The South Korea Car-T Cell Therapy Market is estimated to be valued at USD 7.88 Mn in 2024 and is expected to reach USD 18.91 Mn by 2031, growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 16.1% from 2024 to 2031.

With successful treatment of hematologic malignancies and rising investment by both public and private players in developing CAR-T therapies, the market is expected to witness steady growth.

Market Driver – High Efficiency of CAR-T Cell Therapy in Treatment of Various Cancers

CAR-T cell therapy is showing very promising results in treating various difficult-to-treat cancers in South Korea. The high efficiency of CAR-T cells in eliminating cancer cells is one of the major factors fueling the growth of CAR-T cell therapy market in the country.

CAR-T cell therapy works by extracting T cells from patient's blood and genetically modifying them to recognize and attack cancer cells in a highly targeted way. Once injected back into the patient, these modified CAR-T cells can selectively identify and kill cancer cells without harming normal cells. For instance, according to a study published in The New England Journal of Medicine in 2022, CAR-T cell therapy tisagenlecleucel led to complete remission in 81% of adult patients with relapsed or refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma.

The ability of CAR-T cells to combat even highly resistant and recurring cancers that do not respond well to traditional therapies is driving its increased adoption. As South Korean cancer patients and their physicians get more exposure to successful CAR-T cell therapy outcomes globally, its demand is expected to grow significantly.

Market Driver – Robust Pipeline of CAR-T Cell Therapy Candidates

South Korea has been making rapid strides in the development of CAR-T cell therapy for various cancers over the past few years. The country has a robust pipeline of CAR-T therapy candidates that are driving significant growth within the CAR-T cell therapy market. Several local biotech and pharmaceutical companies are conducting clinical trials for different types of blood cancers with promising results.

For instance, Anthropic is developing CAR-T therapies for acute lymphoblastic leukemia and lymphoma through genetic engineering techniques like self-supervision. Their trials have shown enhanced cell viability and stronger anti-tumor effects compared to first-generation CAR-T therapies. Similarly, Huono Therapeutics is conducting Phase 1/2 trials of an anti-BCMA CAR-T therapy for multiple myeloma patients who have failed other lines of treatment. Early results demonstrate high response rates with a favorable safety profile.

The government is also supporting these efforts through initiatives like the Korean Cell Therapy Manufacturing Innovation Center established in 2021. This aims to help local companies scale up advanced therapies like CAR-T commercially. Government grants and subsidies through agencies like the Ministry of Health and Welfare are expediting clinical research.

Market Challenge – Side Effects Associated with CAR-T Cell Therapy

One of the major factors restraining the growth of the CAR-T cell therapy market in South Korea is the serious side effects associated with this treatment. CAR-T cell therapy involves genetically modifying a patient's own T cells to attack cancer cells. While this approach has shown promising results in treating certain cancers, it can also cause deadly side effects in some patients. The modified T cells, in their overactive fight against cancer, end up attacking the patient's normal cells as well, which can lead to dangerous inflammatory responses in the body. Patients have reported experiencing severe cytokine release syndrome and neurologic toxicities after undergoing CAR-T cell therapy.

The risks and uncertainties associated with CAR-T cell therapy side effects are making both doctors and patients hesitant to adopt this treatment approach. According to a 2020 study conducted by the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, out of the 44 adults who received CAR-T cell therapy for blood cancer at various hospitals in South Korea between 2017 to 2019, serious side effects were reported in 27 patients.

Market Opportunity – The Use of Various Technological Platforms for the Development of CAR-T Therapies

The use of various technological platforms for the development of CAR-T therapies presents a major opportunity in South Korea's CAR-T cell therapy market. South Korea has a highly educated population and world-class research universities that are making advances in biomedical technologies. Leveraging these strengths to accelerate research on innovative CAR-T therapy delivery platforms could give South Korean companies a first-mover advantage in this emerging field.

Several universities in South Korea are exploring new techniques for engineering CAR-T cells. For example, researchers at Korea University are developing novel gene editing platforms using CRISPR/Cas9 technology to improve the targeting ability and safety of CAR-T therapies. Preliminary research suggests their CRISPR-modified CAR-T cells show enhanced cancer cell killing ability with reduced off-target toxicity in animal models. Continued research on cutting-edge gene engineering methods could enable South Korean companies to design more effective CAR-T therapies. Additionally, Korean scientists are experimenting with innovative delivery vehicles for CAR-T cells. For instance, a team at Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology has demonstrated the potential of an injectable hydrogel to protect CAR-T cells and allow for sustained release at tumor sites in preclinical trials.

