Gilead Sciences to Buy Arcellx in Deal Valued at $7.8 Billion
Gilead and Arcellx in 2022 struck a deal to co-develop and co-commercialize anito-cel
- Gilead Sciences agreed to acquire the remaining 88.5% of Arcellx for $7.8 billion, a 79% premium.
- Arcellx investors will receive $115 a share in cash and contingent value rights for an additional $5 a share.
- The acquisition gives Gilead full control of anito-cel, an investigational CAR T-cell therapy for multiple myeloma.
Gilead Sciences GILD 0.19%increase; green up pointing triangle has agreed to buy the rest of development partner Arcellx ACLX -3.64%decrease; red down pointing triangle in a deal that values the biotechnology company at about $7.8 billion at closing.
Gilead on Monday said it will pay an initial $115 a share in cash for the 88.5% of Arcellx it doesn’t already own, a 79% premium to Friday’s closing price of $64.11 for the Redwood City, Calif., company.
Shares of Arcellx were recently up nearly 78% at $113.85 in premarket trading.
Arcellx investors will also receive non-transferable contingent value rights worth an additional $5 a share based on future sales of Arcellx’s lead pipeline candidate anitocabtagene autoleucel, or anito-cel, an investigational CAR T-cell therapy for patients with the blood cancer multiple myeloma.
Foster City, Calif., biopharmaceutical company Gilead and Arcellx in 2022 struck a deal to co-develop and co-commercialize anito-cel.
As part of the agreement, Gilead made an upfront payment and invested $100 million in Arcellx, which was also eligible to receive up to $1.5 billion in development and milestone payments, along with royalties on sales of the anito-cel.
Gilead said the acquisition of Arcellx gives it full control of anito-cel, allowing for accelerated development and commercialization of the drug while eliminating the future payouts to Arcellx.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is reviewing Arcellx’s application seeking approval of anito-cel as a fourth-line treatment for patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma, with a decision expected by the end of the year.
Gilead said it expects to complete the acquisition during the second quarter.