CAR-T cell therapy in 2026: overview
CAR-T cell therapy engineers a patient’s or donor’s T cells to recognize and attack cells bearing a chosen target. Its established role in hematologic cancers is driving efforts to address solid-tumor barriers, including uneven antigen expression, poor cell trafficking and immunosuppressive tumor environments. Researchers are also investigating the therapy for autoimmune disease and chronic infection, while manufacturing time, cell quality, treatment toxicity and durable activity remain practical and biological challenges.
Recent work is pushing CAR-T design toward more controlled and adaptable therapies. A September 2026 review examined programmable activity to address the risks of always-on CARs, while a September 2026 publication mapped in vivo engineering as a way to reduce manufacturing and delivery burdens. In August 2026, St. Jude researchers reported that removing Regnase-1 improved CAR-T activity against osteosarcoma, and UCLA researchers described cytokine-armored cells for brain tumors in mice in May 2026. In September 2026, the FDA cleared a University of Colorado Anschutz trial of dual-targeted CAR-T for colorectal cancer and pediatric solid tumors.
- 1Beyond blood cancers: Solid-tumor programs are addressing antigen heterogeneity, trafficking and local immune suppression rather than relying on target selection alone.
- 2Control by design: Programmable activity and in vivo engineering aim to improve safety and access, but must still deliver reliable, durable T-cell function.
- 3New disease reach: CAR-T research is extending into autoimmune disease, where the goal is to remove disease-driving immune cells and reset immune activity.
Top organizations working on CAR-T cell therapy
Ranked by Linknovate activity score · last 24 monthsThe activity score adds up the relevance of every patent, publication, grant and news item linking an organization to CAR-T cell therapy. Showing 7 of 3,000 organizations.
| # | Organization | Approach | Signals (24 mo) | Momentum | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 
U.S. Food and Drug Administration
Other · United States |
General | PUB 18 · NEWS 2,355 | -44% | Recently, the FDA cleared a University of Colorado Anschutz trial of dual-targeted CAR-T therapy for advanced colorectal cancer and pediatric solid tumors. |
| 2 | 
University of Pennsylvania
Research · United States |
General | PUB 340 · NEWS 657 | -7% | Research spans CAR-T applications in cancer and autoimmune disease, including work on in vivo engineering and immune modulation. |
| 3 | 
University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center
Research · United States |
General | PUB 356 · NEWS 232 | +1% | Research addresses CAR-T treatment in blood cancers and the challenges of extending the therapy to solid tumors, including patient outcomes and treatment toxicities. |
| 4 | 
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
Research · United States |
Multi-target recognition | PAT 32 · PUB 411 NEWS 84 |
+4% | Recent work affiliated with the center reports clinical evaluation of rapidly manufactured trispecific CAR-T cells targeting CD19, CD20 and CD22 in lymphoma. |
| 5 | 
Bristol Myers Squibb
Corporate · United States |
Autologous manufacturing | PAT 1 · PUB 66 NEWS 975 |
-40% | Recently, research reported clinical pharmacology of BMS’s autologous lisocabtagene maraleucel and evaluated a GPRC5D-targeted CAR-T candidate for relapsed multiple myeloma. |
| 6 | 
National Cancer Institute
Research · United States |
General | PUB 69 · NEWS 550 | -34% | The institute supports cancer research relevant to CAR-T, including studies of solid-tumor targets, treatment implementation and therapy-related toxicity. |
| 7 | 
Novartis
Corporate · Switzerland |
General | PAT 25 · PUB 44 NEWS 1,041 |
-42% | Recently, a patent described CAR-T cells with reduced TET2 function or expression as a strategy to enhance therapeutic activity. |
| 8 | ··Hidden organizationCompany | Approach | PAT 00 · PUB 00 GRANTS 0 · NEWS 00 | +00% | Available to registered users. |
| 9 | ··Hidden organizationCompany | Approach | PAT 00 · PUB 00 GRANTS 0 · NEWS 00 | +00% | Available to registered users. |
| 10 | ··Hidden organizationCompany | Approach | PAT 00 · PUB 00 GRANTS 0 · NEWS 00 | +00% | Available to registered users. |
Startups to watch and leading research centers
Startups to watch 68 total
Allogene TherapeuticsUnited StatesRecently, clinical results were reported for ALLO-316, an allogeneic CD70-targeted CAR-T candidate in advanced renal cell carcinoma.
