A new CAR-T cell therapy for advanced gastrointestinal cancers is expected to become available in China in the first half of 2026, according to Jiahui International Cancer Center.
The centre will be among the leading medical institutions offering access to the therapy, known as satri-cel (CT041).
It is the world's first CAR-T treatment specifically developed for solid tumours targeting Claudin18.2, a biomarker commonly found in gastric and pancreatic cancers.
CAR-T therapy is a highly personalised treatment that uses a patient's own immune cells, reprogrammed to recognise and attack cancer cells with precision.
Unlike traditional therapies, CAR-T cells can expand inside the body and continue to fight cancer over time.
While CAR-T has already transformed outcomes in blood cancers, this new therapy represents a major breakthrough in treating solid tumours, where effective options have historically been limited.
Clinical studies conducted already in China have demonstrated the following encouraging outcomes for patients with advanced gastric and gastroesophageal cancers:
- Objective response rate (ORR): ~41%, significantly higher than standard treatments
- More than ten-times improvement versus conventional therapies in some comparisons
- Progression-free survival extended to ~4.7 months vs. ~1.7 months with standard care.
Addressing a major unmet need
Advanced gastric and pancreatic cancers continue to be some of the most challenging cancers to treat, with limited effective options available in later lines of therapy and poor survival rates.
This CAR-T therapy presents a new treatment pathway for patients who have run out of conventional options.
It marks a significant milestone in oncology, paving the way for CAR-T treatments to be applied beyond blood cancers and into solid tumours.
Jiahui International Cancer Center added that ongoing research is investigating the potential for broader applications, including treatments for earlier stages of cancer and additional types of tumours.