Astellas Pharma Inc. (TSE: 4503) and Poseida Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: PSTX) have announced a strategic collaboration between Astellas’ subsidiary Xyphos Biosciences, Inc. and Poseida. The agreement aims to develop innovative convertibleCAR® programs, merging the unique cell therapy platforms of both companies.
Poseida specializes in advanced cell and gene therapies designed to cure specific cancers and rare diseases. Within oncology, its pipeline includes allogeneic CAR-T cell therapy candidates for solid and liquid tumors, targeting patient populations with significant unmet medical needs. Xyphos employs the proprietary ACCELTM technology platform, utilizing convertibleCAR® in tandem with MicAbodies to target tumor cells.
Under the agreement, Poseida’s allogeneic CAR-T platform will be combined with Xyphos’ ACCELTM technology to create a Poseida-developed CAR-T construct, forming the basis for two convertibleCAR® product candidates targeting solid tumors. Xyphos will reimburse Poseida for research costs and manage the development and future commercialization of resulting products. Poseida will receive an upfront payment of US $50 million, along with potential development, sales milestones, and contingency payments totaling up to US $550 million. Additionally, Poseida is eligible for tiered royalties on net sales.
Kristin Yarema, Ph.D., President, and CEO of Poseida, expressed excitement about the expanded collaboration with Astellas, emphasizing the potential of cutting-edge cell therapies to address solid tumor malignancies.
Adam Pearson, Chief Strategy Officer of Astellas, highlighted the company’s commitment to developing novel cancer treatments, leveraging expertise and unique technologies to reinvigorate the immune system’s ability to combat cancers effectively.
This collaboration builds upon Astellas and Poseida’s previous strategic investment, announced in August 2023, further supporting Poseida’s efforts in redefining cancer cell therapy.
The ACCELTM technology and convertibleCAR® platform utilize a synthetic biology approach, employing engineered protein ligands and receptors to target tumor cells specifically. This collaboration aligns with Astellas’ Focus Area Approach, focusing on research and development strategies to address diseases with high unmet medical needs.
Astellas Pharma Inc. is a global pharmaceutical company committed to creating new drugs to tackle diseases with significant unmet needs. Xyphos Biosciences, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Astellas, specializes in immune cell therapies utilizing the ACCELTM technology platform.
Poseida Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company dedicated to advancing cell therapies and genetic medicines to cure cancers and rare diseases. Its proprietary genetic editing platforms include the non-viral piggyBac® DNA Delivery System and Cas-CLOVER™ Site-Specific Gene Editing System.
Both companies are optimistic about the potential benefits of this collaboration, aiming to develop innovative CAR-T cell therapies to benefit cancer patients globally.
