What Happened With CAR-T Stocks in 2018

TL;DR

CAR-T therapy sales fell short of expectations in 2018 due to logistical challenges and high costs.

Transcript

Shannon Jones: The CAR-T hype train has officially left the station here in 2018. 2017 was really all about CAR-T stocks. The reason why there was so much hype was because it was this new, innovative approach to supercharge the body's own immune system to fight and target cancer. Well, as we have seen with many biopharma stocks along the way, just ... Read More

Key Insights

• 😘 CAR-T therapy faced challenges in 2018, including lower-than-expected sales and high treatment costs.
• 💅 Companies like Gilead Sciences and Novartis invested billions into CAR-T therapy but saw limited sales returns.
• 🧑‍⚕️ The complexities in logistics, manufacturing, and patient health impact the success and adoption of CAR-T therapies.
• ✋ Data showing durability and effectiveness could drive increased confidence and potentially higher sales in 2019.
• ☠️ Reimbursement challenges and slow adoption rates have hindered the growth of CAR-T therapies.
• 👊 Despite the setbacks in 2018, there is optimism for a turnaround in CAR-T therapy sales in the coming year.
• 😃 Investors and healthcare professionals are closely monitoring the performance and adoption of CAR-T therapies.

Questions & Answers

Q: Why did CAR-T therapy sales fall short in 2018?

Sales of CAR-T therapies fell short in 2018 due to logistical challenges, high costs, and slower-than-anticipated adoption rates. The complexities of manufacturing variability and patient health also played a role in the underperformance.

Q: What are the key challenges associated with CAR-T therapy?

The challenges associated with CAR-T therapy include the logistical steps required in T cell extraction and genetic modification, manufacturing variability, patient health impact, high treatment costs, and struggles with reimbursement by payers.

Q: How did CAR-T companies like Gilead Sciences and Novartis perform in 2018?

Companies like Gilead Sciences and Novartis invested heavily in CAR-T therapies but saw lower-than-expected sales. Gilead's Kite Pharma had sales of $183 million, while Novartis' Kymriah only reached $48 million in sales for the year.

Q: What can we expect for CAR-T therapies in 2019?

In 2019, there is potential for a slow build in CAR-T therapy sales as more data shows durability and effectiveness. Reimbursement challenges and increased confidence in the therapies could drive improved sales next year.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• CAR-T therapy, a groundbreaking approach to cancer treatment, faced hurdles in 2018 due to slow sales and high costs.

• Companies like Gilead Sciences and Novartis invested billions into CAR-T, but sales were lower than expected.

• Challenges in logistics, manufacturing variability, and patient health impact the adoption and success of CAR-T therapy.