Kite Pharma Inks $1.6B Deal with China's Pregene for In Vivo CAR-T Development

Gilead Sciences' subsidiary Kite Pharma has announced a significant partnership with Chinese biotech Pregene Biopharma, marking another major investment in the burgeoning field of in vivo CAR-T therapy. The collaboration, valued at up to $1.64 billion, aims to accelerate the development of next-generation cell therapies and expand their accessibility to patients worldwide.

Deal Structure and Financial Terms

Kite has committed $120 million upfront to initiate the research and development partnership with Pregene. The agreement includes potential milestone payments of up to $1.52 billion, bringing the total deal value to $1.64 billion. This substantial investment underscores the growing interest in in vivo CAR-T technologies, which promise to overcome some of the manufacturing and scalability challenges associated with traditional ex vivo CAR-T therapies.

Strategic Focus and Therapeutic Targets

While specific indications have not been disclosed, the collaboration aims to address critical unmet needs in oncology and autoimmune diseases. Dr. Zhang Jishuai, co-founder and Chief Scientific Officer of Pregene, emphasized the partnership's goal of delivering "transformative medicines to patients, especially in oncology, autoimmune diseases and other areas where innovation is urgently needed."

Kite's spokesperson highlighted the strategic importance of the deal, stating, "Our strategic collaboration with Pregene Biopharma enables us to advance clinical proof-of-concept studies for in vivo therapy more quickly by integrating complementary technologies and expertise."

Industry Context and Competitive Landscape

This partnership follows a trend of major pharmaceutical companies investing heavily in in vivo CAR-T technology. Earlier this year, AbbVie acquired Capstan Therapeutics for $2.1 billion, while AstraZeneca purchased EsoBiotec for up to $1 billion. These investments reflect the industry's recognition of in vivo CAR-T's potential to expand patient access to cell therapies by potentially eliminating the need for ex vivo cell manipulation and reinfusion.

Kite's move also comes on the heels of its $350 million acquisition of Interius BioTherapeutics, which provided the company with an in vivo platform for generating CAR-T cells within patients' bodies. This latest deal with Pregene further solidifies Kite's commitment to advancing the field of in vivo cell therapies, despite recently ending a collaboration with Shoreline Biosciences in the off-the-shelf cell therapy space.

As the pharmaceutical industry continues to explore innovative approaches to cell therapy, the Kite-Pregene collaboration represents a significant step forward in the development of potentially more accessible and scalable CAR-T treatments. The success of this partnership could have far-reaching implications for patients and the broader landscape of cell therapy research and development.