Homegrown CAR-T therapy shows early success in multiple myeloma patients

A team at Rabin Medical Center’s Davidoff Cancer Center in Israel has achieved a major milestone in cellular immunotherapy: the in-house production and administration of CAR-T (Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-cell) therapy for patients with treatment-resistant multiple myeloma.

In a first cohort of three patients, the engineered T-cells successfully targeted cancer cells with no unexpected complications, allowing patients to be discharged as planned. The approach harnesses patients’ own immune cells, genetically reprogrammed in the laboratory to recognise and attack myeloma cells, offering new hope for individuals who have exhausted conventional therapies.

The CAR-T program, run by the Samueli Integrative Cancer Pioneering Institute, integrates cutting-edge laboratory production with clinical care, representing a fully local workflow from T-cell engineering to patient infusion. Retroviral vectors developed in collaboration with the Max Delbrück Center in Berlin are used to equip T-cells with myeloma-specific receptors, enabling precise and potent anti-cancer activity.

“This achievement positions Rabin Medical Center at the forefront of advanced cancer therapy,” says Professor Gal Markel, Director of the Davidoff Cancer Center. “Beyond multiple myeloma, we aim to extend this platform to solid tumours such as lung and liver cancers, and eventually to autoimmune diseases, all produced and administered under one roof.”

With around 550 new multiple myeloma cases diagnosed annually in Israel alone, this locally produced therapy demonstrates the potential for rapid, scalable, and patient-specific interventions in advanced cancer care. Early results underscore the growing impact of CAR-T therapies in transforming treatment options and highlight the promise of integrating research, manufacturing, and clinical expertise.

Images and video from the laboratory and treatment teams showcase the technology and workflow, underscoring the real-world application of this innovative approach.

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