Gracell Biotechnologies
Gracell Biotechnologies is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing CAR-T cell therapies for hematologic malignancies and autoimmune diseases using its proprietary FasTCAR, TruUCAR, and SMART CART platforms, with lead candidate GC012F/AZD0120 for multiple myeloma and SLE. Founded in 2017 in Suzhou, China, and acquired by AstraZeneca in February 2024 for approximately $1.2 billion.
- Company typePublic
- Founded2017
- HeadquartersSuzhou, China
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Gracell Biotechnologies does
Gracell Biotechnologies is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company that develops CAR-T cell therapies for hematologic malignancies (multiple myeloma, B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma, B- and T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia) and autoimmune diseases (systemic lupus erythematosus). Founded in May 2017 by Dr. William Wei Cao in Suzhou, China, the company operated R&D and CMC operations in Shanghai, a GMP manufacturing facility in Suzhou BioBay, and a U.S. R&D and Innovation Center in Palo Alto. Gracell was acquired by AstraZeneca in February 2024 for approximately $1.2 billion and delisted from NASDAQ (ticker: GRCL); it now operates as a wholly-owned subsidiary within the AstraZeneca group.
The company's product strategy is built on three registered proprietary technology platforms. FasTCAR shortens autologous CAR-T manufacturing from the industry standard of 1–6 weeks to overnight by concurrently activating and transducing resting T cells in a single closed-system step, producing younger, less-exhausted cells. TruUCAR is an allogeneic, off-the-shelf platform that uses CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing to disrupt TRAC and CD7, eliminating graft-versus-host disease and host-versus-graft rejection without immunosuppressive drugs. SMART CART is a second-generation module designed to convert immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment signals into stimulatory signals for solid tumor treatment. The lead clinical candidate is GC012F (now AZD0120), a FasTCAR-enabled BCMA/CD19 dual-targeting autologous CAR-T therapy for multiple myeloma, B-NHL, and refractory SLE; supporting programs include GC007g (allogeneic CD19 CAR-T for r/r B-ALL), GC027 (universal CD7 CAR-T for T-ALL), and GC502 (CD19/CD7 dual-directed allogeneic therapy).
Gracell's pre-acquisition business model was clinical-stage R&D: revenue was not yet generated from product sales, with capital sourced from venture rounds, a $240M NASDAQ IPO (January 2021), and a $150M private placement (August 2023). Post-acquisition, the GTM model is integrated into AstraZeneca's commercial infrastructure — China is the primary near-term market, with GC012F included in China's first Commercial Health Insurance Innovative Drug List (effective January 2026), where listed CAR-T therapies are priced at CNY999,000 to CNY1.3 million per infusion. Patient access is delivered through certified hospital treatment centers, with end-to-end cell therapy manufacturing launched in Shanghai in March 2026 (the first multinational facility of its kind in China) and a parallel Lonza partnership and U.S. CDMO network supporting U.S. supply.
Gracell Biotechnologies firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Gracell Biotechnologies
- Legal name
- Gracell Biotechnologies Inc.
- Website
- https://gracellbio.com
- Company type
- Public
- Founded year
- 2017
- Operating status
- Acquired
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Gracell Biotechnologies is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing CAR-T cell therapies for hematologic malignancies and autoimmune diseases using its proprietary FasTCAR, TruUCAR, and SMART CART platforms, with lead candidate GC012F/AZD0120 for multiple myeloma and SLE. Founded in 2017 in Suzhou, China, and acquired by AstraZeneca in February 2024 for approximately $1.2 billion.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Gracell Biotechnologies industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Cell Therapy Pharmaceuticals
- NAICS
- Biological Product (except Diagnostic) Manufacturing (325414), Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) (541714)
- SIC
- Biological Products, (No Disgnostic Substances) (2836)
- akta.pro primary industry
- CAR-T & TCR-T Therapies (HLAAABAC)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Cell Therapy Enabling Technologies (gene editing, cell engineering, delivery methods) (HLAAABAL), Cell Therapy Developers (Autologous) (HLAAABAA), Cell Therapy Developers (Allogeneic/Off-the-shelf) (HLAAABAB), Cell Therapy Manufacturing Services (GMP, autologous/allogeneic) (HLAAAKAC)
Keywords
Where Gracell Biotechnologies is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Suzhou
- HQ country
- China
- HQ region
- Asia
Offices5 records
Markets served
Gracell Biotechnologies business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- CAR-T Cell Therapy Development and Commercialization: Pre-commercial clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing cell therapies for cancer and autoimmune diseases. Revenue will come from product sales following regulatory approval. As part of AstraZeneca post-acquisition, therapies are advancing through clinical trials toward commercialization. Five CAR-T therapies developed by Gracell and other Chinese developers were included in China's first Commercial Health Insurance Innovative Drug List (effective January 2026), priced between CNY999,000 and CNY1.3 million per infusion.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | CAR-T cell therapy pricing in China (commercial insurance tier) |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
Gracell Biotechnologies product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Gracell Biotechnologies is a global clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing innovative CAR-T cell therapies for the treatment of cancer and autoimmune diseases. Its pipeline includes autologous and allogeneic CAR-T product candidates (GC012F/AZD0120, GC007g, GC027, GC502) built on three proprietary platforms: FasTCAR (next-day autologous manufacturing), TruUCAR (allogeneic off-the-shelf), and SMART CART (solid tumor enhanced CAR-T).
