Chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CAR-T) therapeutics have emerged as a dominating cancer treatment within cell and gene therapies (CGT). The CAR-T landscape is dominated by blood cancers, with industry leaders like Bristol Myers Squibb at the forefront of this revolution, driving advancements that have the potential to redefine treatment paradigms for blood cancers, such as B-cell acute lymphocytic leukemia, says GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.
According to GlobalData’s Drugs Database, blood cancers account for over half of all CAR-Ts in the active pipeline and make up nine out of the top 10 CAR-T indications.
CAR-T therapeutics are a leading type of T-cell immunotherapy, accounting for over half of the approvals in the oncology CGT landscape. This therapeutic modality involves genetically engineering autologous or allogeneic T-cells to express a chimeric antigen receptor so they actively recognize and destroy cancerous cells.
Currently, 13 CAR-T therapies have received regulatory approval. Among these are Gilead’s Yescarta (axicabtagene ciloleucel), which gained FDA approval in 2017, and Immuneel Therapeutics’ Qartemi (varnimcabtagene autoleucel), which was approved in India in January 2025. Like all other approved CAR-Ts, Yescarta and Qartemi are indicated for blood cancers. The dominance of blood cancers in CAR-T products extends to the pipeline products, with 903 (52%) of the 1,729 CAR-Ts in development targeting blood cancers.
As seen in the above chart, nine out of the top 10 indications for CAR-Ts are blood cancers. Lymphomas dominate this landscape, with five indications. The remaining blood cancers are evenly split between leukemias and multiple myelomas. While solid tumor is the leading indication, CAR-Ts have had limited commercial or clinical success in this area.
Jasper Morley, Pharma Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “With 159 products, B-cell acute lymphocytic leukemia is the leading blood cancer for pipeline CAR-Ts. This is the most common type of cancer in children and is difficult to treat due to relapses or resistance to standard treatments. CAR-Ts have revolutionized treatments for this cancer type, with key drugs like Novartis’ Kymriah (tisagenlecleucel), which received FDA approval in 2017, demonstrating complete remission in a significant percentage of patients. CAR-Ts have quickly developed importance within B-cell acute lymphocytic leukemia, as three out of the five FDA approved products for this indication are CAR-Ts.”
In addition to encompassing the top two blood cancers by pipeline CAR-T count, B-cell acute lymphocytic leukemia and diffuse large B-cell lymphoma also feature the most advanced pipeline CAR-Ts for products awaiting their first approval. In China, Chongqing Precision Biotech’s pCAR-19B is in pre-registration for B-cell acute lymphocytic leukemia, and the South Korean regulatory authority is reviewing Curocell’s anbalcabtagene autoleucel for diffuse large B-cell lymphoma.
Bristol Myers Squibb is the current leader in the CAR-T landscape with two marketed products: Abecma (idecabtagene vicleucel), which is approved for multiple myeloma, and Breyanzi (lisocabtagene maraleucel), which is indicated in a range of lymphomas and leukemias. There are developing 14 CAR-Ts for their first approval in a blood cancer. Other leading companies with CAR-T products in development include Shenzhen Geno-Immune Medical Institute. This China-based institute is actively developing 14 CAR-Ts, including eight in Phase II.
Morley concludes: “CAR-T therapeutics have revolutionized the treatment of blood cancers. Given the high number of pipeline CAR-Ts, GlobalData expects that there will be more approvals for blood cancers like B-cell acute lymphocytic leukemia and diffuse large B-cell lymphoma in the coming years. As companies like Bristol Myers Squibb and Shenzhen Geno-Immune Medical Institute continue advancing their CAR-T pipelines, GlobalData expects CAR-Ts to continue growing their influence in blood cancer treatments.”
