Bringing CAR-T to the Community: Expanding Access and Unlocking the Next Frontier of Cell Therapy

CAR-T cell therapy has fundamentally transformed outcomes for patients with certain hematologic malignancies and, increasingly, solid tumors — yet the vast majority of eligible patients never receive it. Geographic, systemic, and awareness barriers mean that one of oncology's most powerful tools remains out of reach for most who could benefit. This session will examine what it will take to move CAR-T therapy beyond major academic medical centers and into the community oncology setting — where most cancer patients actually receive their care. Panelists will explore the operational, logistical, and reimbursement challenges of community-based CAR-T delivery, and discuss the models that are beginning to make it a reality. The conversation will also look beyond oncology: as the field advances, cell therapies are showing remarkable early promise in autoimmune diseases and other high-prevalence conditions. The infrastructure and expertise built to democratize CAR-T in cancer may serve as the critical foundation for this next wave of therapeutic innovation. Attendees will leave with a clearer understanding of the policy, commercial, and clinical pathways needed to close the access gap — and the enormous opportunity that lies ahead as cell therapy moves from academic centers to the communities where patients live.