CAR T in Australia

Treatment for CAR T Australia can only be provided in certain hospitals that have appropriate training, procedures and facilities in place. To become a qualified CAR T cell therapy Australia centre, the hospital must have specifically trained medical staff and strict treatment protocols and safety measures in place.

Eligible CAR T patients will be referred to the most suitable hospital for them. This could be their closest qualified treatment centre, or it may be the treatment centre where they have family or friends nearby to support them during their stay. Talk to your healthcare professional about funded travel and accommodation support that is available to access CAR T.

Below is the current list of qualified treatment centres. Additional sites may be added in the future.

New South Wales:

• Royal North Shore Hospital, Sydney
• Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney
• Westmead Hospital, Sydney
• The Children’s Hospital at Westmead, Sydney (paediatric indications only)

Queensland:

• Princess Alexandra Hospital, Brisbane
• Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital, Brisbane
• Townsville University Hospital, Townsville

South Australia

• Royal Adelaide Hospital

Victoria:

• Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne
• The Royal Children’s Hospital, Melbourne (paediatric indications only)
• The Alfred Hospital, Melbourne

Western Australia:

• Fiona Stanley Hospital, Perth

CAR T can only be provided in certain hospitals that are qualified to provide CAR T. Qualified CAR T treatment centres have specifically trained medical staff, strict treatment protocols, specialist equipment and safety measures in place to enable them to provide CAR T therapy to eligible patients. Each state and territory government in Australia decides which hospitals can be a CAR T treatment centre.

Each state and territory government in Australia decides which hospitals can be a CAR T treatment centre. Currently, Tasmania, Northern Territory and Australian Capital Territory do not have treatment centres. There are, however, discussions in some of these states and territories around future CAR T centres.

Additionally, CAR T can only be provided in certain hospitals that are qualified to provide CAR T. Qualified CAR T treatment centres have specifically trained medical staff, strict treatment protocols, specialist equipment and safety measures in place to enable them to provide CAR T therapy to eligible patients so they don’t have to pay CAR T-cell therapy cost.

Yes, if you are eligible for CAR T, your treating clinician will refer you to a CAR T treatment centre. Your treating team will discuss travel and accommodation support that is available for you and your carer to support you in accessing CAR T at a suitable centre.

As of May 2026, in Australia, CAR T is currently reimbursed for the treatment of the following:^2,3

Acute lymphoblastic leukemia

• Treatment of patients up to 25 years of age with B cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia that is refractory or in second or later relapse.
• Adult patients ≥26 years of age with relapsed or refractory B cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukaemia.

Large B cell lymphoma

• Treatment of eligible patients with relapsed or refractory large B cell lymphoma including diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL) not otherwise specified.

Mantle cell lymphoma

• Treatment of adult patients with relapsed or refractory mantle cell lymphoma who have received two or more lines of therapy, including a Bruton’s tyrosine kinase (BTK) inhibitor, unless ineligible or intolerant to treatment with a BTK inhibitor.

Follicular lymphoma

• Although CAR T has been registered by the TGA for follicular lymphoma, it is not currently funded.⁴

Multiple myeloma

• Treatment of adult patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma who have had at least four prior lines of therapy.

Your clinician or Haematologist will need to assess your eligibility for CAR T and/or refer you to a CAR T treatment centre for assessment by the Haematologists at these centres. Talk to your treating clinician for more information.

Manufacture locations vary by product, however currently all the TGA and reimbursed products are manufactured in the US or Europe by pharmaceutical companies. These products are manufactured in purpose-built, specialist facilities capable of producing large quantities of CAR T cell therapy products in a highly regulated and monitored environment, to supply patients around the world. Some clinical trial CAR T cell therapies, however, are manufactured locally in Australia.