Learn more about Dr Nath and his dedication to expanding clinical trial access and developing home-grown CAR T-cells in Australia.
The Path to Precision – How Cellular Therapy is Revolutionising Oncology
Cellular therapies are one of the most exciting developments in cancer treatment in recent years and during my time specialising in this field I’m struck by how profoundly these treatments have and are transforming the fight against cancer.
Treatments such as chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy have ushered in a new era, leveraging a patient’s own immune cells to directly target cancer cells. This approach, highly personalised and requiring only a single infusion of modified T-cells, is as revolutionary as it is complex. While the science captivates me, it’s the impact on patient outcomes that drives my clinical focus. As a haematologist, witnessing patients achieve unprecedented results and often a remarkably better quality of life brings purpose to my research and my role as a lead clinician at Icon Group.
The MSK Experience – Learning from Pioneers
When I left Brisbane, where I was consulting at Icon Cancer Centre – Australia & New Zealand South Brisbane as a Haematology Fellow, to join Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK) in the United States, my aim was to fully immerse myself in the field of cellular therapy.
I had the privilege of working alongside world-leading experts who are pioneers in CAR T-cell therapy, gaining invaluable hands-on experience with some of the most advanced treatments available.
As a member of MSK’s Cellular Therapy Service, I saw the profound effects CAR T-cell therapy had on patients with blood cancers whose cancers had resisted conventional treatments. In some instances, this therapy even proved curative—an outcome that redefines the goals we set for our patients.
At MSK, I also learnt that CAR T-cell therapy is only the beginning.
Scientists are constantly refining and developing new cellular therapies to target cancers more effectively. Beyond CAR T-cells, treatments like tumour-infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL) and T-cell receptor (TCR) therapies are emerging, designed to tackle the unique challenges presented by different cancer types. I was fortunate to treat patients with these therapies, each tailored to meet the demands of specific cancers, including solid tumours like melanoma and lung cancer.
Cellular therapy – creating opportunities in Australia
Returning to Australia to take up Icon’s new role of Deputy Director of Cellular Therapy, thanks to a generous donation to Icon Cancer Foundation, I’m inspired to make these innovative treatments accessible to more patients.
While there are unique challenges in introducing these therapies across the country—particularly logistical complexities, potential side effects, and costs—my Icon colleagues and I are committed to broadening access.
Icon is the largest provider of autologous transplants in Southeast Queensland and are well established experts in bone marrow transplants. The capabilities required for CAR T-cell therapy are very similar to that required for bone marrow transplants. This means Icon’s infrastructure and capabilities provide a strong foundation for bringing cellular therapies to Australian patients.
The cost and logistics of CAR T-cell manufacturing remain barriers, but promising developments are already underway to tackle these.
Innovations such as point-of-care manufacturing and allogeneic T-cells, which can use donor cells, have the potential to reduce both the costs and time of production, making these treatments more affordable and accessible.
While at MSK, I was involved in a clinical trial that explored ways to minimise the side effects of CAR T-cell therapy, which highlighted the importance of proactive patient management.
Sharing this experience with healthcare providers in Australia will be essential as we establish a local base of expertise in these therapies. In line with clinical knowledge sharing, we also need to start conversations with government and lobby for further investment in cellular therapies.
Evolutions in Cellular Therapy
CAR T-cell therapy for patients with blood cancers is currently recommended as a treatment option if chemotherapy has not been sufficiently effective, and the disease has returned, or if patients have developed resistance to their initial treatment. It has also shown potential to replace existing treatments such as bone marrow transplantation.
