Episode Summary
In Part 2 of the 2026 pipeline series, host Carolyn Liptak welcomes Dr. Amanda Frick, Senior Clinical Manager, Strategic Clinical Intelligence at Vizient, to explore the advanced therapies pipeline: cell therapies, gene therapies, tissue-engineered products, and combination advanced therapy products.
The discussion explores major pipeline trends, six leading products to watch, and the growing innovation expected to shape clinical practice in 2026.
Guest speakers:
Amanda Frick, PharmD, BCPS
Senior Clinical Manager
Strategic Clinical Intelligence Spend Management
Vizient
Host:
Carolyn Liptak, MBA, BS Pharm
Pharmacy Executive Director
Center for Pharmacy Practice Excellence (CPPE)
Vizient
Show Notes:
00:05 — Introduction
Announcer opens the episode.
Host Carolyn Liptak introduces the focus on advanced therapies:
cell & gene therapies, tissue-engineered products, and combination products.
Guest: Dr. Amanda Frick, Senior Clinical Manager, Strategic Clinical Intelligence at Vizient.
01:07 — Defining Advanced Therapies
FDA groups cell and gene therapies within advanced therapies.
Total FDA-approved advanced therapies: 46.
Amanda monitors 29 drug-like therapies within that group.
02:01 — Pipeline Size and Approval Activity
S. pipeline: 264 agents in development.
About 10 agents approach FDA decision annually.
Actual approvals: 5–7 per year on average.
02:56 — Big-Picture Trends in Cell & Gene Therapy
Oncology dominates
40–50% of all CGTs in development.
Expanding into autoimmune, neurology, and earlier-phase therapies for diabetes, angina, osteoarthritis.
Movement toward allogeneic ("off-the-shelf") therapies
Designed to overcome limits of autologous cell manufacturing.
Reduces wait time and manufacturing failures.
Resurgence of therapeutic vaccines
Currently 3 approved (Sipuleucel-T, Talimogene, Papzimeos
).
20+ vaccines in the pipeline, largely targeted to cancer.
CE program coming Jan 29.
06:13 — Therapy #1: Tabelecleucel or Tab-cel (Allogeneic EBV-Specific T-Cell Therapy)
First allogeneic T-cell therapy expected in the U.S.
For EBV-positive post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD).
“Off-the-shelf” and donor-derived.
07:07 — Clinical Need & Outcomes
Currentstandard of care: rituximab.
After relapse, survival <1 month (HSCT) or <4 months (solid organ).
Phase 3 data: 90% one-year survival.
Regulatory Status
Prior FDA CRL due to manufacturing (third-party issues).
Expected approval: January 10, 2026.
09:00 — Therapy #2: Kresladi (Autologous Gene Therapy for LAD-I)
Treats severe leukocyte adhesion deficiency (LAD-I), typically diagnosed in infancy.
Could eliminate need for stem cell transplant (often limited by lack of matched donors).
11:39 — Clinical Outcomes
Phase 1/2 data (n=9):
100% survival at one year
Major reduction in hospitalizations
Discontinuation of prophylactic antibiotics
Regulatory Status
Multiple delays due to CMC (chemistry, manufacturing, controls) questions.
Resubmitted Oct 2025; anticipated approval March 28, 2026.
13:27 — Therapy #3: ORCA-T (Enhanced Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplant)
Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cells + regulatory and conventional T cells (Tregs + Tcons).
Designed to improve:
Graft-versus-tumor effect
Graft-versus-infection protection
Reduction in graft-versus-host di
