APAC Region Leads in Adoptive Cell Therapy Trials, Driving Global Innovation
The Asia Pacific (APAC) region is at the forefront of adoptive cell therapy clinical trials, surpassing Europe with approximately twelve times more ongoing studies. At the recent Annual Outsourcing in Clinical Trials conference, Scotty Chung-Siu, a managing analyst at GlobalData, emphasized this trend and revealed that there are 1,023 single-country adoptive cell therapy trials in the APAC region, compared to 476 in North America. These therapies, which utilize engineered cells to activate the immune system for treating various conditions such as cancer, are witnessing significant momentum in APAC.
The primary adoptive cell therapy types, including tumour-infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) immunotherapy, natural killer (NK) cell immunotherapy, and T cell immunotherapies like chimeric antigen T (CAR-T) cell therapies, are contributing to this upsurge. Notably, Novartis' CAR-T therapy Kymriah and Gilead Sciences’ and Daiichi Sankyo’s Yescarta are already available in some Asian markets, with Novartis establishing cell therapy manufacturing sites in Japan in 2020, further enhancing the region’s capabilities.
Key Takeaways:
- APAC leads in adoptive cell therapy trials, with 1,023 single-country studies compared to 476 in North America.
- APAC exhibits twelve times more single-country adoptive cell therapy trials than Europe.
- Asia's 70% contribution to global economic growth and a projected 40% annual growth rate for CAR-T adoption.
- Notable adoptive cell therapies include TIL, NK cell, and T cell immunotherapies, with modalities like CAR-T therapies.
Analysis:
The rapid growth of APAC's adoptive cell therapy trials, outpacing Europe and North America, is propelled by robust economic growth and strategic biotech investments, exemplified by Novartis' expansion in Japan. This position cements APAC as a significant player in immunotherapy innovation, subsequently impacting global healthcare and biotech industries. In the short term, it accelerates regional medical advancements and economic growth, while in the long term, it holds the potential to redefine global healthcare standards.
Did You Know?
- Adoptive Cell Therapy: Utilizes engineered cells to activate the immune system to treat conditions, including cancer, encompassing TIL, NK cell, and T cell immunotherapies, with modalities like CAR-T therapies.
- CAR-T Therapy: A subset of adoptive cell therapy where T cells are genetically modified to express chimeric antigen receptors, exemplified by Novartis’ Kymriah and Gilead Sciences’ Yescarta.
- Tumor-Infiltrating Lymphocyte (TIL) Immunotherapy: Involves isolating T cells that have infiltrated a tumor, expanding them in the lab, and reintroducing them into the patient, particularly effective for certain types of cancers.