Product overview
Gracell Biotechnologies is a global clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing innovative cell therapies for cancer and autoimmune diseases. The company operates three core technology platforms: FasTCAR (rapid next-day autologous CAR-T manufacturing producing younger, less exhausted cells), TruUCAR (allogeneic off-the-shelf CAR-T from healthy donors), and SMART CARTTM (enhanced CAR-T module for solid tumors). The lead clinical candidate is GC012F/AZD0120, a FasTCAR-enabled BCMA/CD19 dual-targeting autologous CAR-T therapy for multiple myeloma, B-NHL, and systemic lupus erythematosus. Additional pipeline candidates include allogeneic products GC007g (CD19 CAR-T for B-ALL), GC027 (CD7 CAR-T for T-ALL), and GC502 (CD19/CD7 dual-directed CAR-T for B-cell malignancies). The company was acquired by AstraZeneca in February 2024. Manufacturing capabilities include a GMP facility in Suzhou, China (66,000 sq. ft.) with fully-closed production systems.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- FasTCAR™: Next-day manufacturing autologous CAR-T cell platform that generates younger, less exhausted CAR-T cells with potentially enhanced activities
- TruUCAR™
- SMART CART™
- GC012F
- GC007g
- GC502
- GC027
Products and services
- GC012F (AZD0120) FasTCAR-enabled BCMA/CD19 dual-targeting autologous CAR-T cell therapy candidate for relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma, newly diagnosed multiple myeloma, B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma, and refractory systemic lupus erythematosus. Demonstrated 100% MRD negativity in newly diagnosed multiple myeloma patients and 100% ORR in B-NHL patients. Now part of AstraZeneca pipeline as AZD0120.
- GC007g Donor-derived allogeneic CD19-targeted CAR-T cell therapy for relapsed/refractory B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) in patients who failed transplant and may not be eligible for autologous CAR-T therapy. Showed 100% MRD- CR/CRi at day 28 in Phase 1 trial.
- GC027 First-in-human universal TruUCAR CD7-directed allogeneic CAR-T therapy for treatment of relapsed/refractory T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL). Standalone off-the-shelf therapy for T-cell malignancies.
- GC502 TruUCAR-enabled CD19/CD7 dual-directed allogeneic CAR-T therapy for treatment of B-cell malignancies including B-ALL and B-NHL, manufactured from non-HLA-matched healthy donor T cells.
Quantifiable outcome
- 100% MRD negativity achieved in 21/22 newly diagnosed multiple myeloma patients at median follow-up of 18.8 months with GC012F
- +5 more outcomes
Companies that use Gracell Biotechnologies
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Gracell Biotechnologies technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
Gracell Biotechnologies partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- AstraZenecaflagshipAstraZeneca completed the $1.2 billion acquisition of Gracell Biotechnologies in February 2024, enriching AstraZeneca's cell therapy pipeline with clinical-stage autologous BCMA/CD19 CAR-T therapy targeting hematologic malignancies and autoimmune diseases, and proprietary manufacturing platforms. The acquisition was announced December 2023 and completed February 22, 2024. Shareholders received $2.00 per ordinary share ($10.00 per ADS). AstraZeneca subsequently announced $15 billion investment in China through 2030, establishing end-to-end cell therapy capabilities including production of AZD0120 (formerly GC012F).
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Gracell Biotechnologies competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Legend Biotech: China-based CAR-T developer that commercialized cilta-cel (Carvykti) for multiple myeloma in partnership with Janssen. Most direct competitor to Gracell in BCMA-targeted CAR-T and shares the Chinese CAR-T commercial insurance reimbursement listing with GC012F.
