What are the latest news in the cell therapy market?
Download our beautiful pitch about the cell therapy market
In our cell therapy market deck, you will find everything you need to understand the market
The cell therapy market is moving fast, with major acquisitions, regulatory wins, and billion-dollar manufacturing bets reshaping the landscape.
This blog post covers the latest news in the cell therapy market, from the biggest M&A deals to clinical trial updates and reimbursement policy changes.
We constantly update this blog post so you always have the most current picture of what is happening in the cell therapy market.
And if you want to better understand this new industry, you can download our pitch covering the cell therapy market.
Insights
- In just a few weeks, the cell therapy market saw over $10 billion in M&A activity (Gilead at $7.8B and Lilly at $2.4B), signaling that big pharma is aggressively buying differentiated CAR-T and in vivo cell therapy assets before prices climb further.
- The "in vivo CAR-T" approach, backed by Lilly's $2.4B acquisition of Orna Therapeutics, could eliminate the manufacturing bottleneck that currently limits cell therapy access to specialized centers only.
- Johnson & Johnson's $1B+ U.S. manufacturing investment shows that the biggest players are betting on sustained, large-scale demand for cell therapy products, not just a niche oncology trend.
- BMS's CAR-T results reveal a two-speed market: Breyanzi is gaining commercial momentum while Abecma is slipping, showing that label strength and safety perception directly drive hospital adoption.
- The FDA's label update for Yescarta in primary CNS lymphoma is a reminder that regulatory language is a commercial lever, as even small label changes can unlock new patient populations for CAR-T products.
- Charles River closing a cell therapy CDMO site while J&J opens a new $1B+ plant shows a clear consolidation trend: manufacturing capacity is concentrating in fewer, larger hands.
- ImmunityBio's chemotherapy-free CAR-NK Phase 2 study targets a key unmet need: reducing the harsh conditioning regimens that currently exclude many patients from cell therapy access.
- The CMS billing update for CAR-T in non-standard purchase situations addresses a real administrative friction point that has historically slowed hospital adoption of cell therapy products.
- Strike Pharma and Cellares both advancing in vivo and CRISPR-edited CAR-T manufacturing in the same week suggests that next-generation cell therapy platforms are moving from concept to clinical reality faster than expected.
In our cell therapy market deck, we identify repeatable patterns you can use if you’re building in this market
Summary table of the latest news in the cell therapy market
We define the cell therapy market as the market for cell-based medicinal products used as drugs to treat disease, including both approved products and major late-stage pipeline therapies.
We include living-cell products such as CAR-T, other engineered immune cells, and non-oncology cell-based drugs, along with their direct clinical use and revenue.
We exclude procedures like standard stem-cell transplants, simple minimally manipulated cell preparations used in surgery, and generic tools or equipment that are not specific to these therapies.
You can also read our detailed analysis to understand 'what are the quarterly updates in the cell therapy market.
| News | Category | Date | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| BrainStorm Cell Therapeutics raises $2M in February to keep its cell therapy programs running. | Fundraisings | Feb 26, 2026 | BrainStorm IR |
| Gilead acquires Arcellx for $7.8B to take full control of a best-in-class BCMA CAR-T program. | M&A | Feb 23, 2026 | Gilead IR |
| Cellares and University of Wisconsin expand CRISPR CAR-T manufacturing partnership for solid tumors. | Partnerships | Feb 18, 2026 | Cellares |
| Johnson & Johnson commits $1B+ to a new next-generation cell therapy manufacturing facility in Pennsylvania. | New tech and infrastructure | Feb 18, 2026 | J&J IR |
| Strike Pharma wins a Eurostars grant for in vivo CD19 CAR-T development with South Korea's AbClon. | Partnerships | Feb 10, 2026 | Strike Pharma |
| Lilly acquires Orna Therapeutics for $2.4B to advance in vivo CAR-T, eliminating the manufacturing step. | M&A | Feb 9, 2026 | Lilly IR |
| Anixa Biosciences receives approval to escalate doses in its ovarian cancer CAR-T Phase 1 trial. | Company updates | Feb 9, 2026 | Anixa IR |
| FDA approves a label update for Yescarta in primary CNS lymphoma, expanding safe CAR-T use in the brain. | Regulations & Policies | Feb 6, 2026 | Gilead |
| BMS Q4 2025 results show Breyanzi CAR-T growing strongly while Abecma slips slightly year-over-year. | Financial results | Feb 5, 2026 | BMS |
| Charles River closes its Maryland cell therapy CDMO site and cuts 20 jobs as the sector consolidates. | Restructuring | Feb 3, 2026 | Fierce Biotech |
| ImmunityBio launches a Phase 2 chemotherapy-free CAR-NK cell therapy study in indolent B-cell lymphoma. | Product launches | Feb 2, 2026 | ImmunityBio IR |
| Medicare updates CAR-T billing instructions for hospitals that do not purchase the therapy through standard channels. | Regulations & Policies | Jan 26, 2026 | CMS |
Latest news of the cell therapy market
BrainStorm Cell Therapeutics raises $2M in February through two strategic placements to keep cell therapy programs alive
Fundraisings
What happened?
