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Merck

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M | O | C

M | O | C Cancer Care & Research Centre Achieves CAR-T Therapy Milestone

M | O | C Cancer Care & Research Centre Achieves CAR-T Therapy Milestone
04 Dec 2024

M | O | C Cancer Care & Research Centre Achieves CAR-T Therapy Milestone

  M | O | C Cancer Care & Research Centre has successfully discharged its first patient treated with CAR-T cell therapy for Relapsed Refractory Diffuse Large B-cell Lymphoma (DLBCL), becoming one of India’s pioneering community cancer care institutions to offer this advanced treatment. The patient, a 60-year-old male from Thane, had battled lymphoma for over three years, with three failed regimens, including immunotherapy. Admitted on November 5, 2024, he received CAR-T therapy facilitated in collaboration with ImmunoACT. The patient experienced no complications and was discharged in stable condition on November 24, 2024, achieving remission. CAR-T (Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-cell) therapy is a breakthrough that uses genetically modified T-cells from the patient to specifically target and destroy cancer cells. This revolutionary approach offers hope to patients with aggressive blood cancers who have exhausted conventional options. Dr. Suraj Chiraniya, Hemato-Oncologist and BMT Specialist, highlighted the significance of this achievement: “For patients with relapsed and refractory lymphomas, CAR-T therapy opens new doors when conventional treatments fail.” His colleague, Dr. Ashray Kole, added, “This milestone underscores CAR-T therapy’s potential to transform oncology care in India.” This success marks a new era for M | O | C, showcasing its commitment to bringing innovative, life-saving therapies to the forefront of community oncology care, offering renewed hope to patients and their families.

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Medical issues and perspectives


A New Hope: Odisha's First Successful CAR-T Cell Therapy Saves Young Life
04 Oct 2024

A New Hope: Odisha's First Successful CAR-T Cell Therapy Saves Young Life

A 15-year-old girl named Trupti, suffering from blood cancer, received a new lease on life thanks to CAR-T cell therapy, successfully performed by a team at a prestigious hospital in Bhubaneswar. This marks the first successful CAR-T cell therapy for cancer treatment in Odisha and the fifth in India.

This groundbreaking therapy involves modifying a patient’s T-cells to target cancer cells more effectively. Trupti, who battled acute leukemia, became the first patient in eastern India to undergo this treatment. After undergoing chemotherapy, she received CAR-T cell therapy two days later. “My condition is normal now. There was a little fever, but I’m doing well. I’m grateful to all the doctors,” Trupti shared, filled with joy.

Dr. Priyanka Samal, Head of Clinical Hematology and Bone Marrow Transplant at IMS and SUM Hospital, highlighted that while CAR-T cell therapy is well-established in the West, it is still emerging in India. She reported that Trupti is thriving just a month after the procedure. The hospital's ability to provide this revolutionary treatment means patients no longer need to travel abroad and incur exorbitant costs.

Instead of spending crores, the therapy is available for approximately ₹30-35 lakh, a more affordable option in India. Trupti’s parents expressed their gratitude for their daughter's recovery, stating, “Every day is a blessing. We are just grateful to have our daughter back.” Trupti now dreams of becoming a doctor herself.

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Breakthrough Stem Cell Transplant Offers Insulin Independence for Type 1 Diabetes Patient
27 Sep 2024

Breakthrough Stem Cell Transplant Offers Insulin Independence for Type 1 Diabetes Patient

A 25-year-old woman with type 1 diabetes has become insulin-independent after receiving a transplant of reprogrammed stem cells derived from her own body. The groundbreaking procedure, conducted by Deng Hongkui and his team at Peking University, is the first of its kind for treating type 1 diabetes. The researchers extracted cells from three patients, reverted them to a pluripotent state, and used chemically induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells to generate insulin-producing islets. These islets were transplanted into the woman’s abdominal muscles—a novel site for such transplants, which allows for easy monitoring via magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Two-and-a-half months after the transplant, the woman began producing sufficient insulin, eliminating the need for external insulin injections. She has maintained stable blood glucose levels for more than a year, with over 98% of her day spent within the target range. The researchers are expanding the study to include 10–20 additional participants, as the preliminary results are highly promising for the other two individuals in the trial. However, more research is needed to confirm the long-term efficacy of the procedure, especially in preventing immune system rejection without immunosuppressants.

This approach, using a patient’s own cells, offers hope for avoiding immune rejection, a common challenge with islet transplants from donors. However, scaling this personalized therapy remains a challenge. Other research groups are pursuing donor-derived stem cell treatments. Vertex Pharmaceuticals has reported success in using donor-derived embryonic stem cells to create insulin-producing islets in type 1 diabetes patients, with some participants achieving insulin independence. Future developments focus on making these treatments more accessible and minimizing the need for immune-suppressing drugs, thereby offering a potential cure for millions living with diabetes.

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