Big pharmaceutical companies like Gilead Sciences, Novartis, Johnson & Johnson, and Bristol Myers Squibb are focusing on reducing the manufacturing turnaround time for personalised blood cancer treatments known as CAR-T therapies.
These treatments involve re-engineering a patient’s T cells to attack malignant cells and are used for patients with aggressive advanced cancers. Currently priced between $400,000 and $600,000, these treatments have profit margins of about 50%.
Improvements in automation
Companies aim to expand the patient population eligible for these life-extending therapies by cutting down the time between cell removal and re-infusion. Improvements in automation and regulatory adjustments have already reduced turnaround times, with Gilead now at 14 days compared with 37 days in 2017. Novartis is aiming for 10 days or less with its next-generation treatments.
The goal is to make these therapies more accessible to patients needing them, as time is crucial for those with aggressive diseases. Increasing manufacturing capacity, collaborating with advanced technology platforms, and expanding the number of hospitals offering CAR-T treatments are key strategies to make these therapies more widely available. The ultimate aim is to provide hope and extended life to more patients battling blood cancers.