Cartesian Therapeutics Inc.United StatesThe company develops RNA-based cell therapies, including transiently engineered CAR-T approaches for autoimmune disease; its pipeline is aimed at improving treatment control and delivery.
Kyverna TherapeuticsUnited StatesThe company is developing engineered T-cell therapies for autoimmune disease, including CD19-directed CAR-T approaches intended to remove disease-driving B cells.- ··Hidden startupCountryAvailable to registered users, with funding and founding year.
- ··Hidden startupCountryAvailable to registered users, with funding and founding year.
Leading research institutions 2,423 total
- University of PennsylvaniaUnited StatesResearch spans CAR-T applications in cancer and autoimmune disease, including work on in vivo engineering and immune modulation.
- University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer CenterUnited StatesResearch addresses CAR-T treatment in blood cancers and the challenges of extending the therapy to solid tumors, including patient outcomes and treatment toxicities.
- Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer CenterUnited StatesRecent work affiliated with the center reports clinical evaluation of rapidly manufactured trispecific CAR-T cells targeting CD19, CD20 and CD22 in lymphoma.
- ··Hidden research institutionCountryAvailable to registered users, with their key researchers.
- ··Hidden research institutionCountryAvailable to registered users, with their key researchers.
Where CAR-T cell therapy innovation happens
Share of documents with at least one organization from each country.
Open the interactive map with all 3,000 organizationsMain technical approaches
Last 24 months| Approach | What it is | Documents | Leading organizations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Autologous manufacturing | Patient-derived cells offer a tailored product, but collection, individualized production and delivery can take time and vary in quality. | 4,755 |
U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Novartis, Bristol Myers Squibb |
| Allogeneic products | Donor-derived cells could support ready-made therapies, but immune rejection and product consistency remain key trade-offs. | 3,693 |
U.S. Food and Drug Administration, AndCar Ltd, Novartis |
| In vivo engineering | This approach aims to engineer T cells inside the body, reducing ex vivo manufacturing steps while raising delivery and control challenges. | 4,803 |
University of Pennsylvania, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, AndCar Ltd |
| Multi-target recognition | Recognizing multiple antigens may reduce escape when tumors vary in target expression, but adds design and safety complexity. | 3,663 |
U.S. Food and Drug Administration, AndCar Ltd, University of Pennsylvania |
| Armored cells | Armored CAR-T cells add functions to counter hostile tumor environments, but stronger activity can increase safety and control demands. | 734 |
AndCar Ltd, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, University of Pennsylvania |
| Controllable activity | Switches or transient receptor expression can limit CAR-T activity, trading persistence for a way to manage toxicity. | 631 |
AndCar Ltd, National Cancer Institute, University of Pennsylvania |
Emerging trends
Last 12 months vs previous 36 monthsTerms whose frequency in the last 12 months grew the most compared with the previous 36 months.
Funding and investment
Recent funding rounds
Funding indicators include $276.8 million across 181 grants since 2020 and $83.0 billion across 34 recorded rounds. The listed rounds include broad company and infrastructure activity, so the aggregate should not be read as CAR-T-specific investment alone.
Patent landscape
Top patent holders · last 24 monthsRecent developments
Latest news, duplicates removed- Sep 2026Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy is a reshaping treatment for several hematologic malignancies, with clinical data showing improved outcomes in aggressive lymphoma and durable responses in some patients…Medscape NeurologyHeadlines
- Sep 2026A single intravenous infusion of an experimental therapy that trains the immune system to attack B cells involved in multiple sclerosis (MS) and other neurologic autoimmune disorders was associated with decreased…Medscape NeurologyHeadlines
- Aug 2026Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T– cell therapy is an emerging therapeutic strategy in multiple sclerosis (MS), though it currently remains investigational. Access is limited to participation in clinical trials…Medscape NeurologyHeadlines
- Aug 2026Commenting on data presented at AANEM 2026, Amanda L. Hernandez, MD, PhD, says myasthenia gravis (MG) treatment is entering an especially active period. She highlights emerging chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell…Medscape NeurologyHeadlines
- Month 20XXHidden developmentAvailable to registered users with alerts enabled.
