Cell therapy, as an innovative frontier in biopharma, is advancing at a remarkable pace. While traditional CAR-T therapies have achieved groundbreaking success in treating hematological malignancies, they remain constrained by complex manufacturing processes and high costs. Gilead's subsidiary Kite Pharma recently announced its $350 million all-cash acquisition of biotech firm Interius BioTherapeutics, a strategic move that positions Gilead at the forefront of next-generation in vivo CAR-T therapy.
Breaking Free from Traditional CAR-T Limitations
Interius' proprietary in vivo CAR-T platform eliminates the need for cumbersome ex vivo cell manipulation, offering a simpler, safer, and more accessible approach to cell therapy. Its modular design enables rapid adaptation across disease areas and scalable production.
The company's lead candidate, INT2104, is a lentiviral vector-based in vivo gene therapy targeting CD7-positive T and NK cells. Through precise CAR transgene delivery, it generates effector CAR-T and CAR-NK cells designed to combat B-cell malignancies. A Phase I trial for INT2104 launched in October 2024.
Strategic Synergy, Not Just an Acquisition
This deal is far from a mere asset consolidation-it's a deeply synergistic play. Interius' platform seamlessly integrates with Kite's existing cell therapy infrastructure, allowing Gilead to bridge ex vivo and in vivo technologies into a unified next-gen platform.
In vivo CAR-T, often dubbed "Cell Therapy 2.0," promises a multi-billion-dollar market with its potential for broader patient access. By acquiring Interius, Gilead secures a first-mover advantage in this emerging field, reinforcing its leadership in cell therapy and fueling long-term growth.
Global Pharma's Rush into In Vivo Cell Therapy
The race to dominate in vivo cell therapy is intensifying among Big Pharma players:
March 2024: AstraZeneca acquired Belgium's EsoBiotec for up to $1 billion, gaining its Engineered Nanobody Lentiviral (ENaBL) platform to reprogram T cells in vivo(e.g., ESO-T01 for multiple myeloma).
June 2025: AbbVie paid $2.1 billion for Capstan Therapeutics, leveraging its targeted lipid nanoparticle (tLNP) tech to reprogram CD8+ cytotoxic T cells (e.g., CPTX2309 for B-cell-mediated autoimmune diseases, now in Phase I).
Other giants like Novartis, Astellas, and Sanofi are also investing heavily in in vivo CAR-T programs, underscoring the field's transformative potential.
Key Takeaways:
Gilead/Kite's $350M bet on Interius accelerates the shift toward "off-the-shelf" in vivo CAR-T.
INT2104 (Phase I) could simplify treatment for B-cell malignancies, bypassing traditional CAR-T's logistical hurdles.
Industry-wide trend: Pharma giants are pouring billions into in vivo platforms, signaling a paradigm shift in cell therapy.
References:
https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/TfvXwaHp-PtS25lt0cHPAw
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