Roche Plans to Acquire Poseida in $1.5 Billion CAR-T Cell Therapy Deal

Swiss pharmaceutical giant Roche has announced a strategic acquisition of Poseida Therapeutics, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company, in a deal valued at $1.5 billion. The acquisition aims to bolster Roche's CAR-T cell therapy portfolio, specifically targeting difficult blood cancers and exploring wider applications in neurology and immunology. The deal, expected to close in the first quarter of 2025, builds on an existing partnership established in 2022. Poseida's innovative allogeneic approach to CAR-T therapies enables more accessible, off-the-shelf treatments. This acquisition includes the dual CAR-T therapy P-CD19CD20-ALLO1, currently in phase 1 trials for B-cell malignancies, and with potential applications for multiple sclerosis and systemic lupus erythematosus. This strategic move positions Roche at the forefront of cell therapy advancements, promising potentially first and best-in-class treatments.