BrainStorm Cell Therapeutics completed a second $1M strategic placement in February 2026, bringing the total raised that month to $2M. The fundraise is modest in size but meaningful in context: it keeps BrainStorm's cell therapy pipeline funded at a time when small-cap biotech financing is selective. Strategic staged placements like this can help a company reach its next clinical milestone without committing to a potentially dilutive larger round.
When was it?
The announcement was made on February 26, 2026.
Why is it big news?
It shows that capital is still available for smaller cell therapy companies, even when mega-rounds are reserved for the most advanced programs.
Why should you care?
If you're an investor in the cell therapy market, micro-rounds like this can create early entry points ahead of clinical data readouts that could move the stock significantly. If you're an entrepreneur in the cell therapy market, BrainStorm's approach shows how staged, creative financing can buy time to reach the next value inflection without a painful down-round.
In our cell therapy market deck, we have collected signals proving this market is hot right now
Gilead drops $7.8B to fully own a best-in-class BCMA CAR-T program through the acquisition of Arcellx
M&A
What happened?
Gilead Sciences agreed to acquire Arcellx and take full control of anito-cel, a late-stage BCMA-targeting CAR-T therapy in multiple myeloma. The deal is valued at $7.8B and represents Gilead fully doubling down on CAR-T as a core growth engine. Arcellx had been co-developing anito-cel with Gilead's Kite unit, and this acquisition removes any ambiguity about who controls the asset's future.
When was it?
The deal was announced on February 23, 2026.
Why is it big news?
A $7.8B acquisition resets price expectations for the entire late-stage CAR-T platform market and signals clearly that large strategics believe differentiated cell therapy assets are worth paying a premium for right now.
Why should you care?
If you're an investor in the cell therapy market, this deal shows the strategic exit window for top CAR-T programs is wide open, which has direct implications for how you value pipeline assets. If you're an entrepreneur in the cell therapy market, Gilead's playbook is clear: build differentiated clinical data and a credible manufacturing story, and strategics will pay for full control.
In our cell therapy market deck, we help you understand how the market is structured
Cellares and University of Wisconsin expand their CRISPR CAR-T manufacturing partnership to bring solid tumor therapy closer to clinical reality
Partnerships
What happened?
Cellares and the University of Wisconsin expanded their existing collaboration to support clinical manufacturing and regulatory progress for a CRISPR-edited GD2-targeting CAR-T program aimed at solid tumors. The expanded partnership focuses on scaling up production and building the regulatory documentation needed to move from academic research into a real clinical trial setting. This is a direct push to tackle one of the hardest frontiers in the cell therapy market: making CAR-T work outside blood cancers.
When was it?
The expanded partnership was announced on February 18, 2026.
Why is it big news?
Solid tumors represent the largest unmet need in oncology, and pairing CRISPR gene editing with industrial-scale cell therapy manufacturing is how academic programs can actually reach patients.
Why should you care?
If you're an investor in the cell therapy market, manufacturing platform companies that can standardize and accelerate CAR-T production may become critical bottleneck-breakers and capture significant value as the market expands into solid tumors. If you're an entrepreneur in the cell therapy market, this partnership shows a practical route from lab to clinic: bring in a manufacturing platform partner early rather than waiting until the science is fully mature.
In our cell therapy market deck, we will give you useful market maps and grids
Johnson & Johnson commits over $1 billion to a next-generation cell therapy manufacturing facility in Pennsylvania
New tech and infrastructure
What happened?
Johnson & Johnson announced a $1B+ investment to build a next-generation cell therapy manufacturing facility in Pennsylvania. This is not a pilot or a feasibility study: it is a full industrial-scale plant designed to produce cell therapies at meaningful commercial volumes. The investment is a direct signal that J&J sees sustained, large-scale demand for cell therapy products in the years ahead.
When was it?
The announcement was made on February 18, 2026.
Why is it big news?
Large manufacturers do not spend over a billion dollars on new plants unless they are highly confident that demand will be durable and that the manufacturing technology is ready to industrialize.
Why should you care?
If you're an investor in the cell therapy market, this level of hard capex points to long-term confidence in cell therapy growth and can boost the entire ecosystem, including suppliers, CDMOs, and automation companies. If you're an entrepreneur in the cell therapy market, manufacturing innovation and automation startups become significantly more valuable when the biggest players are building next-generation plants.
