CAR-T cell therapy is a type of immunotherapy that modifies a patient’s T cells to better recognize and attack cancer cells. It is the latest and a promising treatment for blood cancers and China has the most CAR T-cell therapy activities in research and clinical application.
CAR-T cell therapy in China has seen significant advancements, particularly since the early 2010s. Chinese researchers developed several therapies, with notable success in treating hematological cancers like lymphoma, leukemia and multiple myeloma.
The first CAR-T cell therapy was approved in 2021 in China, and five other products have been granted for clinical application since. By September, 2024, these innovative therapies are:
- Yescarta
- Carteyva
- Fucaso
- Yorwida (CNCT19)
- Zevor-cel
- Carvykti
Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapies have achieved notable success in treating hematological malignancies in China. Over the past nine years, the landscape has evolved significantly: from the initiation of CAR T-cell clinical trials in 2013, China became home to the largest number of related trials by 2017. By 2021, funding for cell therapy companies reached a cumulative US$2.37 billion, alongside a marked increase in clinical trials and basic research. This surge can be attributed to several factors, including strong government support, substantial capital investment, high patient demand, a distinctive healthcare system, and the dedication of Chinese physicians and scientists.
