Biotech startup Immuneel Therapeutics has begun patient dosing in a CAR-T trial named IMAGINE. This phase II trial is the first industry sponsored CAR-T trial in India and is now actively enrolling patients at Narayana Hrudayalaya, Bengaluru.

The IMAGINE trial is funded by Immuneel and will include up to 24 pediatric and adult cancer patients. Immuneel has exclusive rights to ARI-0001/IMN-003A (a CD-19 CAR-T cell therapy) from Hospital Clínic de Barcelona and Institut d’Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer in Spain to develop, manufacture and commercialise in India via technology transfer. ARI-0001 is approved by the Spanish Drug Agency (AEMPS) and the data available compares very favourably with the US FDA-approved products.

CAR-T therapies, previously not available in India, have shown promising results for patients who have exhausted all other means of treatment in a range of blood cancers. These therapies are available internationally at USD 350K+ per dose, making the IMAGINE trial the first step towards bringing affordable treatments with global quality and clinical data to patients in India

Kiran Mazumdar Shaw, Co-Founder & Director, Immuneel Therapeutics reacted, “This milestone is significant in building an eco-system to accelerate and make cell therapies accessible to patients in India, in line with global standards at affordable and disruptive costs. Personalised cell therapies are in their nascency the world over and we have an opportunity to differentiate through partnerships and cutting-edge innovation.”