In a contrast to its peers, Gilead Sciences’ Kite Pharma has signed an exclusive license agreement with China’s Pregene Biopharma to co-develop next-generation in vivo CAR-T therapies. The deal is worth up to US$1.64 B, comprising a US$120 M upfront payment and up to US$1.52 B in milestone fees. This partnership marks a bold move by Kite and underscores its commitment to expanding its CAR-T portfolio despite industry headwinds, with several pharma companies recently retreating from cell therapies due to clinical and regulatory setbacks.