In our cell therapy market deck, we have designed useful charts to give you full market clarity
Strike Pharma wins a competitive Eurostars grant to develop in vivo CAR-T with South Korea's AbClon
Partnerships
What happened?
Strike Pharma announced that its StAb19 program, an in vivo CD19-targeting CAR-T therapy, was accepted into the Eurostars grant program, providing up to EUR 1M in non-dilutive funding. The grant supports proof-of-concept and IND-enabling work in collaboration with Korean biotech AbClon. In vivo CAR-T aims to engineer a patient's immune cells directly inside the body, skipping the complex manufacturing step entirely.
When was it?
The announcement was made on February 10, 2026.
Why is it big news?
Winning a competitive, non-dilutive grant is a strong external validation signal for a bold and still-early approach like in vivo CAR-T in the cell therapy market.
Why should you care?
If you're an investor in the cell therapy market, in vivo approaches could reshape the cost structure and scalability of CAR-T, and early validation can accelerate follow-on financing and partnering conversations. If you're an entrepreneur in the cell therapy market, cross-border partnerships combined with grant funding show how you can reach meaningful clinical milestones without giving up too much equity early on.
In our cell therapy market deck, we show you long-term trends so you can make better decisions
Lilly bets $2.4B on Orna Therapeutics to make in vivo CAR-T a reality and skip the factory step entirely
M&A
What happened?
Eli Lilly agreed to acquire Orna Therapeutics for $2.4B to push forward in vivo CAR-T, an approach that engineers a patient's immune cells directly inside the body rather than collecting, modifying, and reinfusing them in a specialized facility. This removes the most complex and expensive step in traditional cell therapy manufacturing. Lilly is making a major strategic bet that this approach can eventually scale cell therapy beyond the handful of specialized treatment centers where it currently lives.
When was it?
The deal was announced on February 9, 2026.
Why is it big news?
If in vivo CAR-T works at scale, it could shrink the cost, logistics burden, and capacity bottlenecks that are currently the biggest blockers for widespread cell therapy adoption.
Why should you care?
If you're an investor in the cell therapy market, this deal expands what the total addressable market can realistically look like, shifting cell therapy from specialty centers to potentially much broader healthcare settings. If you're an entrepreneur in the cell therapy market, competitive advantage may shift from "who has the best manufacturing facilities" to "who has the best delivery, control, and safety systems," which opens up entirely new startup opportunities.
In our cell therapy market deck, we answer all the common questions from investors and entrepreneurs
Anixa Biosciences gets regulatory approval to escalate doses in its ovarian cancer CAR-T trial, a key milestone in a notoriously hard cancer
Company updates
What happened?
Anixa Biosciences received approval from regulators for a protocol amendment enabling substantial dose escalation in its Phase 1 CAR-T trial targeting ovarian cancer. Dose escalation is where early-stage cell therapies either start to show real promise or hit safety and feasibility walls. Getting the green light to push forward is a meaningful execution milestone, especially in solid tumor indications where CAR-T has historically struggled.
When was it?
The announcement was made on February 9, 2026.
Why is it big news?
Dose escalation approval sets up sharper clinical data readouts and can open the door to partnership or licensing conversations for Anixa's ovarian cancer cell therapy program.
Why should you care?
If you're an investor in the cell therapy market, trial design progress, not just efficacy results, can be a value-creating event, especially in difficult solid tumor indications with few treatment options. If you're an entrepreneur in the cell therapy market, Anixa's update is a reminder that navigating regulatory checkpoints carefully is as important as the underlying science when building a cell therapy company.
In our cell therapy market deck, we tell you what to focus on
FDA approves a Yescarta label update for primary CNS lymphoma, removing a key restriction on CAR-T use in the brain
Regulations & Policies
What happened?
The FDA approved a label update for Kite's Yescarta in relapsed or refractory primary CNS lymphoma, removing a prior limitation and reinforcing the safety profile of this CAR-T therapy in a very sensitive indication. Label language might sound like a technical detail, but for cell therapy products, small wording shifts can have a meaningful impact on physician adoption and treatment center willingness to use the product. Gilead and Kite worked to generate the right safety evidence to support this regulatory change.
When was it?
The FDA approval was announced on February 6, 2026.
Why is it big news?
This is a concrete de-risking signal from the FDA that can support durable utilization of Yescarta in CNS lymphoma and help defend market share against competitors in the cell therapy market.
Why should you care?
If you're an investor in the cell therapy market, label expansions and updates are real commercial levers that can sustain revenue growth even without a new product approval. If you're an entrepreneur in the cell therapy market, Gilead's approach shows how generating the right safety evidence, not just efficacy data, can directly expand access and commercial value.
