On Wednesday, May 6, Cellular Biomedicine Group (CBMG) held their Q1 2020 earnings call (press release). The company announced the successful IND application for their BCMA CAR-T (C-CAR088) in China as well as positive data from the ongoing investigator-initiated trial. Management also expressed optimism about the early data from their bi-specific CD19/CD20 CAR-T in DLBCL. Below, FENIX provides further highlights from the call and thoughts around how CBMG’s CAR-Ts could potentially differentiate themselves, despite their early stage of development, in the CAR-T space currently led by much larger players such as Novartis, Gilead, and BMS.

On Wednesday, May 6, Cellectis held their Q1 2020 earnings call (press release). The company stated that they have experienced limited disruption from COVID-19 and continue to progress with their CAR-T clinical trials and manufacturing expansion activities. Below, FENIX provides highlights and insights from the call, including how Cellectis’s ability to avoid delays to key strategic programs could help maintain its position as a leading cell therapy company developing allogeneic CAR-Ts for AML, ALL, and MM.

On Thursday, May 6, BMS held their Q1 2020 earnings call (press release / slides), providing an update on their CAR-T program. As announced on May 5 (press release), the company explained that the liso-cel PDUFA date has been pushed back three months to November 16, 2020 to allow the FDA time to review additional data considered to be a major amendment. Meanwhile, BMS provided brief commentary on their BCMA CAR-Ts ide-cel and orva-cel. Below, FENIX provides highlights and analysis from the call, particularly in the context of the liso-cel PDUFA setback in a field being led by Yescarta and Kymriah.