Cell and gene therapy developers are pursuing allogeneic approaches, which ideally could be produced in greater quantities and be available “off-the-shelf.” Those using natural killer (NK) cells and cells derived from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) are creating buzz in the industry. Drs. Sarah Cooley, Stephen Gottschalk and Stephan Grupp offer their insights.
After raising a record $19.9 billion in funding in 2020, doubling the previous year, the cell and gene therapy industry shows no signs of slowing down. Forecasters predict more record growth this year, especially in terms of regulatory decisions; at least nine new products have been approved or are up for approval in the United…
For many in the field of cell and gene therapy, 2020 had a singular theme: COVID-19. Dozens of clinical and preclinical trials were launched in labs around the world to test the efficacy of cell therapies to target complications from COVID-19 infection. But while the pandemic drew most of the media attention, it wasn’t the…
Breakthroughs in next-generation cell therapies have continued to progress rapidly over the past several years. Currently, more than 1,000 cell and gene therapies are in clinical studies. These therapies have the potential to transform the lives of people living with cancer and other diseases. The ONE Forum® 2020 highlighted new cell and gene therapy research…
The progress toward more effective cell therapies for cancer in recent years has been astounding. Leading the way are chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CAR-T) therapies. The exploration of CAR-T has opened new doors for treating numerous forms of cancer and other diseases. Recently, the FDA approved TecartusTM. This CAR-T therapy is intended to treat relapsed…
Looking back at the headlines in advancements in cell and gene therapy in 2019, one theme that comes to mind is collaboration. New partnerships have encouraged progress in the field. One example is the recently announced alliance between Harvard and MIT to develop a Center for Advanced Biological Innovation and Manufacturing. And cooperation between stakeholder…
Autologous and allogeneic CAR-T therapies continue to hold significant promise for patients. But with that potential comes challenges, as more CAR-T therapies enter clinical trials and commercialization. Some are universal to both autologous CAR-T and allogeneic CAR-T, but each has its unique obstacles, too. Abby McDonald, PhD, supervises the Solutions Development team for Be The…
For cell and gene therapy companies developing allogeneic therapies, including allogeneic CAR-T or T-cell immunotherapies, getting high-quality starting material from healthy adult donors is critical to the success of their therapies. But, what is it like to be the allogeneic donors who get the call asking them to be volunteer donors? And why would they…
The UCLA Health Hematologic Malignancy/Stem Cell Transplant Program has been a pioneer in providing cell therapies to patients with hematologic cancers and disorders. In 2015, UCLA began participating in multisite clinical trials for CAR-T therapy and was one of the first centers in the nation to offer both FDA-approved CAR-T therapies, Kymriah® and Yescarta®. As…