AbbVie has announced its acquisition of Capstan Therapeutics, a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on in vivo cell engineering through RNA delivery. The agreement includes the acquisition of Capstan's lead asset, CPTX2309, a potential first-in-class in vivo tLNP anti-CD19 CAR-T therapy candidate currently in Phase 1 development for treating B cell-mediated autoimmune diseases. This move aims to strengthen AbbVie's commitment to transforming patient care using Capstan's innovative tLNP platform technology.
Roopal Thakkar, M.D., executive vice president of research and development and chief scientific officer at AbbVie, stated: "Scientific innovation is required to address not just the symptoms of autoimmune diseases, but also to resolve and potentially cure the underlying disease." He added that by advancing CPTX2309 and utilizing Capstan's novel platform technology, both companies aim to transform care for those living with autoimmune diseases.
Laura Shawver, Ph.D., president and CEO of Capstan, highlighted the potential impact of in vivo CAR-T technology: "In vivo CAR-T represents a potential new treatment modality in medicine – embodying the transformative power of cell therapy with the accessibility and scalability of an off-the-shelf biologic."
The acquisition deal involves a payment of up to $2.1 billion in cash at closing from AbbVie to Capstan. The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions, including compliance with antitrust regulations.
Capstan was advised by Centerview Partners LLC as its exclusive financial advisor, while Cooley LLP served as legal advisor.
AbbVie focuses on discovering and delivering innovative medicines across several therapeutic areas such as immunology and oncology. Meanwhile, Capstan is dedicated to developing targeted in vivo RNA technologies for therapeutic applications.
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