Legend Biotech is the Chinese-origin developer of Carvykti, the most effective myeloma CAR-T, with J&J.
Legend Biotech, based in Somerset, New Jersey, and Nanjing and listed as LEGN, is the Chinese-origin developer of Carvykti, or ciltacabtagene autoleucel, the most effective myeloma CAR-T, in partnership with Johnson & Johnson. Cilta-cel was proved in LEGEND-2, CARTITUDE-1 and CARTITUDE-4, and the company is developing solid-tumour CAR-Ts including LB1908 against Claudin 18.2 and a DLL3 programme, with Fangliang Zhang among the people linked. OnCo links it to multiple myeloma, to the cilta-cel drug record and to the Comprehensive Cancer Center Mainfranken. Whether Legend can take a solid-tumour CAR-T as far as its myeloma product is the open question. Ciltacabtagene autoleucel has its own page.
| Date | Deal | Type | Upfront | Total | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-11-13 | Legend Biotech to Novartis LB2102, DLL3-directed CAR-T for small cell lung cancer, and other DLL3 CAR-T candidates | Licence | $100m | up to $1.01bn | source |
| 2017-12-21 | Legend Biotech to Johnson & Johnson LCAR-B38M / JNJ-4528, later ciltacabtagene autoleucel (Carvykti) | Co-development | $350m | not disclosed | source |
Ciltacabtagene autoleucel is a one-time BCMA CAR-T for myeloma that, in CARTITUDE-4, cut the risk of death by about 45% compared with standard regimens.
CARTITUDE-4 is the first randomised trial to show that a CAR-T improves survival in myeloma, and it moved cilta-cel into second-line use (FDA approval 2024). For patients whose disease returns after first-line lenalidomide, a one-off cell therapy now competes with continuous drug combinations. Capacity, cost and the need for bridging therapy still limit who actually receives it.
CARTITUDE-1 showed that a single CAR-T infusion can put late-stage myeloma into deep, multi-year remission, leading to FDA approval of cilta-cel in 2022 for heavily pretreated disease. It set the efficacy bar for BCMA-directed therapy and motivated moving CAR-T earlier (CARTITUDE-4). Late neurological toxicity and secondary malignancies remain the safety questions.
Shares CARTITUDE-1, CARTITUDE-1: cilta-cel, a BCMA CAR-T, in heavily pretreated myeloma, Ciltacabtagene autoleucel, Multiple myeloma.
Shares CARTITUDE-4: cilta-cel CAR-T versus standard combinations after one to three prior lines of myeloma therapy, Ciltacabtagene autoleucel, Multiple myeloma.
Shares Comprehensive Cancer Center Mainfranken, University Hospital Würzburg, Multiple myeloma.
Shares CARTITUDE-4, Multiple myeloma.
Shares CARTITUDE-4, Ciltacabtagene autoleucel, Multiple myeloma.