News and Trends 14 Nov 2017 This British Biotech Could Treat T-Cell Lymphoma without Leaving the Body Unprotected Autolus has revealed a new strategy to treat T-cell lymphoma without harming healthy, protective T cells. The therapy is expected to start human tests soon. T-cell lymphoma is a form of cancer that affects the cells responsible for protecting our body against infections. Unlike it’s done with cancer types that affect other blood cells, it’s […] November 14, 2017 - 2 minutesmins - By Clara Rodríguez Fernández Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
News and Trends 19 Oct 2017 The FDA Approves a Second CAR-T Therapy, Cheaper than Novartis’ Gilead’s CAR-T cell therapy Yescarta has been approved by the FDA, making it the first competitor for Novartis’ CAR-T Kymriah. Yescarta (axicabtagene ciloleucel, or axi-cel for short) has become the second CAR-T therapy to be approved in the US. The FDA has authorized its use to treat aggressive B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma in patients for whom at least two […] October 19, 2017 - 3 minutesmins - By Clara Rodríguez Fernández Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
Infographics 18 Oct 2017 Infographic: What is CAR-T Cell Therapy & How Does it Fight Cancer? Everything you need to know about CAR-T, a revolutionary cell therapy for cancer. You might have heard of CAR-T cell therapy as a “miracle cure” for cancer. The approval of Novartis’ Kymriah, the first CAR-T therapy, made headlines in August as it was the first gene-edited cell therapy for cancer to make it to the […] October 18, 2017 - 2 minutesmins - By Clara Rodríguez Fernández Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
News and Trends 26 Sep 2017 British Biotech Pockets Massive Series C for its CAR-T Cancer Therapies Autolus, based in London, has raised €68M in Series C to continue developing its T cell immunotherapies for cancer treatment. Autolus focuses on developing engineered T cell immunotherapies to beat cancer. Its pipeline includes therapies targeted at both hematological cancers and solid tumors. The Series C fundraising of $80M (€68M) is added to £70M (€80M) made in Series A […] September 26, 2017 - 3 minutesmins - By Alex Dale Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
News and Trends 7 Sep 2017 CAR-T is Nearly Here: How Will It Be Delivered? As we anticipate the first-ever CAR-T therapy market approval we look at the important aspect of treatment delivery and viral vector strategies. Cell and gene therapy is increasingly coming into its own with some of the major pharma players releasing big headlines. GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) released the first ex vivo stem cell therapy in May 2016 […] September 7, 2017 - 4 minutesmins - By External Contributor Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
Interview 6 Sep 2017 The CAR-T Race is Far from Over: This CEO is Exploring a New Avenue Gilead has just splashed out $12 billion for Kite Pharma, and the FDA is currently reviewing Novartis’ Marketing Approval Application for the first-ever CAR-T therapy. I sat down with Gregg Sando of Cell Medica to hear the perspective of a biotech vying for a piece of the pie. Though he spent 20 years in investment […] September 6, 2017 - 6 minutesmins - By Evelyn Warner Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
News and Trends 31 Aug 2017 The FDA Approves the First CAR-T Cell Therapy for Cancer The FDA has approved Novartis’ CAR-T therapy Kymriah, opening the way for a new generation of cell therapy treatments against cancer. Novartis’ Kymriah (tisagenlecleucel), formerly known as CTL019, has become the first gene-modified cell therapy approved in the US. The FDA has approved the therapy for relapsing B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) in children and young […] August 31, 2017 - 3 minutesmins - By Clara Rodríguez Fernández Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
News and Trends 29 Aug 2017 Gilead’s €10Bn Buyout of Kite Pharma Shakes European CAR-T Stocks European CAR-T stocks have jumped following Gilead’s announcement that it will acquire Kite Pharma, Novartis’ main competitor to launch the first therapy. Yesterday, Gilead bought a $11.9Bn (€9.9Bn) ticket to enter the final leg of the race to launch the first CAR-T therapy, a technology that is expected to change how cancer is treated. Despite the technology’s […] August 29, 2017 - 2 minutesmins - By Clara Rodríguez Fernández Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
News and Trends 11 Jul 2017 Novartis largely dodged deaths from its CAR-T therapy, but FDA still has safety concerns Editor’s Note: Novartis did note a death from cerebral hemorrhage in its hearing with the FDA yesterday. With the application review hearing set for tomorrow, the FDA has shared its thoughts on Novartis’ CAR-T candidate. Up front are serious safety concerns. Novartis’ CTL019, or Tisagenlecleucel, wowed the audience at ASH last fall with a stellar 82% […] July 11, 2017 - 3 minutesmins - By Evelyn Warner Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
News and Trends 5 Jul 2017 Cutting Through the BS in Biopharma: How To Spot Hype Faced with the oft-quoted figure that 90% of clinical trials end in failure, how can patients, investors, and readers be spared more disappointment? After discussing failures in biotech at Refresh earlier in June, I headed to Copenhagen last week for the European Conference for Science Journalists to cajole a panel into discussing how some of these stories feature […] July 5, 2017 - 4 minutesmins - By Evelyn Warner Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
News and Trends 29 Jun 2017 Servier Recruits Viral Vector Expert to Step Up its CAR-T Technology Transgene will help Servier develop new methods based on viral vectors to improve the precision of genetic modifications and the production of CAR-T cells. The French pharma Servier decided to enter the promising CAR-T field in 2015, when it acquired the rights to UCART19 from Cellectis. The therapy, currently in Phase I, has already saved two babies […] June 29, 2017 - 2 minutesmins - By Clara Rodríguez Fernández Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
News and Trends 28 Jun 2017 UPDATE: The First Off-the-Shelf CAR-T Cancer Therapy has Entered the Clinic Update (28/06/2017): Cellectis has announced the first administration of UCART123 in its Phase I trial in Acute Myeloid Leukemia. Update (07/02/2017): the FDA has granted Cellectis IND approval to start clinical trials with UCART123. Original publication 04/01/2017 Cellectis is preparing to start the first clinical trial ever using an allogeneic CAR-T therapy that could reduce […] June 28, 2017 - 3 minutesmins - By Clara Rodríguez Fernández Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email