Kymriah data maintains confidence in CAR-T therapies

Six-month follow-up data on Kymriah (tisagenlecleucel) will bring relief at Swiss pharma giant Novartis (NOVN: VX) and at other drugmakers developing CAR-T therapies.

In August, Kymriah became the first CAR-T-cell-directed therapy to be approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Its speedy approval came on the back of only mid-stage data and the FDA approved a Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy (REMS) for the treatment, as part of which Novartis has been establishing a network of certified treatment centers throughout the USA.

"We have been able to significantly increase their chance of achieving and maintaining a sustained response without stem cell transplant"