Cell therapy company Lyell Immunopharma initiated a clinical trial that will directly compare its experimental CAR‑T product against marketed CAR‑T therapies, a trial design intended to benchmark efficacy and safety head‑to‑head. The protocol tests Lyell’s engineered platform in an active‑comparator setting rather than against placebo or historical controls. The study aims to produce comparative evidence that could accelerate regulatory positioning and payer discussions if the candidate shows differentiated clinical outcomes. Lyell’s approach underscores a trend toward comparative effectiveness trials in cell therapy.