Mr.F, a 63-year-old from Russia, was diagnosed with multiple myeloma on the eve of Christmas in 2017. Doctors informed him that based on the comprehensive evaluation of various test results, his myeloma was classified as high-risk (1gG-type, DS-ⅢA stage, 1SS stage), making treatment challenging, with a high likelihood of recurrence and a poor prognosis.
In early 2018, to quickly control his condition, Mr.F underwent traditional treatment with the CVD regimen in Russia, followed by his first autologous stem cell transplant, achieving a partial remission (PR). Unfortunately, just 10 months later, his multiple myeloma relapsed. After switching to a second-line chemotherapy regimen, he underwent a second autologous stem cell transplant. However, there were still tumor lesions in his body, like a ticking time bomb that could erupt unexpectedly at any moment.
In order to completely rid himself of cancer and escape the nightmare of constant recurrence and deterioration, Mr.F and his family learned about the remarkable efficacy of CAR-T therapy for hematologic malignancies. They conducted extensive research on CAR-T therapies available globally and consulted many hospitals and experts worldwide, including those in India and Israel.
To his surprise, almost every expert mentioned that hospitals in China had made significant progress in the field of CAR-T therapy, gradually catching up to Europe and the United States. Notably, on June 30, 2023, the world’s first fully human BCMA CAR-T therapy—called Icaru-lan-Cell—was shockingly launched in China. The overall response rate for Icaru-lan-Cell was nearly 99%, with a complete response rate as high as 82.4%. He and his attending physician immediately contacted an international hospital in Shanghai, China, for an initial online consultation. After the professional medical team conducted a preliminary assessment, they developed a comprehensive plan for the patient and answered all of Mr. F’s and the Russian experts’ questions and concerns in detail. In November 2023, Mr. F and his treating expert from Russia visited the hospital in Shanghai for an on-site evaluation, where they found an international multidisciplinary treatment team and a medical environment that met international treatment standards.
They also visited the production facility for the world’s first fully human BCMA CAR-T therapy, Icaru-lan-Cell. They were amazed to discover that this outstanding therapy not only has an entirely self-developed manufacturing process but also utilizes a completely self-developed lentiviral vector, boasting a comprehensive R&D platform and an independently built production base. Ultimately, Mr. F decided to undergo treatment in China.
In December 2023, he successfully completed the collection of T cells and underwent CAR-T cell infusion a month later. Thirteen days after the infusion, he was discharged from the hospital.
In May 2024, PET-CT results showed that his lesions had disappeared, achieving complete remission (CR), which meant that after battling myeloma for six years, he had finally emerged victorious!
Now, Mr. F has not only restarted a happy and fulfilling life but has also returned to his career alongside his wife. He currently serves as the General Manager of the UNESCO Mineral Resources Education Center.
Mr. F stated, “When I personally came to China and witnessed the medical conditions and experienced the best care, I felt genuinely proud of China. It’s a pity that Russia cannot provide this level of service at present, but I will bring my experiences here back to Russia to share. China’s healthcare system is world-leading, and making the decision to come to China was absolutely the right choice!”
Currently, nearly ten patients are receiving CAR-T treatment at the international hospital in Shanghai, with 80% being foreigners from countries such as Russia, New Zealand, Singapore, and Malaysia. More than three months after discharge, patients who underwent CAR-T treatment have all achieved complete remission (CR) according to efficacy evaluations, meaning that after anti-tumor treatment, lesions have disappeared, tumor markers are normal, and no new lesions have developed.
Compared to traditional treatments, CAR-T therapy offers unique advantages. First, it provides highly personalized treatment by genetically engineering the patient’s immune system for more precise responses in cancer treatment. Second, CAR-T has shown significant and superior efficacy in complex cases, which traditional therapies cannot achieve. More importantly, fully human CAR-T not only maintains the patient’s quality of life but also offers more durable treatment effects. Furthermore, the one-time infusion treatment leads to rapid and effective results, alleviating the patient’s suffering and burden during the treatment process and bringing hope for a cure.
China has become a major player in CAR-T technology, hosting the largest number of global clinical trials. As of August 2024, there are six CAR-T products approved and on the market in China, which is comparable to the United States. The price of CAR-T products in China is approximately one-third that of American products, and this relatively lower treatment cost has made China a popular destination for international patients seeking CAR-T cell therapy.