09.01.2020 • NewsElaine BurridgeAstellas

Astellas Acquires Xyphos Biosciences

Astellas Acquires Xyphos Biosciences (c) Xyphos Biosciences
Astellas Acquires Xyphos Biosciences (c) Xyphos Biosciences

Japanese drugmaker Astellas Pharma has boosted its immuno-oncology capabilities with the purchase of US-based Xyphos Biosciences. The acquisition was the second last month for the Tokyo-based pharma, which had also agreed to buy US gene therapy company Audentes Therapeutics for $3 billion.

The deal, which is worth up to $665 million, gives Astellas access to Xyphos’s novel ACCEL (Advanced Celllular Control through Engineered Ligands) technology platform. 

“Combining this technology with our capabilities in cell therapy that we have been working on so far, we can create next-generation high-function cells and maximize the value of our technology,” said Astellas president and CEO Kenji Yasukawa.

Xyphos’s proprietary molecules can be delivered to natural immune cells or to engineered Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR) cells to generate immunotherapies for oncology.   Xyphos’ first CAR-T cell product candidate is in preclinical development and scheduled to be tested in a first-in-human clinical study in 2021.

Astellas paid $120 million upfront and will pay the rest on future development milestones being met.

Interview

Specialty Chemicals in a Shifting World
Adapting to Tariffs and Strengthening Regional Networks

Specialty Chemicals in a Shifting World

Jennifer Abril, President & CEO of SOCMA, discusses the impact of new tariffs and the importance of regional supply networks in the specialty chemical industry.

CHEManager Spotlight

Standardization and Harmonization of Digital Chemical and Pharmaceutical Logistics
Creating Interfaces

Standardization and Harmonization of Digital Chemical and Pharmaceutical Logistics

CHEManager Spotlight is an exclusive event tailored for practitioners and decision-makers in the chemical industry. This part of our event series delves into the latest trends and innovations in logistics to streamline your operations and drive efficiency.