Frequently asked questions about CAR-T cell therapy
What companies are working on CAR-T cell therapy?
Bristol Myers Squibb, Novartis, Gilead Sciences and Kite Pharma are among the companies active in CAR-T cell therapy. Their work spans clinical products, research and patents; Juno Therapeutics also appears among leading patent holders. Company activity covers different targets and manufacturing models, so a useful partner shortlist depends on the disease area, modality and stage of development.
Which CAR-T cell therapy startups are the most promising in 2026?
Allogene Therapeutics, Cartesian Therapeutics and Kyverna Therapeutics are notable startups in the available data. Allogene develops allogeneic products, Cartesian works on RNA-based and transiently engineered approaches, and Kyverna focuses on engineered T-cell therapies for autoimmune disease. Their distinct strategies make them relevant for different partnership or competitive assessments; the data does not establish a comparative ranking of clinical prospects.
Which universities and research centers lead CAR-T cell therapy research?
The University of Pennsylvania, University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center are prominent research organizations. Their work includes in vivo engineering, blood cancers and multi-target CAR-T. Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center is also associated with clinical evaluation of rapidly manufactured trispecific cells targeting CD19, CD20 and CD22 in lymphoma.
How much funding has CAR-T cell therapy received?
The recorded funding indicators are $276.8 million across 181 grants since 2020 and $83.0 billion across 34 rounds. These are aggregate figures, not a clean measure of investment solely in CAR-T development: listed round examples include broad manufacturing expansions and other activity. Treat them as directional funding signals, and check individual awards or rounds for their relevance to a specific CAR-T program.
Who holds the most CAR-T cell therapy patents?
Juno Therapeutics leads the listed patent holders with 45 patents, followed by the Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania with 41. Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and the Regents of the University of California each have 32, while Kite Pharma has 28. These figures identify leading holders in the supplied patent data, not the full scope or legal status of each organization’s portfolio.
Is CAR-T cell therapy patent activity growing?
No: patent activity declined 53.8% in the latest 12-month period versus the previous 12 months, while the 24-month window contains 2,115 patents. Publication activity moved in the opposite direction, rising 21.0% year over year to 6,074 publications in the latest year. These indicators show a shift in recorded activity, but do not by themselves measure the commercial value or quality of inventions.
What are the latest developments in CAR-T cell therapy?
Recent directions include programmable CAR activity, in vivo engineering and armored cells for solid tumors. In September 2026, a publication reviewed programmable immunity and another outlined an in vivo CAR-T roadmap. In August 2026, St. Jude researchers reported Regnase-1 removal to improve activity against osteosarcoma; in May 2026, UCLA researchers described cytokine-armored cells for brain tumors in mice. These findings are at different stages of evidence.
What are the main approaches in CAR-T cell therapy and how do they differ?
The main approaches are autologous manufacturing, allogeneic products, in vivo engineering, multi-target recognition, armored cells and controllable activity. Autologous therapies use a patient’s cells, while allogeneic products use donor cells. In vivo engineering seeks to modify cells inside the body; other approaches adjust target recognition, tumor-environment activity or control over the therapy. Each addresses different constraints and introduces its own manufacturing or safety trade-offs.
What are the applications of CAR-T cell therapy?
Applications include hematologic cancers, solid tumors, autoimmune diseases and chronic infections. The data records 8,635 documents on hematologic cancers, 6,212 on solid tumors, 1,880 on autoimmune diseases and 1,111 on chronic infections. These figures describe research and development activity, not proven effectiveness across those conditions; clinical maturity and evidence differ substantially by disease and therapy.