Building on an Existing Alliance
Anito-cel at the Center of the Deal
The acquisition builds on a collaboration between Gilead’s Kite unit and Arcellx to co-develop and commercialize Arcellx’s lead therapy, anitocabtagene autoleucel — known as anito-cel — a cell therapy targeting multiple myeloma, a type of blood cancer.
Anito-cel is being developed as a fourth-line treatment for patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma. But Gilead sees further horizons.
“Beyond the potential launch this year, anito-cel could become a foundational treatment for multiple myeloma over time, including earlier lines of therapy,” Daniel O’Day, Gilead’s chair and CEO, said in a statement. He added that the platform technology behind the therapy could also bolster Gilead’s broader ambitions in in-vivo cell therapy, reinforcing its oncology and inflammation portfolio.
The regulatory clock is already ticking. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has accepted a biologics license application for anito-cel, setting a Prescription Drug User Fee Act action date of Dec. 23.
