I don’t think it’s even a drug, but rather an elaborate process of modifying the immune system that requires a series of steps.
Here’s what Novartis says:
“About Kymriah Manufacturing
Kymriah will be manufactured for each individual patient using their own cells at the Novartis Morris Plains, New Jersey facility. Novartis has designed a reliable and integrated manufacturing and supply chain platform that allows for an individualized treatment approach on a global scale. This process includes cryopreservation of a patient’s harvested (or leukapheresed) cells, giving treating physicians and centers the flexibility to initiate therapy with Kymriah based on the individual patient’s condition. Building on our experience, having manufactured CAR-T cells for over 250 patients from 11 countries across various indications, we have demonstrated a reproducible product. Novartis continues to advance its CAR-T manufacturing expertise in Morris Plains, where we have been supplying CAR-T cells for global clinical trials and where we continue to invest in support of the anticipated demand to meet the needs of patients.”
So you have to send in your immune cells to the factory, and they modify them for you and send them back.
“... an elaborate process of modifying the immune system that requires a series of steps.”
Thanks to innovation, genetic sequencing has had a cost cut comparable to the drop in price in computing power. I believe this is the first HP calculator-type price of this procedure.
I don’t think it’s even a drug,
...
Not in the traditional sense. It’s gene therapy applied to a person’s own immune cells. When they cells are ready to be injected back into the patient they are considered to be a drug.