenously
developed with global clinical validation
4. Offers hope for patients with aggressive blood cancers
B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma (B-NHL)
is a type of blood cancer that affects the B cells in the lymphatic system. B-NHL
is the most common type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) in India, accounting for
80-85 per cent of all cases.
Qartemi, approved by the Indian
regulator the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation(CDSCO), provides a
personalised therapy for adult patients with relapsed or refractory B-NHL. It
has also received license from Spain's Hospital Clinic de Barcelona (HCB), a
globally renowned institution at the forefront of cell therapy innovation.
Developed indigenously in Bengaluru,
Qartemi (varnimcabtagene autoleucel - IMN-003A) harnesses a patient's immune
cells to target and eliminate cancer, offering new hope to those battling
aggressive blood cancers. It has shown a potential to provide lasting remission
of relapsed and refractory NHL, even when conventional therapies including
chemotherapy prove ineffective.
Notably, it is priced at one-tenth
the cost of a similar product in the US, the company said.
"Since Immuneel's inception in
2019, our mission has been to offer affordable and innovative, lifesaving
therapies for cancer that are otherwise inaccessible," Kiran
Mazumdar-Shaw, Board Director & Co-Founder, Immuneel Therapeutics.
"With Qartemi, our flagship CAR
T-cell therapy, we aim to transform cancer treatment in India by providing
globally advanced, personalised therapies at an affordable cost," added
Mazumdar-Shaw.
Immuneel, launched in 2019, initiated
the trial on India's first CAR T-cell therapy trial in 2022 for a novel
autologous CD19-directed CAR-T cell therapy in patients with relapsed / refractory
B cell malignancies. The trial was conducted across various hospitals including
PGIMER in Chandigarh, and others in Bengaluru, and Chennai.
The CD19-directed, genetically
modified autologous chimeric antigen receptor T-cell immunotherapy involves
modifying a patient's T-cells to specifically target and destroy cancer cells.
Data from clinical trials in India and Spain show that the safety and efficacy
of Qartemi is similar to that of CAR T-cell therapies approved by the USFDA.
"The launch of Qartemi marks a
pivotal moment in India's fight against cancer. By combining world-class
research CAR-T cell therapy with indigenous manufacturing, we are offering new
hope to patients facing aggressive blood cancers," said Dr. Siddhartha
Mukherjee, Board Director & Co-Founder, Immuneel Therapeutics.
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