Gilead’s subsidiary Kite has agreed to acquire privately owned clinical stage biotechnology firm Interius BioTherapeutics for $350m in an all-cash deal.
Interius BioTherapeutics specialises in developing in vivo chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) therapeutics.
The acquisition aims to enhance Kite’s capabilities in cell therapy by integrating Interius BioTherapeutics’ in vivo platform, which facilitates the creation of CAR T-cells directly within patients.
Interius BioTherapeutics focuses on engineering programmable vectors for precision genetic medicine delivery, aiming to treat a range of challenging diseases in oncology and autoimmunity.
Its lead programmes are designed to improve upon ex vivo CAR T-cell therapies by generating therapeutic CAR cells within the patient, thereby potentially reducing costs and bypassing manufacturing bottlenecks.
Kite plans to integrate Interius BioTherapeutics’ team and operations into its research division, establishing a centre of excellence in Philadelphia. This will facilitate the development of next-generation in vivo therapies aimed at broadening patient access to cell therapies, especially for those with rapidly advancing diseases.
Kite executive vice president Cindy Perettie said: “In vivo therapy is a promising frontier with the potential to transform how we approach treating patients, shifting to more accessible and scalable solutions.
“By combining Interius’s teams and their novel platform with Kite’s deep expertise and footprint in cell therapy research, development and manufacturing, we aim to advance best-in-class in vivo therapies to bring them to patients more efficiently.”
Unlike traditional CAR T therapies that involve cell harvesting and reinfusion, Interius BioTherapeutics’ approach uses a single intravenous infusion to deliver personalised treatment without the need for preconditioning chemotherapy or complex cell processing.
This modular platform allows rapid adaptation across various disease states and manufacturing scales.
Interius BioTherapeutics president and CEO Phil Johnson said: “This marks a pivotal step for Interius and the future of in vivo therapy, which has the potential to reduce treatment timelines, broaden access to care and improve outcomes for patients with aggressive or advanced disease.
“With the addition of Kite’s deep expertise and global infrastructure, we’re well-positioned to move quickly into multiple therapeutic areas, expand access to cell therapies and deliver meaningful innovation to patients.”
In January 2025, Interius BioTherapeutics announced the expansion of its INVISE Phase 1 clinical trial to Europe, following approval from Germany’s Paul Ehrlich Institute. This trial evaluates INT2104, an in vivo CAR gene therapy for B-cell malignancies, marking the first such clearance in Europe.
INT2104 aims to generate CAR-T and CAR-NK cells targeting CD20-positive B cells directly within the patient.
The deal is anticipated to affect Gilead’s 2025 earnings per share by reducing it approximately $0.23-$0.25.
Completion of the acquisition depends on the expiration or termination of the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act waiting period and other customary conditions.
TD Cowen is acting as exclusive financial adviser to Kite, while Evercore serves as exclusive financial adviser to Interius BioTherapeutics.
