A CAR-T biotech’s dramatic turnaround, and drugmakers’ tactics to drive more scripts

The Readout LOUD A CAR-T biotech’s dramatic turnaround, and drugmakers’ tactics to drive more scripts Manage alerts for this article Email this article Share this article By Allison DeAngelis, Elaine Chen, and Adam FeuersteinApril 23, 2026 Allison DeAngelis[email protected]Allison DeAngelis is the East Coast biotech and venture capital reporter at STAT, reporting where scientific ideas and money meet. She is also co-host of the weekly biotech podcast, The Readout Loud. You can reach Allison on Signal at AllisonDeAngelis.01.Elaine Chen[email protected]Elaine Chen covers biotech, co-writes The Readout newsletter, and co-hosts STAT’s weekly biotech podcast, The Readout Loud. You can reach Elaine on Signal at elaineywchen.70.Adam Feuerstein[email protected]Adam Feuerstein is a senior writer and biotech columnist, reporting on the crossroads of drug development, business, Wall Street, and biotechnology. He is also a co-host of the weekly biotech podcast The Readout Loud and author of the newsletter Adam’s Biotech Scorecard. You can reach Adam on Signal at stataf.54. How did a biotech company that almost ran out of money three times get acquired for over $3 billion? Will the M&A streak continue? And why are drugmakers working with a telehealth company called Prescribery? We discuss all that and more on this week’s episode of “The Readout LOUD,” STAT’s weekly biotech podcast. Venture capitalist Bryan Roberts joins us to discuss his firm’s investment in Kelonia Therapeutics, the CAR-T biotech that Eli Lilly just said it would buy for $3.25 billion.Advertisement We also bring on our colleague Katie Palmer to talk through her story about pharma companies using bargain-basement telehealth providers to drive drug prescriptions and sales. To read about Lilly’s acquisition of Kelonia and the biotech’s initial investment pitch, go here.; to read more about pharma companies’ new strategy with telehealth, go here; and for more on Medicare delaying its obesity drug coverage pilot, go here. Be sure to sign up for “The Readout LOUD” on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.Advertisement biotechnology, Cancer, Medicare, Obesity, Telehealth Submit a correction requestReprints Allison DeAngelis Biotech Startups and Venture Capital Reporter Allison DeAngelis is the East Coast biotech and venture capital reporter at STAT, reporting where scientific ideas and money meet. She is also co-host of the weekly biotech podcast, The Readout Loud. You can reach Allison on Signal at AllisonDeAngelis.01. Elaine Chen National Biotech Reporter Elaine Chen covers biotech, co-writes The Readout newsletter, and co-hosts STAT’s weekly biotech podcast, The Readout Loud. You can reach Elaine on Signal at elaineywchen.70. Adam Feuerstein Senior Writer, Biotech Adam Feuerstein is a senior writer and biotech columnist, reporting on the crossroads of drug development, business, Wall Street, and biotechnology. He is also a co-host of the weekly biotech podcast The Readout Loud and author of the newsletter Adam’s Biotech Scorecard. You can reach Adam on Signal at stataf.54. Newsletter Your morning rundown of the science, politics, and money driving biotech today Recommended The Readout LOUD April 24, 2026 STAT Plus: A biotech VC on what Eli Lilly saw in a struggling cancer startup for $3.2B Biotech April 17, 2026 STAT Plus: A pancreatic cancer expert on why Revolution Medicines’ study could ‘open up a new era’ of treatment Advertisement The Readout LOUD April 16, 2026 A pancreatic cancer breakthrough, and new hope for an off-the-shelf CAR-T treatment The Readout LOUD April 9, 2026 A new trick for old science, and biotech VCs’ scrambled playbook The Readout LOUD April 2, 2026 Biotech investors’ plea to Trump, and a busy M&A week Subscriber Picks