Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR) T-cell

Why in news?

• A new development in the treatment of cancer is currently holding the attention of many researchers worldwide – i.e CAR T-cell therapy.

Existing treatment for cancer:

• The three major forms of treatment for any cancer are surgery (removing the cancer), radiotherapy (delivering ionising radiation to the tumour), and systemic therapy (administering medicines that act on the tumour).

About Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR) T-cell:

• Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapies represent a quantum leap in the sophistication of cancer treatment.
• Unlike chemotherapy or immunotherapy, which requires mass-produced injectable or oral medication, CAR T-cell therapies use a patient’s own cells.
• Hence, they’re called ‘living drugs’.

How does it work?

• In CAR T-cell therapy, the patient’s blood is drawn to harvest T-cells which are immune cells that play a major role in destroying tumour cells.
• Researchers then modify these cells in the laboratory so that they express specific proteins on their surface, known as chimeric antigen receptors (CAR). They have an affinity for proteins on the surface of tumour cells.
• These modified cells are then infused back into the patient’s bloodstream after conditioning them to multiply more effectively.
• This modification in the cellular structure allows CAR T-cells to effectively bind to the tumour and destroy it. The final step in the tumour’s destruction involves its clearance by the patient’s immune system.

CAR T-Cell therapy uses:

• CAR T-cell therapy has been approved for leukaemias (cancers arising from the cells that produce white blood cells) and lymphomas (arising from the lymphatic system).
• It is also used among patients with cancers that have returned after an initially successful treatment or who haven’t responded to previous combinations of chemotherapy or immunotherapy.
• The complexity of preparing CAR T-cells has been a major barrier to their use. The first clinical trial showing they were effective was published almost a decade ago.

Add ons:

• The first indigenously developed therapy in India was successfully performed in 2022.
• Moreover, trials are underway in India, with companies looking to indigenously manufacture CAR T-cells at a fraction of the cost. The preliminary results have been encouraging.

PRACTICE QUESTION:

Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy was widely discussed in news, because it is an effective treatment for:

(a) Malaria

(b) Cancer

(c) Tuberculosis

(d) AIDS

Answer