Around the Helix: Cell and Gene Therapy Company Updates – February 18, 2026

The cell and gene therapy sectors are growing exponentially, with new players emerging daily and much progress being made both in and out of the lab. CGTLive®’s Around the Helix is your chance to catch up with the latest news in cell and gene therapies, including partnerships, pipeline updates, and more.

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1. Barry J Byrne, MD, PhD, on MDA’s Upcoming 2026 Clinical & Scientific Conference

In the lead up to the meeting, CGTLive® reached out to Barry J Byrne, MD, PhD, the chief medical advisor of the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) and a physician-scientist at the University of Florida, to learn more about what attendees can expect at this year’s event, especially regarding this year’s various tracks.

2. Does Immunotherapy Work Better Before Surgery?

Julia C. Tchou, MD, PhD, shared interesting findings from a melanoma study with ImmunoLogic cohosts Janna Minehart, MD, and Joseph Fraietta, PhD.

3. DMD Awareness Week: Duchenne Candidates to Watch in 2026

In honor of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) Awareness Week, observed annually from February 13 to 19 by the patient and clinician communities, CGTLive’s sister site NeurologyLive® took a look at some notable therapeutic candidates currently in development for the disease.

4. 'Paintable' CAR T-Cells

Tchou and the ImmunoLogic cohosts discussed the potential use of ‘paintable’ chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cells for the treatment of pancreatic cancer.

5. FDA Approves Axi-Cel for R/R Primary Central Nervous System Lymphoma

The FDA has approved a label update for Kite’s CAR T-cell therapy axicabtagene ciloleucel (axi-cel; marketed as Yescarta) enabling commercial use of the therapy for the treatment relapsed/refractory (r/r) primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL), an indication that was previously prohibited under the label’s Limitations of Use. The agency made the move based on findings from a phase 1 investigator-sponsored study carried out at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.

6. Lyell Pits Approved CAR-T Products Against Investigational Ronde-Cel in Phase 3 Study

Lyell Immunopharma has begun dosing patients in a phase 3 clinical trial (PiNACLE; NCT07188558), which is evaluating the company’s investigational CD19/CD20-directed CAR T-cell candidate rondecabtagene autoleucel (ronde-cel, also known as LYL314) for second-line treatment of r/r large B-cell lymphoma. Notably, the trial is assessing the investigational product against FDA-approved CAR-T products of the investigator’s choice, in a move that Lyell calls “first-of-its-kind”.