Cell and Gene Therapy Forum: Dual Momentum of Industrialization and Origin Innovation Ushers in a New Era

In 2022, two CAR-T cell therapies in China reported their first full-year commercialization results. They were closely followed by the acceptance of marketing authorization applications for four additional CAR-T products. Twenty-three cell therapy products received Investigational New Drug (IND) approval, and eleven submitted applications. Solid tumors and universal (off-the-shelf) cell therapies prominently emerged as the next major battlegrounds. As the sector experiencing the largest surge among new modalities, cell therapy has seen relentless clinical translation efforts. While bringing hope to patients with unmet medical needs, it has also paved a path marked by both valuable experience and significant challenges for the industrialization of novel therapies. A substantial gap remains to be bridged between ensuring "availability" and achieving "affordability."

Setting aside the high price tags associated with gene therapies, five drugs were approved globally in 2022, marking a historical peak and witnessing many “first-in-class” approvals across various subfields. In China, 15 drugs received Investigational New Drug (IND) approvals, paving the way for more extensive clinical trials. The sector has entered a phase of substantive validation, with safety coming under close scrutiny.

As a technology that intervenes at the source of the central dogma, Cell and Gene Therapy (CGT) has established a highly recognizable profile characterized by a “long slope with deep snow” and continuous iteration. Therapies that have successfully navigated early development are breaking through industrialization bottlenecks, while there is an urgent need for subsequent source innovations.

This forum will focus on the current application landscape of the CGT therapy industry and the next wave of innovative ideas. VCBeat New Medicine, in partnership with CDH VGC, has invited representative enterprises, investment institutions, and industry experts to share insights into industry development and future trends, thereby providing impetus for the advancement of the cell and gene therapy sector.