China’s drug regulator has said on Monday it has approved a CARsgen Therapeutics treatment for stomach cancer, marking a new milestone for CAR-T therapies, which engineer patients’ immune cells to recognise and kill cancer cells.
The injection, also known as satri-cel, is the world’s first approved CAR-T cell therapy for solid tumors, CARsgen CEO Li Zonghai said in an interview after the announcement.
“So many patients are waiting for that,” Li said, as reports indicated CARsgen shares rose 6.8% on Monday.
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CAR-T therapy is already used to treat blood cancers including Leukemia, Lymphoma and Multiple Myeloma.
However, it is difficult for engineered cells to survive and function in the hostile microenvironment of a solid tumor, according to Li.
He added that CARsgen would likely disclose the price on Tuesday, and that the first patient would be dosed in at least three to four weeks. A couple of patients were already waiting for the drug, he said.
He said he expected about 200 orders for the drug in the second half of 2026.
REUTERS
