Atara Biotherapeutics

What Atara Biotherapeutics does

Atara Biotherapeutics is a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing allogeneic (off-the-shelf) T-cell immunotherapies for patients with cancer and autoimmune diseases. Founded in 2012 and headquartered in Thousand Oaks, California (Nasdaq: ATRA), the company leverages a proprietary EBV T-cell platform that uses donor-derived T cells enriched for EBV specificity through a unique manufacturing process, without requiring T-cell receptor or HLA gene editing. The platform can reportedly produce over 1,000 doses from a single healthy donor, enabling rapid delivery within days rather than the weeks required for autologous therapies.

The lead product, tabelecleucel (tab-cel/Ebvalvo), is the first allogeneic T-cell immunotherapy to receive regulatory approval globally and is authorized in the European Union for relapsed or refractory EBV-positive post-transplant lymphoproliferative disease (EBV+ PTLD). However, the U.S. pathway remains unresolved after the FDA issued Complete Response Letters in January 2025 and January 2026, with a positive Type A meeting in May 2026 indicating a potential resubmission path. The pipeline includes ATA3219, an allogeneic anti-CD19 CAR T therapy in Phase 1 for B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma and lupus nephritis; ATA3431, a preclinical CD19/CD20 dual CAR T; and ATA188, an EBV-targeted T-cell therapy previously in Phase 1 for progressive multiple sclerosis. Core technology features include a novel 1XX costimulatory domain, PD-1 dominant negative receptor, memory phenotype T cells, and an unedited TCR architecture, originally licensed from Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in 2015 and expanded in 2018.

Atara generates revenue primarily through licensing, milestone, and royalty arrangements with its global commercialization partner, Pierre Fabre Pharmaceuticals, which assumed ownership of the tabelecleucel BLA in November 2025. Recurring revenue has been minimal and lumpy, with FY2025 revenue of $120.77 million inflated by a one-time milestone acceleration and Q1 2026 revenue collapsing to $0.5 million following the BLA transfer. The company has supplemented capital through repeated dilutive financings, raising approximately $67 million across 2024-2025 registered direct offerings and ATM programs. Operating expenses were reduced from $212.4 million in 2024 to $84.9 million in 2025, but cash reserves declined to $8.5 million with stated runway only to mid-2027.

Name

Atara Biotherapeutics

Legal name

Atara Biotherapeutics, Inc.

Website

https://atarabio.com

Company type

Public

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Atara Biotherapeutics is a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing allogeneic T-cell immunotherapies for cancer and autoimmune diseases, with lead product tabelecleucel approved in the EU for EBV+ PTLD and a pipeline including CAR T candidates ATA3219 and ATA3431.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Allogeneic T-cell Immunotherapy

NAICS

Biological Product (except Diagnostic) Manufacturing (325414), Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing (3254)

SIC

Biological Products, (No Disgnostic Substances) (2836), Pharmaceutical Preparations (2834)

akta.pro primary industry

Cell Therapy Developers (Allogeneic/Off-the-shelf) (HLAAABAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

CAR-T & TCR-T Therapies (HLAAABAC), Cell Therapy Enabling Technologies (gene editing, cell engineering, delivery methods) (HLAAABAL)

Keywords

• Allogeneic T-cell therapy
• Cell immunotherapy
• CAR T-cell therapy
• Oncology biologics
• EBV T-cell platform

Headquarters

HQ city

South San Francisco

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Licensing and Royalty Revenue: Revenue generated through licensing agreements and royalty payments from commercial partners. Pierre Fabre partnership generates milestone payments and royalties on net sales of tab-cel in licensed territories including Europe and other international markets.
2. Milestone Payments: One-time payments upon achievement of regulatory and commercial milestones. The company has received and expects future milestone payments tied to FDA approval of tabelecleucel, with a $9 million milestone payment deferred to January 2028 under the HCRx agreement.
3. ATM Equity Offerings: At-the-market equity offerings used to raise capital. The company has conducted multiple registered direct offerings and ATM programs to fund operations, with recent proceeds of $3.0 million extending cash runway.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Atara Biotherapeutics develops off-the-shelf, allogeneic T-cell immunotherapies derived from healthy donors and engineered to target cancers and autoimmune diseases. The lead product, tabelecleucel (tab-cel®), is approved in the European Union for relapsed/refractory EBV-positive post-transplant lymphoproliferative disease. The pipeline extends to allogeneic CAR T-cell therapies (ATA3219 for B-cell NHL and lupus nephritis; ATA3431 for CD19/CD20 B-cell malignancies) and ATA188 for progressive multiple sclerosis. All candidates are based on the company's proprietary EBV T-cell platform that does not require TCR or HLA gene editing.