In our cell therapy market deck, we identify pain points entrepreneurs should prioritize
BMS Q4 2025 earnings reveal a split CAR-T market: Breyanzi surges while Abecma loses ground
Financial results
What happened?
Bristol Myers Squibb's Q4 and full-year 2025 results showed Breyanzi growing strongly year-over-year, while Abecma posted a slight decline compared to the prior year quarter. Both are approved CAR-T therapies, but their commercial trajectories are diverging. The contrast reflects differences in label strength, competitive positioning, and how treatment centers are prioritizing each product in their day-to-day practice.
When was it?
The financial results were released on February 5, 2026.
Why is it big news?
Public CAR-T revenue trends are the market's real scoreboard, showing which products are winning hospital adoption, supply capacity, and commercial momentum in the cell therapy market right now.
Why should you care?
If you're an investor in the cell therapy market, BMS's split results help you identify which CAR-T products have commercial leverage and which may need new indications or label improvements to re-accelerate. If you're an entrepreneur in the cell therapy market, the gap between Breyanzi and Abecma highlights where clinical and commercial gaps still exist, from better patient selection to faster manufacturing turnaround.
In our cell therapy market deck, we dentify risks investors and builders need to be aware of
Charles River shuts its Maryland cell therapy CDMO site and cuts 20 jobs as manufacturing consolidation accelerates
Restructuring
What happened?
Charles River Laboratories announced the closure of its Hanover, Maryland cell therapy CDMO site, cutting approximately 20 jobs and transitioning client work to other locations. The decision is part of a broader strategic review at Charles River, and it reflects a reshaping of cell therapy manufacturing capacity to match current demand and business priorities. For companies relying on this specific site for their manufacturing, the transition creates near-term uncertainty.
When was it?
The announcement was made on February 3, 2026.
Why is it big news?
When CDMOs resize and close sites, startups feel it first, as lead times, pricing, and slot availability for cell therapy manufacturing can shift quickly across the ecosystem.
Why should you care?
If you're an investor in the cell therapy market, consolidation among CDMOs can improve pricing power for the remaining players, but it also creates execution risk for portfolio companies that depend on specific manufacturing sites. If you're an entrepreneur in the cell therapy market, Charles River's closure is a direct reminder not to assume manufacturing capacity is stable: build redundancy, qualify backup sites, and lock supply plans early.
In our cell therapy market deck, we ensure you have the latest information
ImmunityBio launches a Phase 2 chemotherapy-free CAR-NK study to make cell therapy accessible to more patients
Product launches
What happened?
ImmunityBio launched a Phase 2 clinical study evaluating a chemotherapy-free and lymphodepletion-free CAR-NK combination approach in patients with indolent B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma. The study's core hypothesis is that CAR-NK cell therapy can be effective without the harsh conditioning regimens currently required for most CAR-T products. Removing those steps could significantly widen the pool of patients eligible for cell therapy treatment.
When was it?
The Phase 2 study launch was announced on February 2, 2026.
Why is it big news?
If a credible chemotherapy-free path can be established for cell therapy, the addressable market expands well beyond the sickest, last-line patients who currently qualify for treatment.
Why should you care?
If you're an investor in the cell therapy market, a lower-toxicity cell therapy approach could unlock broader market penetration and reduce the cost and complexity of treatment, which are two of the biggest barriers to growth. If you're an entrepreneur in the cell therapy market, ImmunityBio's study points to a significant opportunity in enabling technologies: better cell persistence, smarter targeting, and safer regimens that simplify the entire clinical workflow.
In our cell therapy market deck, we like to quantify things to make things easier to understand
Medicare updates CAR-T billing rules for hospitals that access the therapy outside standard purchase channels
Regulations & Policies
What happened?
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services published updated billing instructions for CAR-T cell therapy and similar immunotherapies when hospitals access these products outside of normal purchase arrangements, such as through special access or expanded access programs. The update changes how payment adjustments are calculated and what documentation hospitals must submit when filing claims in these situations. It went into effect on January 26, 2026.
When was it?
The implementation date for the updated billing instructions was January 26, 2026.
Why is it big news?
Reimbursement rules are real adoption levers in the cell therapy market: administrative billing complexity can slow down treatment availability at hospitals just as effectively as clinical barriers.
Why should you care?
If you're an investor in the cell therapy market, clearer billing mechanics reduce hidden barriers to volume growth, and anything that simplifies hospital claims processing can support faster commercial uptake. If you're an entrepreneur in the cell therapy market, understanding and anticipating CMS billing rules is increasingly important as early-stage programs start relying on special access pathways to reach patients before formal approval.
Related blog posts
- What is the latest update in the cell therapy market?
- What are the latest funding news in the cell therapy market?
- What is the real market size of the cell therapy market?
- Evolution of the funding activity in the cell therapy market
- What are the fundraising trends in the cell therapy market?
