Access: Is it all about costs?

As reported in the previous issue of Molecular Therapy Oncology, Suppipat in Thailand used the automated closed system (CliniMACS Prodigy, Miltenyi Biotec) to manufacture anti-CD19 chimeric antigen receptor (CAR T) cells to successfully treat 12 patients with diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLCL).1 The authors report one-year event-free and overall survival of 58.3% and 90%, respectively, at a median total cost of USD 111,231. Patients’ treatment was financially supported by government grants and philanthropic contributions.