Abbvie’s $2.1B acquisition adds in vivo cell therapy to its immunology and inflammation pipeline
Abbvie is not part of the first wave of cell therapies developed for cancer, but it is positioned to counteract in the next disease that is expanding to engineered immune cells in patients and the therapies for these cells in autoimmune diseases. The drug giant will promise $2.1 billion to acquire Capstan Therapeutics, a cell therapy startup whose in vivo therapy is based on research by a pioneer in biotech at the University of Pennsylvania.
Financial failure with no cash amount provided. But the deal announced on Monday that Abbvie’s lead capstan program recently began phase one testing of the autoimmune disease and the platform technology that produces the disease’s CellSeeker.
The first cell therapy to contact patients is CAR T-Therapies, which are made by collecting patients’ own T cells and engineering them in the laboratory to pursue specific cancer targets. Multiply these cells and inject them into the patient. The entire process can take weeks, although many companies are working to make it faster and more efficient. In vivo engineering of patients’ immune cells will completely avoid this expensive multi-step manufacturing process.
San Diego-based Capstan’s approach uses Messenger RNA to reprogram immune cells to follow disease-driven cells. mRNA is encapsulated in lipid nanoparticles. Although viral vectors are widely used delivery trucks for genetic drugs, they are usually one-time treatments. These engineered viruses prompt the body to produce antibodies against them, so subsequent doses will invalidate them. By contrast, lipid nanoparticles do not prompt an immune response, thus enabling mitigation. This is important for bringing cellular therapy to immunology and is often required to reduce in the treatment of chronic diseases.
Immunology and inflammation have become an advantage for Abbvie, but the company has been looking to expand its prospects in the field as its blockbuster antibody drug Humira loses market share to biosimilar competition. The company used the antibody drug Skyrizi and the oral small molecule Rinvoq’s Skyrizi to offset some of the decline in revenue. Both products extend their labels to multiple immunologic indicators. Kastan brings new ways to Abwe’s immunology pipeline.
The most advanced Capstan program is CPTX2309, which is used as a treatment for B-cell-mediated autoimmune diseases. The therapy is designed to deplete pathogenic memory B cells, allowing the immune system to refill with naive B cells that don’t remember attacking healthy tissue. This approach can “reset” the immune system, potentially stop the disease from progressing, and even lead to clinical remission.
At the American Society of Cell and Gene Therapy, Capstein reported on the in vivo engineering of his automotive T-therapy that followed by the depletion of B cells in blood and tissues. In addition, the therapy does not require the lymphatic conjunctiva, which is a suppression of the immune system. This pretreatment helps ensure that engineered cells are absorbed by the body. This is a necessary step for the car therapies for cancer.
Phase 1 test of CPTX2309 is underway for healthy volunteers. Although the main goal is to evaluate safety and efficacy, the trial may also show signs of this treatment mode. Secondary research objectives include measuring the component levels of CPTX2309 and the circulating B-cell levels.
William Blair analyst Matt Phipps, who spoke with Abbvie Management, said the data from the Phase 1 study initially looked at “patients achieving rapid and powerful B-cell depletion, which provides clinical validation of CPTX2309,” he wrote in a note to investors. Although the program is still in early clinical development, William Blair believes that the acquisition shows Abbvie’s strategic efforts to strengthen its immunology series through novel, disease-improving approaches.
“Given the development phase, the asset is obviously clinically risky, but given the potential of CAR-T in vivo, this does not require a lymph node problem and has greater potential for manufacturing scalability, so if successful, it will provide long-term upside room.”
Capstan’s co-founders include Carl June, a professor of immunotherapy in Pennsylvania, who developed Kymriah, and Novartis became the first approved automotive T therapy approved by the FDA. Drew Weissman, a Pennsylvania vaccine research professor and MRNA expert, is another co-founder of Capstan. The startup, founded in 2022, shows that it has raised $165 million so far. Castan last raised funds in 2024, which was a $175 million Series B financing. In addition to its lead-lead program for B-cell-mediated autoimmune diseases, Capstan’s pipeline also includes preclinical in vivo CAR T-Progragics for the development of plasma cell disease and fibrotic disease.
Other companies targeting the development stage of automotive T catheters for autoimmune diseases include kyverna therapy and automated therapy, although the therapy is performed in the body. Clinical stage startup Umoja Biopharma has technology for in vivo automotive T-Therapies. Last year, Abbvie licensed the developing umoja in Vivo Car T-Program of blood cancer. Umoja has developed another in vivo CAR T-Program for autoimmune diseases in partnership with IASO Biothapeatics.
Photo: Smith Collection/Gado, via Getty Images
