An indigenously developed gene therapy for treating specific blood cancers has shown a 73% response rate in clinical trials conducted in India, according to research published in The Lancet Haematology journal.

The breakthrough treatment, known as CAR T-cell therapy, involves genetically modifying a patient’s T-cells—a type of immune cell—to help fight cancer more effectively. The study focused on patients suffering from leukemia (which originates in the bone marrow) and lymphoma (which affects the lymphatic system).

Developed by researchers from the Indian Institute of Technology-Bombay (IIT-B) and Tata Memorial Hospital, Mumbai, this therapy offers new hope, especially in low and middle-income countries, where treatment options for relapsed or refractory B-cell tumors remain limited.

Experts say the lack of effective therapies has resulted in poor outcomes for patients whose cancer either returns after remission or fails to respond to conventional treatments. The success of this Indian CAR T-cell therapy marks a significant advancement in making cutting-edge cancer treatments more accessible and affordable.