Nepal Treats First Cancer Patient with Locally Made CAR-T Cell Therapy

Nepal has achieved a major milestone in advanced cancer care after a 20-year-old patient from Dhading received locally developed and manufactured CAR-T cell therapy for the first time in the country. The patient was first diagnosed with cancer at the age of 17.

The treatment was administered on September 27, 2026, at Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital (TUTH) in Kathmandu, marking a significant step towards developing advanced cancer treatments within Nepal.

According to the Centre for Regenerative Medicine Nepal (CRM Nepal), the patient, who has acute lymphoblastic leukemia, a form of blood cancer, is recovering and remains clinically stable. The medical team is closely monitoring the patient to assess remission and the durability of the treatment response.

CAR-T cell therapy is an advanced form of immunotherapy that uses a patient’s own immune cells to fight cancer. T cells are genetically modified in a laboratory to recognize and attack cancer cells before being infused back into the patient’s body. CRM Nepal’s therapy targets CD19, a marker found on certain blood cancers.

The treatment can be particularly beneficial for patients whose cancers return after chemotherapy or become resistant to conventional treatments.

Dr. Anjan Shrestha, a haemato-oncologist who led the clinical team alongside Dr. Prashun Upadhyaya, said the development could reduce Nepal’s dependence on foreign countries, including India and China, for certain advanced blood cancer treatments.

Dr. Sanjivan Gautam, the scientific lead of the initiative, said the team had observed encouraging CAR-T cell expansion and early signs of therapeutic benefit in the patient’s blood. Further monitoring will be necessary to determine the treatment’s effectiveness and long-term outcomes.

The initiative began in 2022, with preclinical research followed by facility development, workforce training and manufacturing preparations. In 2026, CRM Nepal’s CD19 CAR-T cell product received approval for clinical use in Nepal.

The programme brought together Nepali scientists, clinicians, laboratory specialists and international experts to establish local manufacturing, quality-control and clinical capabilities.

CRM Nepal said its long-term goal is to make advanced cell therapies more accessible to patients who cannot afford or practically access treatment abroad. The development marks an important step towards strengthening Nepal’s capacity in cancer research, biotechnology and advanced medical treatment.