Kite and American Cancer Society Renew Partnership to Close CAR T-Cell Therapy Access Gap for Blood Cancer Patients
Key Insights
Kite (search) and the American Cancer Society announced a renewed program to reduce non-clinical barriers to CAR T-cell therapy for blood cancer patients nationwide.
Only two out of ten eligible patients currently receive CAR T-cell therapy, highlighting a significant access gap the partnership aims to close.
Year-one achievements included a CAR T Caregiver Financial Assistance Fund providing grants across 16 states and a landmark national survey identifying caregiver support gaps.
The American Cancer Society (ACS) and Kite (search), a Gilead company, announced on June 25, 2026, an expanded initiative to improve access to CAR T-cell therapy for people with blood cancers (search) across the United States. Building on a successful first year, the renewed program targets non-clinical barriers—particularly caregiver support—that prevent many eligible patients from receiving this advanced treatment.
"Right now, only two out of 10 eligible patients receive CAR T-cell therapy, a gap we are committed to closing," said Christophe Griolet, U.S. vice president, general manager at Kite (search). "Supporting the American Cancer Society allows critical support to go directly into the communities where patients live and work."
Year-One Impact and Key Findings
Launched in 2025, the initiative demonstrated that investing in caregiver support can meaningfully improve access to advanced treatments. In its inaugural year, Kite (search) provided critical financial backing for ACS programs, yielding measurable results across three domains.
The partnership established a CAR T Caregiver Financial Assistance Fund that provided grants in 16 states, helping families cover essential costs including transportation, food, and lodging. The fund is set to reopen for applications in year two to continue this direct support.
The ACS also conducted what it described as a landmark national survey of treatment centers, which identified a crucial gap in support for caregivers of CAR T-cell therapy patients. The survey highlighted the financial, emotional, and logistical needs faced by caregivers—needs that had previously been underrecognized in the treatment ecosystem.
Additionally, Kite (search) supported ACS initiatives to develop and distribute new, accessible information resources that reached hundreds of thousands of people through the organization's nationwide network.
Expanding the Second Phase
The next phase aims to close remaining gaps across the entire care continuum. With Kite (search)'s continued support, the ACS will work to strengthen the support infrastructure from diagnosis through survivorship. Key priorities include expanding financial assistance, deepening insights into patient and caregiver challenges, and accelerating the adoption of best practices across treatment centers nationwide.
"Initiatives like this are essential to achieving our mission of ending cancer as we know it, for everyone," said Nickki Reeves, senior vice president of corporate alliances at the American Cancer Society. "Supported by Kite (search), in just one year our work has helped identify critical gaps in caregiver support, deliver direct support to families, and expand access to trusted resources, bringing us closer to ensuring that every patient has the opportunity to benefit from life-saving innovation."
Griolet emphasized the practical dimension of the effort, noting that by increasing awareness of established resources like Hope Lodges, the partnership can help more patients overcome practical barriers to accessing potentially life-saving treatment regardless of where they live or the resources they have available.