New Delhi: India’s NexCAR19 cancer drug, the world’s first humanised CAR-T therapy developed in India, has made gene therapies both affordable and accessible. It achieves this while maintaining patient safety, the Ministry of Science and Technology said.
The drug treats specific relapsed or refractory B-cell Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphomas and B-cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia when standard therapies fail. Developed by ImmunoACT at IIT Bombay, and supported by DBT and BIRAC, NexCAR19 uses a lentiviral vector. This provides effective treatment without compromising scientific quality.
“The NexCAR19 cancer drug has set a new benchmark, making advanced gene therapies accessible to patients. It does this while upholding rigorous safety standards,” the Ministry added.
The DBT’s Biomanufacturing initiative is scaling up production through a 200L GMP lentiviral vector platform. This enables at least 1,000 patients per year to benefit. This development comes amid rising cancer cases in India. It also reflects the government’s commitment to affordable, innovative, and safe immunotherapy.
The platform aims to expand CAR-T-based therapies to treat multiple cancers. These include Multiple Myeloma, Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia, refractory B-cell Leukemia, and glioblastoma. It addresses treatment-related toxicities as well.
NexCAR19, showcased at the ESTIC2025 conclave by PM Modi, represents a major step. It focuses on making cutting-edge cancer therapies indigenous, affordable, and patient-centric in India.
–IANS
