Biopharma companies are moving quickly to figure out how to optimize CAR T cell therapies for autoimmune diseases now that it’s becoming clear the modality has clinical activity and possibly even curative potential in the disease area. On the latest BioCentury This Week podcast, BioCentury’s editors discuss the trigger for this surge of industry interest, the indications, targets and companies in play and whether the technology can meet the higher safety bar in autoimmune indications, where diseases are often chronic in nature.

BioCentury’s editors also discuss takeaways from BioCentury’s recent conversation with Paul Hudson, CEO of Sanofi (Euronext:SAN; NASDAQ:SNY); the latest developments in the legal wrangling around the Inflation Reduction Act; and notable biotech financings, including a $300 million private placement for Structure Therapeutics Inc. (NASDAQ:GPCR) on the back of oral GLP-1 data in obesity that could set up the company as an M&A target.

This episode of the podcast was sponsored by the BioCentury-BayHelix East-West Summit, taking place Oct. 2-4 in Kendall Square. Walk-up registrations welcome.