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2026 Tang Prize in Biopharmaceutical Science Honors Three Pioneers of “Living Drug” Immunotherapies
Left to right: Dr. Steven A. Rosenberg, Dr. Michel Sadelain, and Dr. Carl H. June. (Image: Courtesy of Tang Prize Foundation)
On June 16, the Tang Prize Foundation officially announced the laureates for the 2026 Tang Prize in Biopharmaceutical Science. The prestigious biennial prize, widely recognized by the global scientific community as a strong indicator for future Nobel Prize recognition, was jointly awarded to three trailblazing scientists: Dr. Steven A. Rosenberg, Dr. Michel Sadelain, and Dr. Carl H. June.
The selection committee recognized the trio for their pioneering work in discovering and advancing tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) and chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CAR-T) therapies. This new era of “living drugs” was made possible by re-engineering a patient’s own immune cells to autonomously hunt and eradicate malignant cells. While these innovative treatments have already redefined the standard of care for hematologic malignancies, they also offer significant potential to transform how solid tumors are treated in the future.
The Paradigm Shift: Engineering the Immune System
For decades, the immunosuppressive nature of the tumor microenvironment (TME) posed a massive hurdle for innate anti-cancer immune responses. where signaling molecules secreted by tumor cells such as TGF-β, IL-6, and IL-10, together with regulatory T cells (Tregs) recruited within the TME, collaboratively deplete the cytotoxic T cells responsible for attacking cancer. Cellular immunotherapy bypasses this barrier by extracting a patient’s own immune cells, genetically engineering or activating them outside the body, and reinfusing them to actively hunt down and destroy tumor cells.
During the announcement press conference, Academician Wen-Chang Chang, Chair of the Tang Prize Selection Committee in Biopharmaceutical Science, highlighted that this year’s award builds perfectly upon the legacy of the inaugural 2014 Tang Prize, which honored the discovery of immune checkpoints (CTLA-4 and PD-1 pathways). While the first generation of cancer immunotherapy relied on antibodies (immune checkpoint inhibitors) to release the “brakes” on the immune system, the 2026 laureates have engineered the immune system’s very “engine and steering,” turning T cells into highly specialized, targeted assassins.
Related article: The Next Decade in Cancer Therapeutics: How Immunotherapy is Evolving from Efficacy to Precision
The Three Laureates: Trailblazers of a Cancer Therapy Revolution
The journey from theoretical immunology to viable clinical treatments was a relay race that lasts for several decades, championed by three distinct visionaries:
Steven A. Rosenberg (86): The “Father of Cancer Immunotherapy”
Serving as the Chief of the Surgery Branch at the National Cancer Institute (NCI) since 1974, Dr. Rosenberg built the foundational clinical framework for adoptive cell therapy (ACT). In the 1980s, he demonstrated that high doses of interleukin-2 (IL-2) could activate and stimulate T-cell proliferation, thereby enhancing their ability to kill cancer cells. This research was the first clinical demonstration of the substantial anti-cancer potential of T cells and successfully led to the FDA’s approval of IL-2 as the first cancer immunotherapy drug—a global first—earning him the title of “Father of Cancer Immunotherapy.”
More importantly, he pioneered the “tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL)” therapy. This involves the extraction of a small sample of the patient’s metastatic tumor, followed by the isolation of a small number of under-activated T cells from it. These cells are then activated and screened during ex vivo treatment with high-dose IL-2, and T cells capable of recognizing cancer cells are selected for mass proliferation. Finally, they are reinfused into the patient’s body to seek, target, and eliminate tumor cells, ultimately leading to the regression of metastatic melanoma.
Additionally, Prof. Rosenberg achieved a pivotal regulatory milestone in the 1990s by securing the first-ever regulatory approval for the introduction and integration of foreign genes into the human body, laying a crucial foundation for subsequent genetically modified cellular immunotherapy.
Michel Sadelain (66): The “Architect of the CAR-T Core”
Currently serving as the Director of the Columbia Initiative in Cell Engineering and Therapy (CICET) and Director of the Cancer Cell Therapy Initiative at Columbia’s Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center, Prof. Sadelain cracked the code of CAR-T cell engineering. Early iterations of engineered antigen receptors relied solely on the intracellular CD3ζ chain to transmit activation signals, which he found to be ineffective for sustained immune responses. To resolve the issue of premature cell exhaustion, the French genetic engineer and his team developed the “second generation CARs” by incorporating a CD28 co-stimulatory domain into the receptor design. This “second signal” granted T cells the therapeutic potential to proliferate and survive long-term inside the body, establishing the core architecture that remains the standard framework for all FDA-approved CAR-T therapies today.
Prof. Sadelain also established the CD19 molecule as a therapeutic target for B-cell malignancies such as leukemia and lymphoma. Following initial demonstrations in mouse studies that human CAR-T targeting CD19 could completely eradicate leukemia, he led a research team at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC) in 2013 to publish pivotal clinical results in Science Translational Medicine showing the therapy’s exceptional efficacy in treating relapsed and refractory acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) in adults.
