Orca Bio, Lyell Immunopharma pen new pact to open up CAR-T for solid tumors

Two Californian biotechs are partnering up to try and break the barrier from blood to solid tumors in cell therapy.

While being a major hit in blood cancers for some patients, CAR-T has struggled in tumors, with a number of poor trial results over the years dampening hopes it could translate its efficacy into a broader range of oncology targets.

Orca Bio and Lyell Immunopharma, both operating out of California, are teaming up to try to revive those hopes, signing an R&D pact combining the two partners’ tech “to generate potentially synergistic therapeutic solutions for solid tumors.”