Eli Lilly Acquires Kelonia Therapeutics in $7 Billion CAR-T Deal
Eli Lilly is acquiring in-vivo CAR-T specialist Kelonia Therapeutics for up to $7 billion, including $3.25 billion upfront, to bolster its cell therapy pipeline.
Key Points
- Eli Lilly pays $3.25 billion upfront for Kelonia's phase-1 myeloma program and iGPS platform.
- Deal values Kelonia at up to $7 billion, marking Lilly's second in-vivo CAR-T acquisition this year.
- Part of Lilly's broader strategy to expand into cell and gene therapies, following multiple recent biotech buys.
Full Details
Eli Lilly has announced a major acquisition of Kelonia Therapeutics, a company specializing in in-vivo CAR-T therapies, in a deal valued at up to $7 billion. The agreement includes an upfront cash payment of $3.25 billion for Kelonia's phase-1 myeloma program and access to its iGPS platform. This move is part of Lilly's broader strategy to expand its oncology and gene therapy portfolio, following recent acquisitions of Verve Therapeutics, Ventyx, Adverum Biotechnologies, and CrossBridge Bio. The deal highlights the pharmaceutical industry's increasing focus on advanced cell and gene therapies, particularly in vivo CAR-T technologies that could revolutionize cancer treatment. Lilly's aggressive deal-making spree is fueled by strong revenue from its diabetes and obesity drugs like Mounjaro.
Why It Matters
This acquisition underscores the intensifying competition in the CAR-T therapy space and could accelerate the development of more accessible in-vivo treatments for cancer.
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