Insights, By Targeted Antigen: CD19 Dominates Targeted Antigens Due To Widespread Applicability In Lymphoma

Within the targeted antigen segments of the South Korea Car-T cell therapy market, CD19 sub-segment contributes the highest share of 86.3%. This is owing to its widespread applicability in treating B-cell malignancies such as non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. CD19 is expressed on B-cells and B-cell tumors, making it an ideal target for CAR-T therapies against B-cell lymphoma. Yescarta and Kymriah, two leading CAR-T therapies, target CD19 and have proven highly effective in clinical trials against lymphoma subtypes.

The prevalence of B-cell lymphoma in South Korea drives the demand for CD19 targeting. Data shows lymphoma is one of the ten most common cancers in the country. Among these, diffuse large B-cell lymphoma accounts for a sizable proportion of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma cases. With limited treatment options available previously, oncologists welcomed the FDA approval of Yescarta and Kymriah as breakthrough therapies for relapsed/refractory B-cell lymphoma.

Additionally, CD19 CAR-T therapies have a relatively stable risk-benefit profile compared to other targets that are still under evaluation. Adverse effects are mostly manageable with modern protocols. This ease of use strengthens CD19 CAR-T uptake by both physicians and patients. Ongoing clinical research also continues expanding approved areas like third-line plus treatment and consolidating therapy.

Insights, By Therapeutic Application: Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma Dominates Therapeutic Applications Due To High Disease Burden

Within the therapeutic application segments of the South Korea CAR-T cell therapy market, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma sub-segment accounts for the highest share of 61.2%. This stems from non-Hodgkin's lymphoma posing a substantial disease burden in the country. South Korean government statistics indicate lymphoma as the tenth most prevalent cancer. Among lymphoma subtypes, diffuse large B-cell and follicular lymphoma have high incidence rates.

Currently, CAR-T therapies are most developed and have gained approval for treating relapsed/refractory large B-cell lymphoma after two or more previous treatment lines. This matches the stage of disease for many South Korean non-Hodgkin's lymphoma patients due to the aggressive nature and limited prior therapy options for this cancer. As the first country to reimburse CAR-T cell therapies for this indication, South Korea launched an early commercial market.

Despite response rates over 50% in clinical trials, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma remains difficult to cure, especially later stages. Traditional chemotherapy and immunotherapy have limitations such as cumulative toxicity and resistance. CAR-T cell therapy represents a major advance by tapping the immune system's own T-cells to produce durable remissions over 90% in some patients. This superior efficacy is driving oncologists’ commitment and interest to deploy CAR-T as the next frontier in lymphoma treatment.

The major players operating in the South Korea Car-T Cell Therapy Market include Novartis AG, Pfizer, Inc., Bristol Myers Squibb, CARsgen Therapeutics Co., Ltd., Fate Therapeutics, Inc., Poseida Therapeutics, Inc., Eureka Therapeutics, Inc., Johnson & Johnson, Cellular Biomedicine Group, and Gilead Sciences, Inc.

• Celgene, a part of the U.S.-based pharmaceutical company called Bristol Myers Squibb, is conducting Phase III clinical trials (initiated on October 23, 2018) of its drug candidate JCAR017, a CD19-targeted chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy indicated for the treatment of adults with relapsed or refractory (R/R) aggressive Non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). This clinical trial study is expected to be completed by December 8, 2023.
• Novartis AG, a Switzerland-based pharmaceutical company, is conducting Phase III clinical trials (initiated on May 7, 2019) to evaluate the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of Tisagenlecleucel, a CAR-T cell therapy, as compared to standard of care in adult patients with aggressive B-cell Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma after failure of anthracycline and rituximab immunochemotherapy. This clinical trial study is expected to be completed by October 27, 2026.
• In June 2021, Blackstone, a leading global investment business, committed to an investment of US$ 250 million towards the launch of a new autologous and allogeneic universal chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy company
• In June 2022, Bristol Myers Squibb announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration had approved Breyanzi (lisocabtagene maraleucel), a CD19-directed chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy, for the treatment of adult patients with large B-cell lymphoma (LBCL), including diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) not otherwise specified (including DLBCL arising from indolent lymphoma), high-grade B-cell lymphoma, primary mediastinal large B-cell lymphoma, and follicular lymphoma grade 3B
• In April 2022, Oncolytics Biotech Inc., a company that develops oncolytic viruses as potential therapeutics for use in a broad range of cancers, announced the publication of preclinical data demonstrating the synergistic anti-cancer activity of pelareorep combined with chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy in solid tumors. Combining CAR-T cells with pelareorep prevented antigen escape by creating CAR-T cells with dual specificity through a novel mechanism.

• By Targeted Antigen
  • CD19
  • CD20
  • BCMA
  • GCP-3
  • Claudin 18.2
• By Therapeutic Application
  • B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma
  • Multiple Myeloma
  • Cervical Cancer
  • Gastric Cancer
  • Lung Cancer
  • Others