India-based startup Immuneel Therapeutics announced that it has launched a CAR-T cell therapy for the treatment of relapsed and refractory B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), marking the country's second CAR-T for blood cancers.
According to Immuneel, the autologous CD19 CAR-T cell therapy, branded Qartemi (varnimcabtagene autoleucel), is approved in bpth India and Spain.
“Qartemi is a testament to our unwavering commitment to bringing world-class care closer to home. 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,” said Immuneel CEO Amit Mookim. “Collaborating with global partners to provide access to advanced treatments and cutting-edge therapies is the way forward.”
Immuneel was launched in 2018, and is backed by Indian billionaire and BioCon founder, Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw. In 2020, Immuneel signed a deal with Hospital Clínic de Barcelona and Barcelona research center IDIBAPS to develop and license the CD19 CAR-T therapy in India. The startup was the first company in India to conduct trials in 2022 for adult patients with NHL.
This news item was updated to reflect that fact that in October 2023, the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization approved ImmunoACT's NexCAR19, making it India’s first approved CAR-T cell therapy. The original reporting incorrectly stated that Immuneel's product was the first.
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