NOVARTIS EYES LYMPHOMA MARKET FOR THEIR CAR-T CELL THERAPY

Nov 2, 2017

Novartis is seeking FDA approval for its CAR-T cell therapy (Kymriah) to be used against a second form of blood cancer after winning initial approval for the treatment earlier this year.

Kymriah, a Chimeric Antigen Receptor T cell therapy, is the first in the class of personalized immunotherapy. It had won FDA's blessings in August to treat patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

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As it adds a second indication of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), Novartis expects Kymriah to eventually top annual sales of $1 billion, but the drug has rivals in the DLBCL setting. Earlier this month, the FDA approved Gilead’s Yescarta for patients with the disease who had failed other treatments.