- JW Therapeutics: Hong Kong-listed Chinese CAR-T developer commercializing Carteyva (relmacabtagene autoleucel) for lymphoma. Operates in the same Chinese CAR-T commercial insurance tier as Gracell's GC012F and competes for hospital treatment center access and payer coverage.
- Fosun Kite (Fosun Pharma / Kite Pharma JV): Joint venture between Fosun Pharma and Gilead's Kite Pharma bringing Yescarta to China. Competes head-to-head in the Chinese CAR-T market and shares the same commercial insurance reimbursement list with Gracell's GC012F.
- CARsgen Therapeutics: China-based CAR-T developer with approved zevorcabtagene autoleucel for multiple myeloma and additional pipeline assets. Direct competitor in Chinese CAR-T commercial market and reimbursement negotiations.
- Allogene Therapeutics: Pure-play allogeneic CAR-T developer founded by the original Kite Pharma leadership. Competes directly with Gracell's TruUCAR platform on off-the-shelf CAR-T using healthy donor T cells, with multiple clinical-stage allogeneic candidates.
- Crispr Therapeutics: CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing pioneer developing both autologous and allogeneic CAR-T candidates (e.g., CTX112). Shares the CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing methodology that Gracell's TruUCAR uses, and competes in the same off-the-shelf CAR-T category.
Broad incumbents
- Gilead Sciences / Kite Pharma: Global oncology leader commercializing Yescarta and Tecartus (CD19 CAR-T) and partnered with Fosun in China. As the dominant CAR-T commercial player with established manufacturing and physician relationships, sets the competitive benchmark for autologous CAR-T commercial execution.
- Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMS): Commercializes Breyanzi (CD19 CAR-T) and Abecma (BCMA CAR-T) for lymphoma and multiple myeloma respectively. As one of the two established Western BCMA CAR-T players, represents the primary commercial incumbent that Gracell's GC012F/AZD0120 will compete against in multiple myeloma.
- Novartis: Commercializer of Kymriah, the first FDA-approved CAR-T therapy. As a global pharma incumbent with established cell therapy manufacturing and commercial capabilities, represents both a peer and a potential strategic alternative to AstraZeneca-style acquisition outcomes.
Emerging players
- Precision Biosciences: Clinical-stage allogeneic CAR-T developer using ARCUS gene editing platform to compete in the off-the-shelf CAR-T space. Represents a direct emerging competitor to Gracell's TruUCAR platform.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Gracell Biotechnologies social profiles
Digital presenceGracell Biotechnologies compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
Gracell Biotechnologies financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Gracell Biotechnologies leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
Gracell Biotechnologies funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds4 records
Investors17 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Gracell Biotechnologies M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Gracell Biotechnologies
What does Gracell Biotechnologies do?
Gracell Biotechnologies is a global clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing innovative CAR-T cell therapies for the treatment of cancer and autoimmune diseases. Its pipeline includes autologous and allogeneic CAR-T product candidates (GC012F/AZD0120, GC007g, GC027, GC502) built on three proprietary platforms: FasTCAR (next-day autologous manufacturing), TruUCAR (allogeneic off-the-shelf), and SMART CART (solid tumor enhanced CAR-T).
Is Gracell Biotechnologies a public or private company?
Gracell Biotechnologies is a public company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently acquired.
When was Gracell Biotechnologies founded?
Gracell Biotechnologies was founded in 2017. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Gracell Biotechnologies based?
Gracell Biotechnologies is headquartered in Suzhou, China, in the Asia region.
How does Gracell Biotechnologies make money?
One revenue line is on record: CAR-T Cell Therapy Development and Commercialization.
Who are Gracell Biotechnologies's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Legend Biotech, JW Therapeutics, Fosun Kite (Fosun Pharma / Kite Pharma JV), CARsgen Therapeutics, Allogene Therapeutics and Crispr Therapeutics. Broad incumbents are Gilead Sciences / Kite Pharma, Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMS) and Novartis. Precision Biosciences is listed as an emerging player.
Does Gracell Biotechnologies have an API?
No public API is recorded for Gracell Biotechnologies.
What industry is Gracell Biotechnologies in?
Gracell Biotechnologies's product category is Cell Therapy Pharmaceuticals. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HLAAABAC, CAR-T & TCR-T Therapies, with a secondary code of HLAAABAL, Cell Therapy Enabling Technologies (gene editing, cell engineering, delivery methods). Its NAICS code is 325414 and its SIC code is 2836.