China Health Atlas

Claudin18.2 CAR-T for gastric cancer: satri-cel, approved in China

On June 22, 2026, China approved satricabtagene autoleucel (舒瑞基奥仑赛, brand 恺力美, by CARsgen Therapeutics), the first CAR-T cell therapy approved anywhere in the world for a solid tumor.[1] It is not approved in the US.

Talk to your own doctor first. CAR-T and the drugs below are for specific cancers at specific stages, have serious possible side effects, and need close follow-up. Whether any of them fits you can only be decided by specialists who see your records. This page lists approvals and prices; it does not say how well any treatment works for you.

Who it is approved for

CancerAdvanced gastric or gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinoma[1]
Tumor testsClaudin18.2-positive and HER2-negative[1]
Treatment historyDisease progressed after at least two prior lines of therapy[1]
Approved byChina's National Medical Products Administration (NMPA), priority review, June 22, 2026[1]
Published price¥990,000 per dose (≈ $147,982), before hospital costs[2][3]

The first step is a test you can often do at home: ask your oncologist whether your tumor tissue can be tested for Claudin18.2 and HER2. Results decide whether the approved use applies to you.

Foreign patients are already being treated

In July 2026, a 59-year-old patient from New Zealand had cells collected for satri-cel at Shanghai Jiahui International Hospital — reported as the first foreign patient to do so in China. He had his Claudin18.2 and HER2 tests done in New Zealand first and entered China under the 30-day visa-free policy.[4]

Hospitals reported to be giving it

Timeline to plan for

  1. Tumor testing for Claudin18.2 and HER2 (can often be done before you travel).
  2. Send records to the hospital's international department; get a written plan and quote.
  3. Assessment and cell collection in China.
  4. Manufacturing — current autologous CAR-T takes about 2–3 weeks.[2]
  5. Infusion and monitoring; plan your follow-up at home in advance.

Medical treatment is not among the purposes officially listed for visa-free entry or 240-hour transit. If you are travelling mainly for planned treatment, ask a Chinese embassy or visa center which visa to apply for before you book. Check your visa options.

Related

Sources

Last verified: Nov 7, 2026. We re-check official pages regularly; rules and prices can change without notice. How we update

  1. 全球首款实体瘤CAR-T细胞治疗产品在中国获批上市 (World's first solid-tumor CAR-T approved in China) — The Paper, published Jun 22, 2026. Checked Nov 7, 2026.
  2. 2026年CAR-T用药全景：9款已上市 (Overview of the 9 CAR-T products approved in China, Aug 2026) — Sohu Health (medical media summary), published Aug 13, 2026. Checked Nov 7, 2026.
  3. USD/CNY exchange rate (daily) — ExchangeRate-API open data, published Nov 7, 2026. Checked Nov 6, 2026.
  4. 全球首款实体瘤CAR-T细胞治疗走向临床，上海多家医院开展患者治疗 (Shanghai hospitals start treating patients, incl. first foreign patient) — Sina Finance / The Paper, published Jul 14, 2026. Checked Nov 7, 2026.
  5. Shanghai Tongji Hospital — Shanghai Municipal Government (source: Shanghai Municipal Health Commission). Checked Nov 6, 2026.

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