For the first CAR-T therapy, early sales are weak but hopes are still sky high

The first CAR-T treatment to win approval from the Food and Drug Administration racked up just $12 million in sales last quarter, a reminder that the therapy has a long way to go if it’s ever going to meet Wall Street’s blockbuster expectations.

Analysts expect Novartis’ Kymriah, which costs $475,000 for a one-time dose, to bring in about $159 million this year, according to Evaluate Pharma, meaning the drug maker is going to need to pick up the commercial pace if it hopes to avoid disappointment.

It’s facing two headwinds: complexity and scarcity.

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