VMPL
Berlin [Germany], October 14: Immuna Therapeutics AG, based in Allschwil, Basel region, Switzerland, and NIMS University Rajasthan, Jaipur, today announced a US3millionpartnershiptodevelopanaffordable,locallydeliveredmodelforCAR-TcelltherapyinRajasthan.AnnouncedattheWorldHealthSummitinBerlin,thecollaborationaimstoestablishaRajasthanCentreofExcellenceforCAR-Tclinicaldelivery,researchandtraining.NIMSwouldcontributeUS2 million towards infrastructure, clinical operations and patient care, while Immuna would contribute US$1 million in technology, training and technical implementation. The partnership is intended to create a scalable model that could extend access to advanced cancer treatments beyond major metropolitan centres.
A breakthrough in cancer care , but access remains a challenge
Chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CAR-T) therapy represents a major advance in cancer treatment. It involves collecting a patient’s T cells, genetically engineering them to recognise and attack cancer cells, and returning the modified cells to the patient. In certain blood cancers, including some leukemias and lymphomas, CAR-T therapy has produced deep and sometimes long-lasting remissions, including in patients whose disease has returned or failed to respond to other treatments. Yet complex manufacturing, specialised infrastructure, clinical monitoring and high treatment costs have limited access in many countries. The challenge is no longer simply to develop transformative therapies, but to build safe, sustainable delivery models that can make them accessible to more patients
Immuna’s approach: advanced TriCAR technology with local delivery.
Immuna is developing an alternative model built around local clinical capacity, technology transfer and a more affordable treatment package. The collaboration would provide technical processes to NIMS, supported by training, standard operating procedures, quality and process implementation, and regulatory technical support. The longer-term ambition is to bring qualified treatment and, where approved, manufacturing capacity closer to patients, reducing dependence on centralised delivery models. The proposed patient-package price is capped at INR 30 lakh.
Prof. (Dr.) Balvir S. Tomar, Founder and Chancellor of NIMS University Rajasthan, said:
“India has the scientific talent, clinical expertise and entrepreneurial capacity to help reshape how advanced cancer treatments are delivered. Our partnership with Immuna is an opportunity to build that capacity in Rajasthan, combining world-class technology with local infrastructure and clinical expertise. Our ambition is to develop a model in which geography and economic circumstances do not automatically determine whether a patient can access the next generation of cancer care.”
Dr Boro Dropulić a pioneer in lentiviral-vector technology and a member of Immuna’s technical leadership, said:
“The promise of cell and gene therapy depends not only on the science, but on our ability to translate that science into reliable, reproducible and accessible treatments. TriCAR-T brings together multi-target recognition and a delivery model designed with affordability and technology transfer in mind. Building local capabilities, supported by robust quality systems and regulatory oversight, is an important step towards making these advanced therapies available to more patients.”
Pradeep Kakkattil, Co-founder of Immuna Therapeutics and Founder and CEO of Health Innovation Exchange, said:
“We cannot accept a future in which the most advanced cancer therapies are available only to people who can afford treatment abroad or in a handful of specialist centres. Immuna is building a model that combines advanced gene therapy with local delivery, technology transfer and a more affordable price point. Our work with NIMS in Rajasthan is part of a broader effort to work with states, hospitals and partners globally to expand access to novel gene therapies for cancer and, over time, other diseases, including autoimmune conditions. The ambition is to move from isolated centres of excellence to a network of local capabilities that can reach more patients
Prof. Sanjay Pattanshetty, NIMS University Rajasthan, said:
“Expanding access to advanced cancer care requires us to bring together clinical excellence, research, technology and a commitment to affordability. Our collaboration with Immuna offers an opportunity to build these capabilities in Rajasthan, while training healthcare professionals and developing a model that can serve patients across the state and beyond. We look forward to helping establish a strong foundation for the responsible introduction of next-generation cell and gene therapies in India.”
A significant opportunity for Rajasthan and India
Rajasthan, with an estimated population of approximately 8.4 crore in 2026, offers an opportunity to establish a regional hub for advanced cellular therapies. The partnership’s planning estimates indicate:
- 90,000–100,000: estimated new cancer cases of all types annually in Rajasthan.
- 2,200–2,700: estimated annual cases of B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma, B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia and selected chronic lymphocytic leukemia potentially relevant to the programme’s target antigens.
The proposed model would combine a Jaipur-based clinical hub with patient identification and referrals across Rajasthan. The partners intend to explore pathways involving government health programmes, insurers, corporate social responsibility funding and other hospitals to improve access.
Building a wider network for advanced therapies
The Rajasthan initiative is part of Immuna’s broader ambition to expand access to advanced cellular and gene therapies through partnerships with state governments, academic institutions, hospitals and international collaborators. Immuna is working to develop models that combine technology transfer, local clinical capacity, quality systems and innovative financing, with the longer-term goal of extending these approaches to other blood malignancies and selected autoimmune diseases as the relevant technologies and clinical evidence mature.
For India, the partnership offers an opportunity to build expertise in advanced therapy delivery and potentially develop a model that can be adapted in other states. Internationally, it reflects a growing effort to ensure that advances in cell and gene therapy are accompanied by practical approaches to affordability, local capability and equitable access.
About Immuna Therapeutics
Immuna Therapeutics AG is a Switzerland-based biotechnology venture focused on transforming access to cancer care through advanced cell and gene therapies. Its ambition is to develop more affordable and decentralised approaches to delivering innovative treatments, particularly in low- and middle-income countries, through technology transfer and partnerships with local institutions.
About NIMS University Rajasthan
NIMS University Rajasthan, Jaipur, is a higher-education and healthcare institution with clinical and academic capabilities. Through this proposed collaboration, NIMS aims to develop its role in advanced cancer care, clinical research and the delivery of innovative therapies in Rajasthan.
Media enquiries:
Immuna Therapeutics: [phani@immuna.ch ]
NIMS University Rajasthan: [Chancellor@nimsuniversity.org]
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