PSU Develops CAR-T Cancer Therapy With 90% Success Rate
Prince of Songkla University's locally developed CAR-T Cell therapy achieves 90% remission rates in blood cancer patients while costing a tenth of imported treatments. The university is expanding production capacity and partnering with Bang
SONGKHLA — The Faculty of Medicine at Prince of Songkla University (PSU) has unveiled progress in using locally developed CAR-T Cell therapy to treat blood cancers and autoimmune diseases, reporting that nearly 90% of patients have achieved complete remission.
Asst. Prof. Dr. Nalinee Kowitwanawong, deputy dean for administration at the Faculty of Medicine, said that PSU had introduced CAR-T Cell therapy to treat patients with lymphoma, leukaemia and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). The treatment uses a patient's own immune cells, which are genetically modified to recognise and attack targeted cells.
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Chakkarawadee Chulamanee, director of the Centre of Excellence for Stem Cell Transplantation and Cell Therapy, said the university had researched and developed PSU CAR-T Cell therapy to treat cancer patients while significantly reducing treatment costs. Imported CAR-T Cell products can cost nearly 20 million baht, while the locally developed treatment can reduce the cost to around 2 million baht.
To expand access to the treatment, PSU's Faculty of Medicine is building a facility to manufacture PSU CD19 CAR-T Cells. The facility is expected to increase production capacity from around 30 patients per year to more than 100 patients annually. The university is also seeking partnerships with private companies and international networks to expand access to the treatment and further develop the technology for international use.
The Faculty of Medicine has signed an agreement with Bangkok Hospital Phuket to develop CAR-T Cell therapy. The partnership combines academic expertise, research capabilities and medical services to establish a systematic, safe and standardised foundation for advanced medical treatment, including precision medicine and advanced therapy medicinal products (ATMPs), alongside a comprehensive patient care system.
The system will cover the entire treatment process, from patient selection and suitability assessments to treatment planning, safety management, monitoring for complications and long-term follow-up by a multidisciplinary medical team. The partnership is also intended to improve access to advanced treatments for patients in Thailand's Andaman coastal region, the wider southern region and international patients.
The initiative is part of efforts to position the region as an international hub for advanced medicine based on medical standards, patient safety, research and meaningful outcomes for patients.
