Glenmark’s innovation subsidiary, Ichnos, highlights encouraging early data for lead bispecific antibody assets and hopes to accelerate these via licensing and partnership deals.The US-based arm also points to the tough biopharma financing market where investors are no longer satisfied with just the “preclinical story”.

Gilead’s Kite is the current leader in CAR-T, but is looking for ways to stay ahead of competitors and find safer and more effective next-generation therapies.

In Scrip’s new column tracking clinical trial developments, NewAmsterdam, CatalYm, Verve, Bellerophon and Almirall announced new trials or changes to existing ones, while CROs Parexel and PPD announced new programs and CTI appointed a new exec.

Allogene hopes its off-the-shelf CAR-T can begin a potentially pivotal Phase II study by the end of this year but is frustrated by an “under-resourced and overworked FDA.”