Launch figures show a tale of two Car-Ts

It is widely acknowledged that the launches of the first Car-T therapies, Gilead's Yescarta and Novartis's Kymriah, have disappointed. But a look at their most recent sales figures show just how much better Gilead's product, originated at Kite Pharma, has done. What is more, Yescarta's $264m of sales in 2018, match sellside forecasts made back in 2016, when hype over Car-T was growing – which is surprising given the exuberance typical of sellside analysis. Meanwhile, Kymriah revenues have fallen well short of initial expectations, something that has not been helped by manufacturing issues. The bottom line is that both therapies have a long way to go to achieve blockbuster status, let alone become profitable.