Nepal has approved its first domestically manufactured CAR T-cell therapy for clinical use, marking a milestone in the country’s cancer treatment capabilities. The Department of Drug Administration approved the product developed in Kathmandu.

The therapy, a CD19 CAR T-cell product, is used to treat aggressive blood cancers, including B-cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia and Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma. The treatment works by collecting a patient’s T-cells from the blood, genetically modifying them in a laboratory to recognise cancer cells, and then reinfusing them into the body to destroy the disease.

The programme was developed at the Centre for Regenerative Medicine Nepal by a multidisciplinary team. Officials said the approval will allow eligible patients to receive the advanced therapy within the country instead of travelling abroad for treatment.

Experts involved in the project said the next step will be the clinical implementation of the therapy in collaboration with doctors across the country.