The cell and gene therapy field is moving from lab curiosities to everyday medicines. In January 2025 China approved its first stem‑cell drug, Biosino’s Emimetosis Injection, for graft‑versus‑host disease, marking a historic milestone. That same year the U.S. CBER cleared five advanced therapies, including a gene‑therapy for spinal muscular atrophy and a CAR‑T‑like treatment for a rare immune disorder. A major scientific leap arrived in March 2026 when researchers at UC San Francisco demonstrated “in‑body” CAR‑T therapy. Using two tiny particles—one that guides T cells to cancer and another that inserts a CAR gene with CRISPR—they generated powerful cancer‑killing cells with a single injection, wiping out tumors in mice within weeks. The approach could eliminate the costly, weeks‑long manufacturing process that has limited CAR‑T use. Big pharma is betting heavily. Eli Lilly announced a $70 billion acquisition of gene‑delivery platform Kelonia, underscoring the commercial rush. The global market, valued at about $13 billion in 2025, is projected to exceed $200 billion by 2034, driven by rapid growth in both cell and gene therapies, especially in Asia‑Pacific. Meanwhile, insurance schemes in China’s major cities are beginning to cover these high‑cost treatments, reducing out‑of‑pocket expenses and paving the way for broader patient access.
Read moreThe world of cell and gene therapy is moving from lab curiosities to everyday medicines. In China, the first stem‑cell drug for graft‑versus‑host disease, Emimetocsai Injection, hit the market in early 2025, and five new gene‑editing therapies were cleared later that year, covering rare blood disorders, skin disease and spinal muscular atrophy. Scientists are also sharpening the gene‑editing toolbox. New base‑editing and prime‑editing techniques can swap single DNA letters without cutting the genome, lowering the risk of off‑target damage. The biggest hurdle now is delivering these editors safely into patients’ cells. A game‑changing study from UCSF showed that a single injection can create CAR‑T cells inside the body. Using two tiny particles—one that finds T cells and another that inserts the CAR gene with CRISPR—the approach wiped out leukemia, myeloma and even solid‑tumor mouse models in just two weeks. This could replace the costly, weeks‑long manufacturing process used today. Seeing the potential, Eli Lilly agreed to buy in‑vivo delivery company Kelonia Therapeutics for up to $7 billion. Meanwhile, the global CGT market is projected to soar past $200 billion by 2034, driven by rapid growth in Asia‑Pacific, especially China, where new insurance schemes now cover CAR‑T and stem‑cell treatments, easing the financial burden for patients. These advances signal a shift toward faster, cheaper, and more widely accessible cures for cancer, rare diseases, and beyond.
Read moreCell and gene therapies (CGT) are moving from lab curiosities to everyday medicines. The global market, worth about $13 billion in 2025, could explode to over $200 billion by 2034, driven by rapid advances and huge investor interest. North America still leads, but China and India are fast‑becoming the growth engine, with a wave of new approvals in 2025‑26—including China’s first stem‑cell drug for graft‑versus‑host disease and several gene‑therapy products for rare conditions such as spinal muscular atrophy and Wiskott‑Aldrich syndrome. A game‑changing study from UCSF showed that a single injection can create functional CAR‑T cells inside the body, wiping out leukemia and solid‑tumor models in weeks. This “in‑vivo” approach could cut the weeks‑long, costly manufacturing process that has limited CAR‑T’s reach. Recognizing the potential, Eli Lilly bought in‑body gene‑delivery company Kelonia Therapeutics for up to $7 billion. At the same time, gene‑editing tools are getting sharper—base and prime editors can rewrite single DNA letters without breaking the strand, lowering safety concerns. Researchers are testing these tools for everything from rare genetic diseases to cancer, autoimmune disorders, Alzheimer’s, and heart failure. With new Chinese regulations emphasizing compliance, the industry is poised for a more orderly, large‑scale rollout, promising faster, cheaper, and more personalized treatments for patients worldwide.
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