CAR-T therapy, which is one of the most advanced advances in modern medicine, began its global triumph in the United States less than a decade ago. Since the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the first products based on the technology in 2017 [1], CAR-T has come to symbolize a new era in cancer treatment. But for patients in Poland, it has so far been only a distant hope, available mainly abroad. Now, thanks to a Polish manufacturer, this innovative way of fighting cancer is also entering domestic medical centers.
CAR-T is a breakthrough technology in which a patient’s T cells – immune cells – are genetically modified to precisely recognize and destroy cancer cells [2]. It’s a solution that, in many cases, gives patients with advanced cancers in whom other therapies have failed a chance at life. Although the method has so far been available only in leading foreign clinics, Poland is now joining this elite group.
Since the 1990s, when research into immunotherapies began to gain momentum, the medical world has gradually moved closer to the breakthrough that is CAR-T. In Poland, although discussions on the introduction of this therapy had been going on for several years, the real turning point came when FamiCordTx S.A., in cooperation with the Polish Bank of Stem Cells (PBKM), developed a methodology for producing CAR-T [3]. This is the first step to manufacturing this type of therapy locally, significantly reducing patient waiting times.
As part of the CARLA clinical trial, which began in Warsaw and Gdansk, four patients with lymphoma were administered genetically modified T cells, and the first treatment was performed in July 2023. “This is a huge advance for hematooncology patients. We are happy to be part of this pioneering project in Poland,” – says Prof. Grzegorz W. Basak, head of the Department of Hematology at UCK WUM [4]. This pioneering method is a hope for many people who so far have not had access to effective therapy in Poland.
The Polish version of CAR-T has the potential to revolutionize not only the treatment of hematological malignancies, but also to open the door to the treatment of other diseases, such as solid tumors and HIV. What’s more, an allogeneic platform is also being developed to allow CAR-T to be administered to patients immediately, without having to wait for personalized therapy. This is a step that could completely change the way we view cancer treatment.
The Polish biotechnology market, thanks to such initiatives, is rapidly gaining ground. FamiCordTx is not only accelerating the availability of therapies in the country, but is also working on new technologies, such as CAR-T from cord blood, which will further increase treatment options for Polish patients.
Bibliography:
[1] Mitra A, Barua A, Huang L, Ganguly S, Feng Q, He B. From bench to bedside: the history and progress of CAR T cell therapy. Front Immunol. 2023;14:1188049. Published online 2023 May 15. doi:10.3389/fimmu.2023.1188049
[2] CAR T Cells: Engineering Patients’ Immune Cells to Treat Their Cancers, https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/treatment/research/car-t-cells .
[3] The first CAR-T therapy manufactured in Poland is administered to patients, https://politykazdrowotna.com/artykul/pierwsza-terapia-car-t-n1293647
[4] The first CAR-T therapy produced in Poland is administered to patientshttps://naukawpolsce.pl/aktualnosci/news%2C104753%2Cpierwsza-terapia-car-t-wytworzona-w-polsce-jest-podawana-pacjentom.html
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