On 13 October 2025, IA-DATA convened a Global South health systems roundtable on Empowering Affordable Access to CAR-T Cell Therapy in Malaysia for Cancer and Rare Diseases. The event was held in collaboration with Universiti Malaya Affordable Diagnostics & Therapeutics (UMADT), MAHSA University, Mission & Co, and Caring Cross.

CAR-T cell therapy is an advanced cancer treatment that re-engineers a patient’s own immune cells to recognise and attack cancer. While highly effective for some cancers, access remains limited due to cost and infrastructure barriers.

The roundtable brought together clinicians, researchers, patient advocates, policymakers, industry leaders, and funders to discuss current challenges, share international lessons, and explore practical pathways to make CAR-T therapy more affordable and accessible in Malaysia. Discussions focused on local manufacturing, technology transfer, sustainable funding models, and ensuring patient voices are central to decision-making.

A key highlight was the presentation by Dr Boro Dropulić (Caring Cross) on decentralised CAR-T manufacturing approaches that could significantly reduce costs and treatment timelines.

The meeting reflected a shared commitment to ensuring that cutting-edge therapies are not limited to high-income settings but are accessible to patients across the Global South. We look forward to working with Malaysian stakeholders to translate these discussions into evidence-based policy and real-world impact.