TDB Supports Hyderabad Startup Helix Cell Therapeutics for Advanced CAR-T Cancer Therapy Project

New Delhi: The Technology Development Board (TDB) under the department of science and technology (DST), Government of India, has signed an agreement with Helix Cell Therapeutics Private Limited for the development of an advanced CAR-T cell therapy targeting Multiple Myeloma, a severe and currently incurable blood cancer.

The project, titled “Generation of Novel Dual Targeting Chimeric Antigen Receptor T Cells to Treat Multiple Myeloma and Conducting Phase I Clinical Trial,” is being implemented under the Indo-Singapore collaborative framework in partnership with Biocell Innovations.

The initiative marks a significant step in India’s efforts to strengthen indigenous capabilities in advanced biotechnology, cell therapy and precision medicine.

Focus on Next-Generation Dual-Targeting CAR-T Therapy

According to DST, the project aims to develop an advanced dual-targeting CAR-T cell therapy that simultaneously targets both BCMA and CD19 markers expressed on Multiple Myeloma cells.

Existing CAR-T therapies generally focus on BCMA alone and have shown promising outcomes in relapsed and refractory patients. However, the proposed dual-targeting strategy is expected to improve treatment effectiveness and enhance the durability of remission in patients with difficult-to-treat forms of the disease.

Under the project, Helix Cell Therapeutics will:

• develop the CAR-T platform
• manufacture the therapy
• conduct a Phase I clinical trial
• evaluate safety and therapeutic effectiveness

The therapy is specifically intended for patients who have exhausted multiple lines of treatment and currently face limited treatment options.

What Is CAR-T Cell Therapy?

CAR-T (Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-cell) therapy is an advanced immunotherapy technique in which a patient’s own T lymphocytes are genetically engineered to identify and destroy cancer cells.

The engineered immune cells are modified in laboratories and then reintroduced into the patient’s body to target specific cancer markers.

The proposed dual-marker targeting approach represents a major advancement over conventional single-marker CAR-T therapies and may potentially improve long-term remission outcomes in Multiple Myeloma patients.

Boost to India’s Biotechnology and Precision Medicine Ecosystem

The project aligns with the Government of India’s broader vision under Aatmanirbhar Bharat to strengthen domestic capabilities in:

• advanced biologics
• cell and gene therapies
• precision medicine
• next-generation healthcare technologies

It also reflects the growing strategic importance of international biomedical collaborations between India and Singapore in emerging healthcare innovation sectors.

Rajesh Kumar Pathak, Secretary, TDB, said advanced cell and gene therapies represent the future of precision healthcare and hold transformative potential for treating complex and previously incurable diseases.

He said the Indo-Singapore collaboration would support indigenous innovation in advanced immunotherapy platforms and strengthen India’s position in next-generation biotechnology and affordable healthcare solutions.

A representative from Helix Cell Therapeutics said the support from TDB would accelerate clinical translation and commercialisation of the company’s CAR-T therapy platform while expanding access to advanced cancer treatment solutions in India.

India’s Emerging Role in Advanced Cell Therapy

Globally, CAR-T therapy is considered one of the most promising frontiers in cancer treatment, but high costs and technological complexity have limited accessibility in many countries.

India’s push towards indigenous CAR-T development is therefore strategically important from both healthcare and economic perspectives.

Successful development of affordable domestic CAR-T platforms could:

• reduce dependence on imported therapies
• lower treatment costs
• expand access for Indian patients
• strengthen India’s biotech innovation ecosystem
• position India as a global player in advanced immunotherapy research

The Helix Cell Therapeutics project is among the latest examples of India’s growing ambition to participate actively in the global next-generation biotechnology and precision medicine landscape.