Carl H. June (73): “The Catalyst” for CAR-T Commercialization
Based at the University of Pennsylvania, Dr. June was instrumental in transitioning CAR-T cell therapy from clinical development to commercial viability. His work validated the vital role of CD28 co-stimulation and transformed manufacturing through the introduction of an anti-CD3 and anti-CD28 bead expansion method. This innovation overcame the significant obstacle of ex vivo T cell expansion, enabling the industrial-scale production of CAR-T cell therapies.
Also, by engineering CAR constructs that incorporated the 4-1BB (CD137) co-stimulatory domain alongside the T-cell receptor-zeta chain, Dr. June and his team dramatically enhanced the long-term survival and proliferation of the transferred T cells. Following highly successful applications in the treatment of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and pediatric ALL (both published in the New England Journal of Medicine), his partnership with Novartis culminated in Kymriah becoming the world’s first FDA-approved CAR-T therapy in 2017.
The New Era of “Living Drugs”: Impacting 60,000 Lives and Counting
The real-world impact of these “living drugs” is staggering. Since the initial FDA approval in 2017, seven CAR-T products have received FDA marketing authorization and been successfully launched to date, with over 30,000 patients worldwide receiving these therapies, which have offered unprecedented hope for survival to patients with relapsed and refractory hematologic malignancies. In his acceptance remarks, Dr. June further noted that the number of patients treated globally has now reached approximately 60,000.
In addition, TIL therapy has established a new option for treating advanced solid tumors, especially metastatic melanoma. Recent advances in CAR-T therapy in 2026 have also expanded into areas such as CRISPR-Cas9-based cell engineering, treatment of autoimmune diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus, cardiac injury repair, and research targeting senescence.
Among thousands of lives saved by these innovative therapies, Academician Alice Lin-Tsing Yu highlighted the deeply moving story of Emily Whitehead in her prize citation. Diagnosed with ALL at age 5 in 2010, Emily endured 16 months of grueling, unsuccessful chemotherapy. Left with no other options, she received the experimental CAR-T cell therapy developed by June’s laboratory in 2012. After treatment, her cancer went into complete remission, and she has remained healthy (cancer-free) for 14 years. Today, she is a 21-year-old junior studying at the University of Pennsylvania, the very institution that helped save her life. Over the years, Emily has continued to share her story publicly, advocating and raising funds for leukemia patients every year. Her recovery has moved and inspired countless patients and families.
Future Frontiers: Tackling Solid Tumors and Treatment Costs
During the press conference’s media Q&A session, top experts addressed the ongoing challenges facing cellular immunotherapy, particularly the treatment of solid tumors and the exorbitant financial cost of the drugs.
While having clinically proven track records against blood cancers, CAR-T cell therapies are still facing the formidable biological barrier posed by the hostile microenvironment of solid tumors. Academician Yu explained that the TME actively secretes immunosuppressive factors like TGF-β, which paralyze CAR-T cells and prevent them from infiltrating the tumor. To combat this, researchers are currently designing next-generation “CAR navigators” capable of resisting these suppressive signals, while also exploring the use of natural killer (NK) cells to create “off-the-shelf” allogeneic CAR-NK cell therapies.
Concerning the prohibitive price of CAR-T cell therapies, Prof. Hong-Nerng Ho noted that a single dose costs between $340,000 and $400,000 USD due to the expensive viral vectors and the need for specialized sterile manufacturing. Yet, Taiwan’s newly enacted Regenerative Medicine Act and Regenerative Medicinal Products Act offer a new path forward. Prof. Ho suggested that Taiwan could leverage its advanced biomedical infrastructure to adopt a “foundry model” for cell therapies, similar to TSMC’s role in the semiconductor industry. By manufacturing these bespoke cellular treatments locally under international licenses, Taiwan has the potential to significantly lower global production costs and democratize access to these life-saving therapies.
The Ultimate Goal: Creating The Medicine of Tomorrow
Upon receiving news of the award, all three laureates expressed profound surprise and deep gratitude. Dr. Rosenberg emphasized that the true reward lies in patient care: “It’s not the prize that I’m seeking, but rather the ability to effectively help people who can’t be helped by today’s medicine. The whole goal of our work at the National Cancer Institute is to create the medicine of tomorrow.”
Dr. Sadelain, receiving the call unexpectedly, praised the foundation’s discerning eye: “If you look at the amazing track record of the awardees over the past years, it is clear that they have the ability to identify some of the most impactful research. That is why the Tang Prize is so respected.” Dr. June highlighted the broader societal implications of the honor: “The most important thing is that it brings to the public an understanding of the value of research and how it has changed people’s lives. What the Tang Foundation can do is spread this knowledge so that people will want to support research and bring more young students into this field.”
The celebration of these historic achievements will continue later this year. According to Prof. Jenn-Chuan Chern, CEO of the Tang Prize Foundation, the three laureates will travel to Taiwan to attend the official award ceremony on September 18. He also announced that a series of exciting events will take place on September 21, featuring a master forum and engaging dialogues with high school and university students, aiming to inspire the next generation of scientific innovators.
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