Command Hospital (Eastern Command), Kolkata, has successfully administered indigenously developed CAR-T cell therapy to a 39-year-old serving soldier suffering from relapsed/refractory B-cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia (B-cell ALL), marking a significant milestone in advanced healthcare delivery for the Indian Armed Forces.
The achievement was carried out under the aegis of Eastern Command and reflects the adoption of advanced medical technology for the treatment of complex blood cancers among serving personnel.
The therapy administered was NexCAR19, described as India’s first indigenous CAR-T cell therapy. The treatment has been developed to provide more affordable and accessible immunotherapy for blood cancers, including leukaemia and lymphoma.
NexCAR19 was developed through a collaboration involving IIT Bombay, Tata Memorial Centre and biotechnology start-up ImmunoACT. The indigenous therapy represents an Indian development in the field of CAR-T cell treatment for blood cancers.
CAR-T cell therapy works by using a patient’s own T-cells and reprogramming them with Chimeric Antigen Receptors (CARs). These modified cells are designed to identify and destroy cancer cells expressing the CD19 protein.
The treatment process involves collecting T-cells from the patient, genetically modifying the cells with CARs and subsequently reinfusing the engineered cells into the patient. Once administered, the modified cells identify and attack the targeted cancer cells.
NexCAR19 uses a humanised product configuration rather than murine, or mouse-derived, components. According to the information provided, this configuration is associated with a lower risk of severe neurological side effects.
CAR-T cell therapy is considered an important treatment option for patients with relapsed or refractory blood cancers who have exhausted conventional treatment options. The administration of the therapy at Command Hospital Kolkata therefore represents an important addition to advanced treatment capabilities available within the military healthcare system.
NexCAR19 is also described as one of the more affordable CAR-T therapies globally, with its cost reported to be approximately one-tenth of comparable treatments available in Western countries. Command Hospitals across India are among the institutions authorised to administer the therapy.
The successful administration of the indigenous therapy to the serving soldier was described by Eastern Command as a “landmark achievement”, reflecting clinical excellence, innovation and a commitment to delivering cutting-edge, patient-centric healthcare to the Indian Armed Forces.
The development also highlights the efforts of the Army’s medical establishment to adopt advanced medical technologies for serving personnel and their dependants.
The milestone at Command Hospital Kolkata follows the administration of CAR-T cell therapy at Command Hospital (Western Command), Chandimandir, which in September administered its first CAR-T cell therapy to a 16-year-old patient suffering from B-cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia.
The successful administration of NexCAR19 at Command Hospital Kolkata marks an important development in the availability of advanced cancer treatment within the Armed Forces healthcare network, while also demonstrating the application of an indigenous medical technology in treating a serving soldier with relapsed/refractory B-cell ALL.
