In a technological and scientific breakthrough, Israeli doctors at Rabin Medical Center-Beilinson Campus successfully carried out genetically-engineered cellular therapy, overseeing successful procedures earlier in November as part of the treatment of three patients suffering from myeloma, a type of blood cancer.
Scientists at Rabin Medical Center’s Samueli Integrative Cancer Pioneering Institute labs at the Davidoff Cancer Center produced the genetically engineered cell therapies based on CAR-T (Chimeric Antigen Receptor) technology, designed for patients with treatment-resistant multiple myeloma, the center announced.
CAR-T technology is one of the most advanced innovations in modern cancer care, using the patient’s own immune system cells (T-cells) to fight off myeloma cells. The patient’s T-cells are genetically engineered in the lab to equip them with CARs, which enable them to identify and destroy cancerous cells. The cells are then reinfused into the patient’s body to attack the cancer.
Multiple myeloma is a cancer of the bone marrow and is diagnosed in 550 new patients each year in Israel. While treatment options have expanded, and life expectancy has improved significantly, some patients do not respond to existing therapies, creating an urgent need for advanced treatments.
Israeli patients underwent cancer procedure without complications
The first three patients to undergo the procedure did so without complication and were discharged as planned.
“As part of a clinical study, we began administering this treatment, and the early results show a very positive response,” said Dr. Iuliana Vaxman, head of the Center for Multiple Myeloma and Rare Plasma Cell Disorders at the Davidoff Cancer Center. “This is significant news for these patients. Our goal is to provide comprehensive care within the new center, and the availability of this innovative, locally produced technology at [the] RMC will allow us to achieve that.”
Prof. Gal Markel, director of the Davidoff Cancer Center, added that this treatment would not only aid myeloma patients.
“Soon, we will expand CAR-T development and treatment to include solid tumors, such as liver and lung cancer, and later autoimmune diseases, all produced and administered right here under one roof,” he said.
In a short time, we have established advanced capabilities for developing and manufacturing original therapies using cutting-edge technologies. Combined with our clinical expertise, this positions Rabin Medical Center as a leader in advanced cancer treatment. This remarkable achievement belongs to the Samueli Institute and the dedicated teams of the Davidoff Hematology Division, who worked in full synergy – from production to patient care.”
The Samueli Integrative Cancer Pioneering Institute, led by Avner Paz-Tsuk, was established in 2023 and operates under the highest international standards for advanced therapy production.
Its work is integrated within the Hemato-Oncology Division, headed by Prof. Pia Raanani. The CAR-T program is led by Prof. Michal Besser, chief technology officer at the Samueli Institute and the Davidoff Cancer Center.
The clinical study is directed by Prof. Moshe Yeshurun, head of the Bone Marrow Transplant Unit, in collaboration with Vaxman and Prof. Salomon Stemmer, deputy director of the Davidoff Center and co-founder of the Samueli Institute.
The retroviral vector that delivers the gene encoding the engineered CAR into cells was developed in the labs of Dr. Armin Rehm and Dr. Uta Hopken at the Max Delbrück Center in Berlin and was provided by researchers at the Max Delbrück Center.