Skip to Main Content

CAR-T is having a moment. The Food and Drug Administration looks poised to approve the first hot-wired white blood cell treatment from Novartis, promising to change the lives of patients with a particularly deadly form of cancer and usher in an entirely new definition of the word “drug.”

But scientists around the world are hardly standing pat in the glow of this success. Instead, they’re toiling to discover, refine, and re-invent cellular therapies for cancer in hopes of treating more tumor types, improving safety, and pushing the still-nascent field forward. Some of the most promising applications of the technology remain on the horizon — though plenty of challenges stand in the way.

advertisement

Here’s a look at both the hope and the hurdles:

Unlock this article by subscribing to STAT+ and enjoy your first 30 days free!

GET STARTED

Comments are closed.