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In a breakthrough in research, IIT-Bombay scientists have developed technology to leverage a patient’s immune system to cure cancer.
Researchers made use of gene and cell therapies to reengineer immune cells to attack and kill cancer cells in the body.
Such immunotherapy using CAR T-cells, a treatment for cancer, which costs Rs 3-4 crore in the US, can be made available for Rs 15 lakh if the technology is developed in the country.
Purwar's team has been working on CAR T-cell technology for six years. ''It is an autologous cell therapy for personalized medicine, where cells are taken from patients, re-engineered and re-infused in the patient. We got immune cells from volunteers and clinical patients with help from TMH and re-engineered them using the technique. The modified cells were positively tested in laboratories on artificially grown cancer cells.'' said Purwar.
T-cells (a type of white blood cell or WBC), an integral part of the human immune system, can identify tumors and destroy them. But in advanced stages, the cancer cells adapt to the presence of T-cells and remain undetected. In the new approach in immunotherapy, called CAR (chimeric antigen receptors) T-cell therapy, the T-cells ability to detect and kill cancer cells is restored. CARs are the protein that assists T-cells to recognize and attach to protein or antigen, present on cancer cells. These proteins help to destroy cancer cells.
''Our team has delved into strategies that would improve the efficacy of the technique and demonstrated that a single injected dose can lead to multiplication of modified T-cells that can destroy cancer cells,'' said Punwar.
Globally, over 600 clinical trials are in progress for CAR T-cell therapy, many of which are on in China said, Dr. Narula from TMH.
''It has got huge potential. With the cancer burden, we have, the therapy will be considered a success, even if it is applicable to only a fraction of patients currently. Technologies are being developed globally, but are exorbitant. There are high expectations from this technology as it can create pathways for developing newer technologies, for newer therapies, for more forms of cancer. Thousands of Asians can benefit,'' said Narula.
