Prominent figures at the symposium, such as Richard N. Merkin, Nobel laureate Harold Varmus, and Todd Golub, reflected on the historical skepticism and evolution of CAR T-cell therapy, with a panel including Levine, Maus, Rivière, and Sadelain discussing its present and future.

Context around the Merkin Institute affiliations at the Broad, the Merkin Prize, and related programs (Merkin Institute Fellows, Transformative Technologies in Healthcare, and the Richard Merkin Professorship) to frame the prize ecosystem.

The quartet of researchers—Carl June, Bruce Levine, Isabelle Rivière, and Michel Sadelain—were honored for their CAR T-cell work, highlighted during the Broad Institute event.

A panel at a Broad Institute event, moderated by a veteran science editor, explored the current and future impact of CAR T-cell therapy, featuring insights from Mass General researchers and patient experiences, including Tom Furdon’s recovery after CAR T treatment.

Patient Tom Furdon shared his positive CAR T experience, noting rapid recovery and significant impact on his family.

The 2025 Richard N. Merkin Prize in Biomedical Technology was awarded to Carl June, Bruce Levine, Isabelle Rivière, and Michel Sadelain for pioneering CAR T-cell therapy, with a $400,000 award announced in May and presented at a Broad Institute ceremony on September 30, 2025.

Nominations for the 2026 Merkin Prize are open with a deadline in early December 2025, with eligibility extending to investigators across academia, industry, and government.

Wider potential for CAR T-cell therapy was noted, including applications to autoimmune and infectious diseases, with early-stage trials exploring breast, pancreatic, and prostate cancers.

Prize presentations featured the laureates describing their contributions: Sadelain on CAR molecule development and CD19 targeting; Levine on translating CAR T from academia to clinical trials; Rivière on manufacturing and regulatory quality; and June via a recorded message emphasizing collaboration.

Supporters underscored the groundbreaking, collaborative nature of CAR T-cell work and the persistence required to challenge conventional wisdom.

The Merkin Prize recognizes transformative biomedical technologies that significantly improve human health and carries a $400,000 award, administered by the Broad Institute and established by the Merkin Family Foundation.

CAR T-cell therapy is a personalized immunotherapy that reengineers a patient’s own T cells to attack tumors; to date, over 45,000 patients have been treated worldwide, with many achieving complete and sustained remissions.