China’s First CAR-T Is From Fosun Kite; Overseas Data Played Key Role

Confounding earlier speculation, the Fosun-Kite joint venture rather than Juno-WuXi AppTec, gains the first CAR-T cell therapy approval in China. The clearance is expected to be followed by several others in the highly active area.

3D illustration of T cells attacking a cancer cell (CAR-T cell therapy) - Illustration
FOSUN KITE GETS CHINA'S FIRST CAR-T CELL THEARPY APPROVAL • Source: Alamy

Fosun Kite Biotechnology Co Ltd's CD-19-targeting chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CAR-T) therapy, FKC876, marketed globally as Yescarta (axicabtagene ciloleucel), has been approved in China as a third-line treatment for adult patients with diffuse B-cell lymphoma or relapsed and recurrent B-cell lymphoma.

The country’s first approval of a cell therapy is expected to open the door for more CAR-Ts at a time...

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