By The Sampadak Express
India has officially approved a revolutionary new treatment for blood cancer patients, providing a ray of hope for those battling advanced or relapsed stages of the disease. The drug, Qartemi, is a living drug developed by Immuneel Therapeutics, a Bengaluru-based biotech startup. It is a Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-cell (CAR-T) therapy designed to treat patients with B-cell Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma (B-NHL), a common type of blood cancer.
Qartemi is the second CAR-T cell therapy to be approved in India, following the approval of NexCAR19, developed by ImmunoAct, a company incubated at the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IITB) and Tata Memorial Hospital. The approval of Qartemi represents a significant milestone for cancer treatment in India, especially for patients with B-NHL who have not responded to conventional therapies.
What Is a “Living Drug”?
Unlike traditional chemical drugs, a “living drug” is made from a patient’s own cells, which are then modified and reinfused back into the patient’s body. This type of drug is designed to provoke a long-lasting immune response, offering a more personalized treatment approach. Qartemi falls under the category of CAR-T cell therapy, a form of immunotherapy that genetically engineers a patient’s T cells to target and destroy cancer cells. By using the patient’s own immune system, CAR-T cell therapies offer a novel and powerful approach to treating cancers that are otherwise resistant to traditional treatments like chemotherapy.
Addressing the Growing Burden of Blood Cancer in India
India is witnessing a rising incidence of blood cancers, with approximately 120,000 new cases and over 70,000 deaths each year due to leukemia, lymphoma, and multiple myeloma. For many of these patients, standard treatments fail to provide effective results, making advanced therapies like Qartemi critical in offering better outcomes. Qartemi aims to provide an effective alternative for patients with relapsed or refractory B-NHL, a stage in which the cancer either recurs after initial treatment or does not respond to other therapies.
The Development of Qartemi
Qartemi was developed by Immuneel Therapeutics, a gene and cell therapy startup backed by prominent figures like Biocon founder Kiran Mazumdar Shaw and renowned oncologist Dr. Siddhartha Mukherjee. The company is dedicated to providing innovative, affordable therapies for patients suffering from severe health conditions.
Amit Mookim, CEO of Immuneel Therapeutics, expressed pride in offering Qartemi at a significantly lower price compared to similar global options. He stated, “By offering Qartemi at a significantly accessible price compared to global alternatives, we are proud to develop this therapy indigenously at our facility in Bangalore to ensure global standards of safety and efficacy.”
Qartemi’s cost is between Rs 35 lakh and Rs 50 lakh, which is considerably more affordable than similar treatments available internationally. This cost-effective pricing could make CAR-T therapy accessible to a larger pool of patients who need it most.
Clinical Trials and Efficacy
Qartemi underwent extensive clinical trials, particularly the IMAGINE trial, which was conducted across three leading medical institutions in India: Narayana Health in Bengaluru, Apollo Cancer Hospital in Chennai, and PGIMER in Chandigarh. The Phase 2 trials of Qartemi showed promising results, with the drug achieving an overall response rate of 83.3%. These trials confirmed that Qartemi was safe and effective, with results comparable to CAR-T cell therapies that have been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
The IMAGINE trials were supported by the Department of Biotechnology’s Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC) through its Biotechnology Industry Partnership Programme (BIPP) scheme, highlighting the importance of governmental backing in advancing medical innovations.
Partnerships and Accessibility
To ensure broad availability of Qartemi across the country, Immuneel Therapeutics has partnered with several prestigious hospitals and healthcare institutions. Some of the key hospitals include Narayana Health, Apollo Hospitals, CMC Vellore, Manipal Hospitals, and RGCIRC Delhi, among others. These partnerships aim to make the treatment accessible to patients across various regions of India.
Global Recognition and Future Prospects
Qartemi has earned international recognition, as it is licensed from the Hospital Clinic de Barcelona (HCB), one of the world’s leading institutions in cell therapy innovation. This collaboration ensures that Qartemi meets global standards of safety and efficacy, paving the way for its potential expansion beyond India.
The approval of Qartemi is expected to be a game-changer in the fight against blood cancer in India, offering new hope to patients who were previously left with limited treatment options. As more patients gain access to this innovative therapy, it is poised to play a key role in reducing the burden of blood cancers in the country.
With its innovative approach and significant clinical results, Qartemi has the potential to change the landscape of blood cancer treatment in India. By offering a more affordable, personalized, and effective solution, it stands as a beacon of hope for thousands of cancer patients in the country. As the global medical community continues to embrace CAR-T cell therapies, India’s approval of Qartemi marks an important step forward in making cutting-edge treatments more accessible to those in need.
