Deal report: Gilead buys CymaBay, BioNTech taps Autolus’ CAR T manufacturing, and more

ARTICLE | Deals

BioCentury’s weekly roundup of biopharma deals

By Gunjan Ohri, Data Content Analyst

February 13, 2024 2:03 AM UTC

At $4.3 billion, the acquisition of CymaBay Therapeutics Inc. (NASDAQ:CBAY) by  Gilead Sciences Inc. (NASDAQ:GILD) tops the list of biotech deals announced in the last week, and continues the trend of major pharmas centering M&A on late-stage or marketed assets. Through the deal, Gilead is gaining PPARδ agonist seladepar, which has an Aug. 14 PDUFA date for primary biliary cholangitis. Monday’s announcement of the deal came just a few days after Gilead declined its option to acquire Tizona Therapeutics Inc.

BioNTech SE (NASDAQ:BNTX) has secured access to the CAR T cell manufacturing capabilities of U.K.-based  Autolus Therapeutics plc (NASDAQ:AUTL) through a royalty and equity deal that that will help the German biotech accelerate development of its autologous CAR T therapy BNT211 for CLDN6-positive tumors. BioNTech agreed to purchase $200 million of American Depository Shares in Autolus and pay $50 million in cash for mid-single digit royalties on CD19 CAR T obecabtagene autoleucel, which has a Nov. 16 PDUFA date to treat B cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia. BioNTech will gain access to Autolus’ manufacturing facilities for clinical and commercial supply, thereby extending its existing supply network in the U.S. It also gets the option to co-commercialize T cell therapies AUTO1/22 and AUTO6NG in selected regions, and has an exclusive license to develop and commercialize therapies using certain binders from Autolus. …