Safety & Speed: Handling Two Major Factors In CAR T-Cell Therapy

By Michael Eder, Business Development/Marketing Manager

Thanks to the emergence of CAR T-cell therapy, the 5-year cancer survival rate has improved remarkably with a promising high complete remission rate. So, it’s no surprise that an ever-growing number of novel agents with CAR designs and targets is being produced – despite the high costs and elaborate processes involved.

Costs and elaborate processes, however, are just two of the challenges experienced by researchers and manufacturers. As is the case with any new (and, incidentally, established) developments, autologous therapies come with their own set of challenges and limitations, most notably speed and safety.

The extraction, manipulation and re-infusion of small batches of autologous cells is complex and costly. Manufacturing is largely centralized, with a shortage of manufacturing slots for either the CAR T cell or requisite viral vector proving to be one of the key bottlenecks.

In addition, shipping the cells between manufacturing facilities and hospitals calls for an elaborate and complex, uninterrupted cold chain. When it comes to saving a patient’s life, speed and safety are key – as is the safe handling of the matter, where special protective and coolable packaging play a crucial role.

What does it take to cure more people with CAR T-cell therapy?