Fiocruz and Caring Cross join forces to produce affordable CAR-T therapy

The Brazilian Ministry of Health backed Fiocruz foundation and non-profit organization Caring Cross have announced a collaboration to develop local manufacturing of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cell and stem cell gene therapies for oncology, infectious, and genetic diseases in Brazil, including CAR-T cell therapies for leukemia, lymphoma, and HIV infection.

Caring Cross will provide technology, materials, and training to the Institute of Technology on Immunobiologicals (Bio-Manguinhos/Fiocruz) for the manufacture of CAR-T cell therapies and lentiviral vectors aimed for clinical development and approval. The initial phase of the program will focus on CAR-T cell therapies for leukemia and lymphoma, improved versions of products that are successfully treating patients in selected countries.

The collaboration will also advance a therapeutic product for HIV, currently in US clinical trials, designed for the treatment and potential cure of HIV infection, with the expectation of new co-development projects for other diseases.