Vietnam Achieves First Successful CAR-T Cell Therapy Treatment for Pediatric Acute Leukemia
核心洞察
The Blood Transfusion and Hematology Hospital (搜索) in Ho Chi Minh City (搜索) successfully treated Vietnam's first case of high-risk B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia using CAR-T cell therapy (搜索) in a 12-year-old patient.
The patient, who had experienced two relapses after chemotherapy and bone marrow transplant, remains in stable health more than a year after receiving the genetically modified T cell treatment.
The hospital is now developing domestic CAR-T cell production capabilities to reduce treatment costs by approximately 20 times, from tens of thousands of US dollars to under $18,964 per case.
The Blood Transfusion and Hematology Hospital (搜索) in Ho Chi Minh City (搜索) has achieved a medical milestone by successfully treating Vietnam's first case of acute leukemia using CAR-T cell therapy (搜索), marking the introduction of the most advanced cellular therapy technology to the country. The groundbreaking treatment was performed on a 12-year-old girl with high-risk B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia in collaboration with Taiwanese experts.
Complex Case History and Treatment Journey
The patient presented with a challenging medical history that exemplified the need for advanced therapeutic interventions. Following her initial diagnosis of high-risk acute B-cell lymphoblastic leukemia (搜索), she underwent standard chemotherapy but experienced a first relapse. Subsequently, she received a haploidentical bone marrow transplant from her father, only to suffer a second relapse, positioning her as an ideal candidate for the experimental CAR-T cell therapy (搜索).
The treatment process involved extracting the patient's T cells (搜索) and sending them to a specialized laboratory where technicians genetically modified the cells to express a chimeric antigen receptor (搜索) (CAR) protein on their surface. This modification enabled the engineered cells to specifically identify and attack malignant cells. The manufactured CAR-T cells were then reinfused into the patient.
Treatment Outcomes and Long-term Success
The therapy has demonstrated remarkable effectiveness, with the patient maintaining stable health and leading a normal life more than a year after the CAR-T cell infusion. She continues to receive follow-up care and maintenance therapy at the hospital. According to Prof. Dr. Phu Chi Dung, Director of the Blood Transfusion and Hematology Hospital (搜索), this method offers numerous advantages over traditional treatment options, including fewer side effects, high treatment effectiveness, prolonged survival for patients, and significantly improved quality of life after treatment.
The CAR-T therapy has shown particular promise in generating long-lasting immune responses, which helps reduce the risk of disease recurrence compared to conventional treatments.
Cost Challenges and Domestic Production Plans
The initial CAR-T cell infusion was performed in Taiwan due to lower costs compared to other regional countries and established professional collaboration networks. However, the treatment remains exceptionally expensive, with costs estimated at several billion Vietnamese dong, equivalent to tens of thousands of US dollars per case.
Dr. Dung revealed that the hospital is actively preparing its infrastructure and training medical staff, including doctors, nurses, and certified technicians, while collaborating with international experts to establish domestic CAR-T cell production capabilities. The objective is to master the technology and significantly reduce treatment costs through local manufacturing.
Future Development and Research Initiatives
Domestic production is projected to reduce the cost per case by approximately 20 times, bringing the expense down to less than VND500 million (under US$18,964). This dramatic cost reduction could make the therapy more accessible to Vietnamese patients requiring this advanced treatment.
The hospital is currently conducting a city-level research project with ambitious plans to expand it to a national-level initiative to further develop CAR-T cell technology. Dr. Dung noted that the potential for effective local CAR-T cell production is considered highly promising, based on research findings from Japan.
This achievement was announced at the 8th Vietnam Blood Transfusion and Hematology Conference, the 8th Vietnamese-French Open Conference on Transfusion – Transplantation – Cell Therapy, and the 30th Congress of Asia – Pacific Blood and Marrow Transplantation, which opened simultaneously in Ho Chi Minh City (搜索) on September 16.