New European production facility for CAR T cell therapy in the Netherlands

Cell-based treatment that uses a patient's own cells opens up new possibilities in the fight against some of the hardest to treat cancers. Cell therapy involving the injection, implantation or grafting of cells to treat a disease is one of the key research areas at Bristol Myers Squibb. CAR T cell therapy, a form of immunotherapy for cancer, is now a particular focus of research.

CAR T cell therapy is short for 'Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-cell' therapy. A T-cell is an immune cell that can attack and eliminate malignant cancer cells. In the therapy, white blood cells are collected from a cancer patient and genetically modified in the production facility to recognise and bind to proteins from specific cancer cells. These cells are then administered to the patient in specialised centres. The genetic modification of the cells is instrumental in combating haematological cancers through the body's own T-cells. Expanding the capacity of production facilities is essential to make CAR T cell therapy available to more patients with aggressive blood cancers.