logo
Chinese scientists develop low-cost cell therapy for cancer, asthma, autoimmune diseases

Chinese scientists develop low-cost cell therapy for cancer, asthma, autoimmune diseases

Chinese researchers have come up with a cheaper and easier way of delivering a highly specialised, personalised cell therapy to treat blood cancers and other serious diseases.
This new method is much easier to programme than the conventional approach and is available at a fraction of the cost, according to experts in the field.
The treatment, known as CAR-T, is a type of immunotherapy that has taken off in recent years and has also shown promise in treating other conditions such as
asthma and autoimmune diseases. However, these cell therapies are difficult to produce and deliver to patients, and
they are expensive
A group of Chinese
medical experts has now proposed a solution to these drawbacks, using gene therapy tools. They reported that they had managed to produce anticancer cells directly inside the human body and, for the first time, had used them to treat four patients with multiple myeloma – the second most common form of blood cancer.
Currently, the cost of a single treatment is estimated to exceed one million yuan (US$139,200).
The study, led by researchers from the Institute of Haematology at Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology in Wuhan, was published in the peer-reviewed journal The Lancet earlier this month.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Silence is deadly for Hong Kong men as suicide rate worsens over past decade
Silence is deadly for Hong Kong men as suicide rate worsens over past decade

South China Morning Post

time29 minutes ago

  • South China Morning Post

Silence is deadly for Hong Kong men as suicide rate worsens over past decade

Hongkonger Alan Chan Hei-lun, 43, has been struggling silently with his mental health for the past eight years. His world was shattered in 2017 when a sudden stroke while playing football left his left side paralysed, driving him to attempt to end his life in hospital. Discharged into a harsh new reality, his fight continued as he lost his customer service job at the airport during the Covid-19 pandemic and entered a cycle of being let go by almost every employer during probation as a disabled man. His wife, overwhelmed by the care duties, also filed for divorce last year, taking custody of their 11-year-old son. Chan's self-esteem plummeted; he struggled to sleep and suffered a serious flare-up of eczema. He was also diagnosed with anxiety and depression but had to wait months for each consultation with a psychologist. Suicidal thoughts became a constant companion amid the emotional and financial stress, but he rarely told others about his feelings. 'It is difficult to show one's weakness as a man in Hong Kong … In Chinese society, men are always expected to carry all the weight and swallow their feelings,' Chan said.

Now is the time for a change in the mindset on LGBTQ rights
Now is the time for a change in the mindset on LGBTQ rights

South China Morning Post

time5 hours ago

  • South China Morning Post

Now is the time for a change in the mindset on LGBTQ rights

The freedom to use a suitable public toilet is a human right we can all relate to. Most of us know whether to use a washroom for women or 'gents'. But for transgender people in Hong Kong, the issue can be deeply troubling. Many face a dilemma when using toilets managed by the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department. They are required to choose one that corresponds to the sex stated on their identity card, often their gender at birth. Those making the difficult transition to the opposite gender might have to use a women's toilet when looking and dressing like a man, or vice versa. Many are so uncomfortable they don't use public conveniences at all. This unsatisfactory position must now change, with a High Court ruling last week declaring laws making it a criminal offence to use the 'wrong' FEHD toilet unconstitutional. Mr Justice Russell Coleman struck the regulations down, finding them to breach equality and privacy rights. He suspended his ruling for a year, giving the government time to find a solution. The case may seem trivial, but it is of great importance to the transgender community and raises the sensitive question of precisely when, during the transition, a person should be treated as having their acquired gender? Litigant K, who was born female but identified as male from an early age, was diagnosed with gender dysphoria in 2017. K undertook hormonal treatment and the 'real life experience' of consistently living as a man. An integral part of that process is using public toilets for men. Gender dysphoria is a medical condition that causes much distress and discomfort. It is a biological condition rather than a lifestyle choice, said the judge.

China's navy submarine academy recruits first female students in 72-year history
China's navy submarine academy recruits first female students in 72-year history

South China Morning Post

time5 hours ago

  • South China Morning Post

China's navy submarine academy recruits first female students in 72-year history

For the first time in 72 years, China's top training institution for navy submarine personnel recruited 10 women for its bachelor's degree programme. The 10 students, who achieved top scores on this year's university entrance exams, were accepted by the PLA Naval Submarine Academy, according to a social media post by the institution on Thursday. Among the students were Wang Chenyue, from the village of Qianhe in eastern China's Zhejiang province, who scored 647 out of 750 on her exam. As the academy delivered her acceptance letter, she said she had always wanted to join the military , especially the navy. Another incoming student, Yang Jingyue from Taizhou, Jiangsu province, scored 652 out of 750 on her exam. She said she wanted to dedicate herself to China's national defence, according to the social media post. The academy was founded in 1953 and launched undergraduate programmes in 1956, master's degree programmes in 1987, and doctoral programmes in 2003, according to its website. Some of the academy's key strengths and areas of specialisation include navigation technology, underwater target recognition, weapon systems and engineering, and naval architecture and ocean engineering.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store