IIT-B researchers overcome a key cancer therapy bottleneck, Pg18

Key Highlights:

• IIT-Bombay researchers have developed a gentler method for retrieving T-cells in CAR T-cell therapy, improving cell viability and immune function.
• The new method uses Accutase, a gentler enzyme solution, for cell recovery from 3D scaffolds, preserving cell health.
• CAR T-cell therapy has been approved in the US and Europe for certain blood cancers, showing success in patients who have exhausted conventional treatments.
• India has begun CAR T-cell trials through collaborations like IIT Bombay and Tata Memorial Centre, aiming to reduce therapy costs.

Detailed Insights:

• CAR T-cell therapy involves modifying a patient's T-cells to target and destroy cancer cells, offering a promising approach to cancer treatment.
• The challenge lies in growing and retrieving healthy T-cells in large numbers, as traditional methods can damage cells, affecting their functionality.
• 3D fibrous scaffolds mimic natural conditions for T-cell growth, but cells become embedded, making retrieval difficult without compromising their integrity.
• The IIT Bombay study found that using Accutase for cell retrieval resulted in better cell survival and normal function compared to harsher methods.
• CAR T-cell therapy is expensive, costing crores abroad, but Indian efforts aim to make it more affordable and accessible to a larger patient population.

Scientific/Technical Concepts Involved:

• T-cells: White blood cells that identify and eliminate infections or abnormal cells in the body.
• CAR T-cell therapy: A treatment that reprograms T-cells with chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) to target cancer cells.
• 3D scaffolds: Biomaterials that mimic the natural environment for cell growth, improving cell activity and multiplication.