UCAR-T: the path to creating your own CAR-T therapy in Ukraine

Charity Foundation «Zaporuka» joined the «Okhmatdyt» initiative UCAR-T – the introduction of innovative therapy in Ukraine

What is CAR-T therapy?

CAR-T — is a revolutionary cancer treatment method: the patient's own immune cells are taken, genetically «reprogrammed» to recognize and attack the tumor, and then returned to the body. For children and adults with specific forms of leukemia and other oncological diseases, this is often the only chance to survive.

Every year in Ukraine, CAR-T therapy is needed to 20–30 children and close to 300 adult patients. Treatment abroad is inaccessible to the vast majority—both financially (the cost of a single course exceeds 450,000 USD, as well as due to the limited capacity of foreign clinics. Local production is the path to true independence and the ability to save Ukrainians at home.

«Technologies create opportunities for sustainability and independence,» — Oleksandr Lysytsia, Head of the Department of BMT, BMTD, and Immunotherapy at the National Children's Specialized Hospital «Okhmatdyt».

 The initiative group brought together teams with unique competencies: Bone Marrow Transplantation Department, Medical Genetics Laboratory and Reference Center for Laboratory Diagnostics, Blood Service Center and Cryobank. Together, they form a complete technological chain — from cell gene editing to their quality control and cltopical application.

To launch CAR-T production in Ukraine, the team has already completed key steps: underwent specialized training at leading international centers—Loyola University (Chicago) and St. Jude Children's Hospital (Memphis), developed clinical protocols, and began equipping a modern GMP-compliant laboratory. This is not just infrastructure for a single therapy—it is the foundation for the development of cellular medicine in Ukraine as a whole.

Modern laboratory equipment and the latest genetic engineering methods open up prospects that go far beyond a single project: the development of new drugs, the training of Ukrainian specialists, and participation in international clinical trials—all of this becomes possible thanks to the building of our own technological base.

What has already been done — and what's next

Zaporuka Charitable Foundation supported the initiative and purchased reagents in the amount of 3.5 million UAH — exactly what is needed for the first patient to receive CAR-T therapy in Ukraine this year. At the same time, the renovation and technical equipment of the laboratory are underway in accordance with international standards of purity and safety.

The next step is launching a full production cycle, which will make it possible to treat dozens of patients domestically every year, and in the future, to reach the level of a regional cell therapy center for Eastern Europe.

Thank you GlobalGiving for the financial support and the opportunity to implement large-scale changes for Ukrainians!