Product overview

Atara Biotherapeutics is an allogeneic T-cell immunotherapy company developing a pipeline of off-the-shelf cell therapies targeting cancers and autoimmune diseases. The company's core platform is based on Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) T cells that can be modified with CAR constructs for broad applications. The lead product, tabelecleucel (tab-cel®), is approved in Europe for EBV+ PTLD and under FDA review in the U.S. The pipeline includes ATA3219 (CD19 CAR T for B-cell NHL and lupus nephritis, Phase 1), ATA3431 (CD19/CD20 bispecific CAR T, preclinical), and ATA188 (EBV T-cell for multiple sclerosis). The company leverages strategic partnerships with Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center for CAR technologies and Pierre Fabre Pharmaceuticals for commercialization.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• tabelecleucel (tab-cel® / Ebvallo)

Quantifiable outcome

• Only 20-40% of eligible patients receive CAR T therapy due to manufacturing and access challenges
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.

• FDA (Regulatory)coreOthers · 7 May 2026Pierre Fabre and Atara held Type A meeting with FDA regarding tabelecleucel BLA. FDA agreed that single-arm study with historical control incorporating additional patients and longer follow-up could support future marketing application. Regulatory update expected in Q3 2026.
• Pierre Fabre PharmaceuticalsflagshipChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2021Strategic collaboration to commercialize tab-cel in Europe, Middle East, Africa, and select emerging markets. Initial agreement (2021) expanded in 2023 to include all global countries including U.S. Pierre Fabre holds BLA for tabelecleucel following transfer from Atara in November 2025. Partners working with FDA on resubmission path following CRL rejection. HCRx milestone payment extended to January 2028.
• Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer CentercoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2015License agreement for development, manufacturing, and commercialization of allogeneic T-cell immunotherapies developed in Dr. Richard O'Reilly's lab. Includes rights to tab-cel for treatment of cancers and persistent viral infections. Expanded in 2018 to include next-generation CAR T technologies including 1XX costimulatory domain and exclusive research collaboration with Dr. Michel Sadelain for multiple targets.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Direct peers

• Adaptimmune Therapeutics: Adaptimmune develops SPEAR T-cell receptor (TCR) therapies for solid tumors. Comparable to Atara given both companies work with engineered T-cell platforms targeting cancer, though Adaptimmune focuses on autologous TCR-T while Atara focuses on allogeneic EBV T-cell approaches.
• Cellectis: Cellectis is a clinical-stage gene-editing company developing allogeneic CAR T therapies (UCART products). Comparable to Atara in targeting allogeneic CAR T for hematologic malignancies, though Cellectis uses TALEN gene editing while Atara's platform avoids TCR/HLA editing.
• Fate Therapeutics: Fate Therapeutics develops off-the-shelf, iPSC-derived cell therapies including NK and T-cell candidates for cancer and autoimmune disease. Highly comparable to Atara given shared allogeneic cell therapy platform approach and overlap in oncology indications; Atara's CEO Cokey Nguyen previously served as VP at Fate.
• Precision BioSciences: Precision develops allogeneic CAR T therapies using ARCUS gene editing for oncology and autoimmune diseases. Comparable to Atara's allogeneic CAR T programs (ATA3219, ATA3431) in platform approach and target indications.
• Caribou Biosciences: Caribou is a clinical-stage allogeneic CAR T and NK cell therapy company using CRISPR gene editing. Comparable to Atara in developing off-the-shelf cell therapies for hematologic malignancies, though Caribou uses gene editing where Atara's platform avoids it.
• Allogene Therapeutics: Allogene is a leading allogeneic CAR T developer with multiple off-the-shelf cell therapy candidates in oncology. Directly comparable to Atara given shared focus on allogeneic T-cell platforms and similar regulatory/commercial challenges in advancing off-the-shelf therapies.

Emerging players

• Century Therapeutics: Century develops iPSC-derived allogeneic cell therapies including CAR T and NK programs for cancer and autoimmune disease. Comparable emerging player to Atara with overlapping allogeneic platform approach and autoimmune disease ambitions.
• Nkarta: Nkarta develops allogeneic NK cell therapies for cancer and autoimmune disease. Comparable to Atara as an allogeneic cell therapy company with emerging autoimmune indications, though Nkarta uses NK cells rather than T cells.

Broad incumbents

• Iovance Biotherapeutics: Iovance is an established cell therapy company with FDA-approved lifileucel for solid tumors and a broad autologous TIL platform. While Atara focuses on allogeneic T cells and Iovance on autologous TIL, both target cancer with cellular immunotherapy and compete for similar oncology clinical and commercial resources.
• Crispr Therapeutics: Crispr Therapeutics is a leading gene-editing company with Casgevy (the first CRISPR-based therapy) approved for sickle cell disease. While larger and broader in scope, both companies operate in cell and gene therapy with focus on advancing curative therapies for serious diseases.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Atarabio
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/atarabio
• Facebookfacebook.com/431176153755472

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds12 records

Investors12 records

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Atara Biotherapeutics