Researchers have developed 3D-printed gels that mimic lymph nodes to improve the production of CAR T-cells for cancer treatment. The approach increased success rates and sped up cell growth compared with standard methods. It may help lower costs and expand access to the therapy worldwide.
The standard process for making CAR T-cells involves extracting T-cells from a patient, genetically engineering them with a virus to target cancer, and multiplying them over several weeks. This can cost more than £280,000 per round and often takes up to a month, limiting availability especially in lower-income countries.
