NEW IQVIA INSTITUTE REPORT WARNS OF ACCESS DISPARITIES FOR CAR T-CELL THERAPY ACROSS EUROPE
NEW IQVIA INSTITUTE REPORT WARNS OF ACCESS DISPARITIES FOR
CAR T-CELL THERAPY ACROSS EUROPE
Stockley Park, UK – 23 April 2025 – A new report reveals disparities in chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy delivery across Europe, with healthcare system utilisation rates of the therapy as low as 11% for eligible patients. The independent research ‘Achieving CAR T-Cell Therapy Health System Readiness: An assessment of barriers and opportunities’ by the IQVIA Institute for Human Data Science, funded by Gilead and Kite, highlights challenges across countries that can lead to uneven access to CAR T-cell therapy. The report, which assessed seven countries (Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom), found that factors such as complex referral pathways, limited treatment centers and reimbursement challenges are hindering access to this potentially life-saving treatment for eligible patients.
"CAR T-cell therapy, a potentially curative treatment that has been available since 2017, has transformed the lives of thousands of people worldwide," says Murray Aitken, Executive Director, IQVIA Institute for Human Data Science. "Despite the progress, access barriers still remain for patients eligible for CAR T-cell therapy, leading to worrying inequities in care across Europe. The Institute’s report stresses the need for policy action to address these disparities, help people access this innovative treatment and improve patient outcomes."
The IQVIA Institute shares key policy recommendations to support equitable patient access across healthcare systems. These include:1
- Establish standardised governance systems to coordinate care between referring and treating centres: Patient referrals continue to be a major challenge across countries, with 61% of referring physicians in Spain citing this as a main barrier to treatment.
- Develop plans to regularly monitor progress and timely access to CAR T-cell therapy: Long-term assessment and monitoring are required to address low utilisation rates across countries, with France delivering the highest percentage of eligible patients receiving treatment at only 30%.
- Secure consistent and equitable funding: A lack of harmonised funding approaches that encompass the treatment pathway. France and Spain report complexities in funding above treatment costs, which can cause delays and associated poor outcomes.[1]
- Conduct regular and coordinated assessments of CAR T-cell therapy needs: Location and number of qualified hospitals, and capacity significantly impact CAR-T cell therapy delivery. Five regions in both Italy and Spain have no treatment centres, with patients travelling up to 125 kilometres for treatment.
- Evaluate alternative models associated with pre-treatment, post-treatment follow-up and outpatient monitoring: Hospitals in the UK and France are trialling new approaches to patient care to reduce inpatient time and ICU bed usage and allow for greater capacity along with reducing patient travel burden.
The IQVIA Institute for Human Data Science will host a webinar, supported by Gilead and Kite, on the findings on Tuesday 29 April at 14:00 BST/15:00 CEST. The registration link can be found here: https://bit.ly/4lpt3Lu
The full findings from the report can be found here: https://www.iqvia.com/insights/the-iqvia-institute/reports-and-publications/reports/achieving-car-t-cell-therapy-health-system-readiness
About the IQVIA Institute for Human Data Science
The IQVIA Institute for Human Data Science contributes to the advancement of human health globally through timely research, insightful analysis and scientific expertise applied to granular non-identified patient-level data. Fulfilling an essential need within healthcare, the Institute delivers objective, relevant insights and research that accelerate understanding and innovation critical to sound decision-making and improved human outcomes. With access to IQVIA’s institutional knowledge, advanced analytics, technology and unparalleled data, the Institute works in tandem with a broad set of healthcare stakeholders to drive a research agenda focused on Human Data Science, including government agencies, academic institutions, the life sciences industry, and payers. More information about the IQVIA Institute can be found at www.IQVIAInstitute.org.
About Kite
Kite, a Gilead Company, is a global biopharmaceutical company based in Santa Monica, California, focused on achieving cures with cell therapy. As the global cell therapy leader, Kite has treated more patients with CAR T-cell therapy than any other company. Kite has the largest in-house cell therapy manufacturing network in the world, spanning process development, vector manufacturing, clinical trial supply and commercial product manufacturing.
About Gilead Sciences
Gilead Sciences, Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company that has pursued and achieved breakthroughs in medicine for more than three decades, with the goal of creating a healthier world for all people. The company is committed to advancing innovative medicines to prevent and treat life-threatening diseases, including HIV, viral hepatitis and cancer. Gilead operates in more than 35 countries worldwide, with headquarters in Foster City, California. Gilead acquired Kite in 2017.
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Kite, the Kite logo, Yescarta, Tecartus, Gilead and the Gilead logo are trademarks of Gilead Sciences, Inc., or its related companies.
[1] IQVIA Institute. Achieving CAR T-cell Therapy Health System Readiness. Available here: https://www.iqvia.com/Insights/The-IQVIA-Institute/Reports-and-Publications/Reports/Achieving-CAR-T-cell-Therapy-Health-System-Readiness. Accessed April 2025.
2 Jommi C, Bramanti S, Pani M, Ghirardini A, Santoro A. CAR T-Cell Therapies in Italy: Patient Access Barriers and Recommendations for Health System Solutions. Front Pharmacol. 2022 Jun 23;13:915342. doi: 10.3389/fphar.2022.915342. PMID:35837293; PMCID: PMC9275825.
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