First International Patient to Receive Solid-Tumor CAR-T Therapy in China Discharged from Jiahui International Cancer Center
Josh, the world's first foreign patient to come to China to receive CAR-T cell therapy for solid tumors - satricabtagene autoleucel injection (CT041), was successfully discharged from Jiahui International Hospital on August 16 after more than a month of treatment. At the discharge ceremony, the Jiahui team presented flowers and peace charms to the patient, wishing him a safe return and looking forward to him having the opportunity to visit Shanghai again in the future.
On August 16, 2026, Dr. Linli Xuan, Director of Jiahui International Cancer Center, presented Josh with a peace charm
"Crossing 9,000 kilometers from New Zealand to Shanghai was the most difficult but also most worthwhile decision I have ever made. Jiahui's medical team not only formulated a precise treatment plan for me, but also gave me confidence and strength when I was most helpless," the patient said before leaving.
Josh, 59 years old, is from New Zealand. He was diagnosed with gastroduodenal adenocarcinoma at the end of 2025. His condition continued to progress after receiving chemotherapy combined with immunotherapy in his country. After learning that China had recently approved the world's first innovative CAR-T therapy for solid tumors and Jiahui's rich experience in the field of CAR-T therapy, Josh traveled across the ocean to Shanghai and received T cell collection at Jiahui on July 6.
On July 6, 2026, Josh successfully completed T cell collection at Jiahui International Cancer Center
According to review by Linli Xuan, director of Jiahui International Cancer Center, the patient was in poor physical condition when he was admitted to the hospital, accompanied by a large amount of cancerous ascites and a severe difficulty eating. Before the reinfusion, the patient had severe ascites, and the drainage volume reached 1000 mL per day, with the peak volume reaching up to 2000 mL. On the 10th day after the reinfusion, the patient's malignant ascites had subsided, and the peritoneal drainage tube had been removed before discharge. During the treatment, the cancer center also integrated multidisciplinary resources to tailor a full-cycle plan, and collaborated with the Traditional Chinese Medicine Department to manage the side effects of Josh's vomiting.
In view that the patient will need to continue receiving treatment after returning home, the Jiahui Cancer Center team formulated a detailed follow-up examination and treatment plan for Josh. Before the patient was discharged from the hospital, Director Xuan also personally conducted a telephone conference with his attending doctor in New Zealand to hand over the follow-up treatment and examination plans in detail, achieving a seamless connection of cross-border medical care.
"Before deciding to choose Jiahui, I also received treatment plans from hospitals in Saudi Arabia and the United States. I finally chose Jiahui because their team responded quickly and communicated efficiently. At the same time, this innovative CAR-T therapy for solid tumors seems to be the most accessible treatment option for my condition at present," Josh recalled. "In this way, after choosing Jiahui, I came to Shanghai. But I had never been to China before, so I was inevitably a little uneasy. Fortunately, I met the Jiahui team, especially Dr. Xuan - she had twenty years of medical experience in the United States. She made me feel very friendly in terms of daily communication, medical treatment process and cultural support."
On August 16, 2026, Dr. Xuan bid farewell to Josh on behalf of Jiahui International Cancer Center
Director Xuan also said: “Many overseas patients preparing to come to China for treatment have concerns about culture, language, food and even religious customs. From the outset, the Jiahui team actively listens to their needs and expectations and maintains communication throughout the process, ensuring that they already have a thorough understanding of the treatment plan and related arrangements when they arrive in Shanghai. We also attend to the details, tailoring care to patients’ dietary preferences, cultural customs and religious beliefs to reduce the unfamiliarity of treatment abroad as much as possible.”
Previously, Jiahui International Cancer Center has provided CAR-T treatment to cancer patients from Singapore, the United States, New Zealand, Russia, Pakistan and other countries, and has accumulated rich experience in hematological tumors. The admission of the first foreign patient with solid tumors marks a critical step in Jiahui’s CAR-T treatment from hematological tumors to solid tumors. Leveraging Jiahui International Hospital's multidisciplinary advantages, multilingual services and cultural adaptability, the Cancer Center is good at formulating personalized treatment plans for each cancer patient.
As the first foreign patient in China to undergo CAR-T therapy for solid tumors, Josh's successful discharge not only confirms China's global competitiveness in the clinical translation and application of cell therapy, but also demonstrates Jiahui International Cancer Center's ability to provide international standard diagnosis and treatment services to patients around the world. Jiahui will continue to build a cell therapy platform shared by Chinese and foreign patients, so that the "Chinese solution" can benefit more patients around the world.