The Malinauskas Labor Government will establish a dedicated CAR T-cell therapy service in South Australia, in a major advancement in the treatment of blood cancers.
CAR T-cell therapy is a cutting-edge form of immunotherapy that reprograms a patient's own immune cells to target and destroy certain cancer cells, offering new hope for individuals with some hard-to-treat blood cancers, including certain types of relapsed lymphoma and relapsed acute lymphoblastic leukaemia.
The Government allocated $2.8 million in the 2025-26 budget to lay the foundations of a CAR T-cell therapy service at the Royal Adelaide Hospital as part of the Central Adelaide Local Health Network Cancer Program.
The service will start by mid-2026, reducing the requirement for people to travel interstate to receive this highly specialised therapy, and marking a significant step forward in personalised cancer care in SA.
Initially, a small number of South Australian patients will be able to access CAR T-cell therapy, with capacity increasing over the coming years as the service becomes established at the RAH.
The safe and effective delivery of this complex therapy requires specialist infrastructure for apheresis, cell processing, and infusion, and multidisciplinary clinical teams trained in managing immune effector cell therapies and associated toxicities.
The establishment of this service in South Australia will enable local access to cutting-edge treatment and improve outcomes for patients.
Currently, around 30 patients are sent interstate for CAR T-cell therapy each year from South Australia. While the aim is to provide all eligible patients with CAR T-cell therapy in the coming years, the establishment of the program will provide support for four patients initially in the first year, with CAR T-cell continuing to be accessible interstate.
CAR T-cell therapy involves collecting a patient's own T-cells, genetically modifying them to target cancer cells, and re-infusing them to fight the disease.
The removal of the patient's immune cells requires a leukapheresis machine to collect the blood and separate the different blood components. After this stage, the T-cells are isolated from the blood with some plasma, and the remaining blood components are returned into the patient's bloodstream – this initial process lasts from four to six hours.
The CAR T-cells are then transported to a specialised laboratory for genetic modification before being frozen, packaged and returned to the place of treatment. During this period, the patient undergoes a round of chemotherapy. The CAR T-cells are then infused back into the same patient's blood, at which point the CAR T-cells begin to recognise and kill remaining cancer cells. Once infused into a patient, CAR T-cells often persist in the patient's bloodstream as memory T-cells to attack possible future relapses.
Currently in South Australia, CAR T-cell therapy is offered to eligible patients in clinical trials, however, with the implementation of a commercial service, which will increase in capacity over time, fewer patients are expected to travel interstate to receive CAR T-cell therapy for relapsed or refractory blood cancer.
It comes as SA Health announces the appointment of the first South Australian Chief Cancer Officer, Associate Professor Michael Osborn, who will lead the implementation of the SA Cancer Plan and the work of the recently launched South Australian Comprehensive Cancer Network (SACCaN).
Associate Professor Osborn, a Consultant Haematologist and Paediatric Oncologist, will work with SA Health's Commission on Excellence and Innovation in Health (CEIH) to connect clinicians, researchers and service providers in the public, private and non-government cancer services sector to drive improvements in accessing cancer care.
One of SACCaN's key objectives is to guide the embedding of clinical trials throughout the system, to increase capability and capacity and improve outcomes for patients to ensure all South Australians can access modern, integrated, and research-informed cancer care.
As put by Chris Picton
Bringing CAR T-cell therapy to South Australia is a game-changer for patients with some hard-to-treat blood cancers.
It means patients will be able to receive this highly specialised and targeted treatment in South Australia, rather than having to travel interstate.
Initially the service will treat a small number of patients, which will scale up over time as the service expands.
Being able to access specialised treatment and care close to home is so important and I'm proud that our Government is helping patients receive that.
As put by Central Adelaide Local Health Network Cancer Program Director Charlotte Sale
We are passionate about providing more accessible options for cancer treatment in South Australia, which is why we are working to establish a commercial CAR T-cell therapy service at the Royal Adelaide Hospital.
CAR T-cell therapy can help patients achieve remission as part of the clinical trials. Having the opportunity to establish this service at the RAH is a fantastic opportunity for patients to access such treatment in the future.
As put by South Australian Comprehensive Cancer Network Chief Cancer Officer Michael Osborn
I'm grateful to have been appointed to the role of Chief Cancer Officer to lead the South Australian Comprehensive Cancer Network.
The South Australian Comprehensive Cancer Network is ready to drive and connect cancer care across South Australia, optimising care from prevention and diagnosis through treatment and beyond.
As put by Cancer Australia Chief Executive Officer Professor Dorothy Keefe
The establishment of a South Australian CAR T-cell therapy service strongly aligns with the Australian Cancer Plan's vision to ensure equitable access to world class cancer care.
Working in partnership with SA Health and the cancer sector, the Australian Government supports life-changing cancer treatments being closer to home for all South Australians.
