Roche has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Poseida Therapeutics, a San Diego-based biopharmaceutical company advancing cutting-edge off-the-shelf chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CAR-T) therapies.
The deal, valued at approximately $1 billion in upfront cash and up to an additional $500 million in milestone payments, is expected to close in the first quarter of 2025. The acquisition builds on an existing collaboration between Roche and Poseida, initiated in 2022 to accelerate CAR-T innovation.
Poseida’s expertise in donor-derived, allogeneic CAR-T therapies offers a transformative edge. Unlike traditional CAR-T therapies, which require a patient’s own cells, Poseida’s approach uses pre-manufactured cells, enabling broader accessibility and faster treatment delivery. Their pipeline includes P-BCMA-ALLO1, a promising therapy targeting multiple myeloma that has received Regenerative Medicine Advanced Therapy designation and Orphan Drug designation from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Early clinical data have shown potential for this therapy to address relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma after several prior treatments.
The acquisition also grants Roche access to Poseida’s P-CD19CD20-ALLO1, a dual-target CAR-T therapy currently in Phase I trials for B-cell malignancies. This program is exploring applications in autoimmune diseases, including systemic lupus erythematosus and multiple sclerosis. Additionally, Poseida’s solid tumor program, P-MUC1C-ALLO1, is advancing in Phase I trials, targeting antigen-expressing tumors with promising early results.
Through this acquisition, Roche secures proprietary technologies such as Poseida’s Cas-CLOVER gene editing platform and in-house good manufacturing practice (GMP) manufacturing capabilities. These resources allow for scalable cell therapy production, ensuring affordability and broader access. Poseida’s genetic engineering platforms stand out for their precision, safety and potential to open new therapeutic avenues.
Roche’s acquisition of Poseida Therapeutics comes amid a wave of high-profile investments in cell and gene therapy.
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AbbVie’s partnership with Umoja Biopharma, for instance, plans to advance in situ CAR-T therapies, including UB-VV111, which received FDA clearance in July to initiate Phase I trials. This CD19-directed therapy generates CAR-T cells directly within the patient’s body, addressing the scalability challenges of traditional ex vivo approaches.
Meanwhile, Novartis acquired Kate Therapeutics in a $1.1 billion deal to advance gene therapies for neuromuscular diseases, targeting conditions like Duchenne muscular dystrophy and more.
By acquiring Poseida, Roche gains scalable, off-the-shelf CAR-T platforms tackling oncology and autoimmune challenges. This strategic move could set Roche apart as a leader in next-generation and more accessible cell therapies.
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