Jiahui International Cancer Center Achieves Multiple Breakthroughs in Cell Therapy

Background

Jiahui International Cancer Center (JICC), part of Jiahui International Hospital in Shanghai, has built experience in CAR-T cell therapies. On October 23, 2026, the hospital unveiled the Jiahui International Cell Therapy Center at its inaugural Jiahui International Cell Therapy Summit, co-organized with Jiahui Medical Research & Education Group (J-Med). The event featured discussions on cellular therapies for blood cancers, solid tumors and autoimmune diseases and attracted livestream viewing registrations from 14 countries and regions.

What was achieved

The center treated China's first international patient to receive axicabtagene ciloleucel (Axi-Cel) CAR-T therapy in September 2023. This patient was a woman from Singapore diagnosed with primary mediastinal large B-cell lymphoma. She remains relapse-free more than three years after treatment. Since that case, JICC has provided CAR-T treatment to patients from Singapore, Hong Kong SAR, Russia, Hungary, New Zealand, India, Pakistan, the Maldives and other countries and regions.

Following China's approval of Satri-cel (CT041) in June 2026, identified as the world's first CAR-T therapy approved for solid tumors, Jiahui became one of the first medical institutions to introduce the therapy into clinical practice. JICC treated the world's first international recipient of Satri-cel, a 59-year-old patient from New Zealand with advanced gastroduodenal cancer. The patient completed treatment and was discharged on August 16, 2026, with Prof. Xuan Linli, Chief of Medical Oncology at JICC, serving as the attending physician. In May 2026, the center organized an online training session on CAR-T innovation and clinical management for more than 360 physicians from Saudi Arabia. The launch of the dedicated International Cell Therapy Center and the summit promote international exchange and sharing of clinical experience with Chinese cell therapies.

How it works

CAR-T therapy is a form of immunotherapy that uses a patient's own immune cells to target cancer. The process starts with leukapheresis, during which T cells are collected from the patient's blood. In a laboratory, these T cells are genetically modified to produce special receptors called chimeric antigen receptors, or CARs, on their surface. These CARs allow the T cells to recognize and attach to specific proteins found on cancer cells.

For Satri-cel, the CARs target Claudin 18.2, a protein expressed on certain gastric and gastroesophageal junction cancer cells. Patients are selected after biomarker testing confirms Claudin 18.2 positivity and HER2 negativity. The modified T cells are then expanded in large numbers and infused back into the patient, typically after preparatory chemotherapy. Once inside the body, the CAR-T cells can multiply and attack the targeted cancer cells. Treatment involves multidisciplinary evaluation, imaging such as PET-CT, individualized planning, cell manufacturing, infusion and monitoring for side effects such as cytokine release syndrome. JICC has applied this approach to both hematologic malignancies and, more recently, solid tumors.

What it means for international patients

Jiahui International Cancer Center has treated international patients from multiple countries and regions seeking CAR-T therapies. These include patients who traveled for both blood cancer and solid tumor treatments that may not have been available in their home countries at the time. The hospital maintains dedicated support for international patients, including an International Office that provides assistance with medical record review, appointment coordination and follow-up care.

The facility offers professional medical interpreters in more than 20 languages at no extra cost and operates in an English-friendly environment. International patients interested in cell therapy at JICC, including eligibility for therapies such as Satri-cel, should contact the hospital directly for assessment. Individual suitability depends on specific medical criteria, biomarker status, prior treatments and overall condition, which must be evaluated by the clinical team.

About the hospital

Jiahui International Hospital is a tertiary general hospital located at 689 Guiping Road in Shanghai's Xuhui District. It opened in 2017 as Shanghai's first government-authorized foreign-owned international hospital. The hospital is accredited by Joint Commission International (JCI) and maintains a strategic partnership with Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), with more than 20 percent of physicians holding dual appointments at MGH. Jiahui International Cancer Center serves as the strategic collaborator with MGH and its Cancer Center for oncology care.

The hospital is equipped with its own pathology department, independent blood bank and intensive care unit. It participates in Shanghai's medical insurance schemes and supports direct billing with more than 50 international insurance companies. Jiahui International Cancer Center provides multidisciplinary care across multiple tumor types for patients aged 14 and above and has developed strengths in areas including autologous stem cell transplantation and CAR-T cell therapy. It serves both domestic and international patients as part of the broader Jiahui Health network.