Johnson & Johnson has announced a definitive agreement to acquire Halda Therapeutics, a clinical-stage biotech developing oral, targeted cancer therapies using its proprietary RIPTAC™ platform. The all-cash $3.05 billion deal will bring Halda’s pipeline—including its lead prostate cancer candidate HLD-0915—into J&J’s oncology portfolio. The acquisition is expected to close in the coming months, pending antitrust review and other customary conditions.
Halda’s platform, Regulated Induced Proximity TArgeting Chimera (RIPTAC™), is designed to selectively kill cancer cells by overcoming mechanisms of resistance that often limit the effectiveness of existing therapies. Its lead candidate, HLD-0915, is in clinical development for prostate cancer, a disease projected to affect 1.7 million people globally by 2030. The acquisition also includes earlier-stage programs targeting breast, lung and other solid tumors, with potential applications extending beyond oncology.
J&J leaders said the deal represents a strategic expansion of the company’s cancer drug pipeline. “This acquisition further strengthens our deep oncology pipeline with an exciting lead asset in prostate cancer and a platform capable of treating multiple cancers and diseases beyond oncology,” said Jennifer Taubert, Executive Vice President and Worldwide Chairman of Innovative Medicine at Johnson & Johnson.
John C. Reed, M.D., Ph.D., head of R&D for J&J’s Innovative Medicine division, highlighted early results for HLD-0915. “Results demonstrate impressive preliminary efficacy and a strong early safety profile,” he said, noting the company’s intent to accelerate the ongoing Phase 1/2 trial and advance additional candidates emerging from the RIPTAC™ platform.
The move reinforces Johnson & Johnson’s long-standing focus on prostate cancer and its broader investment in next-generation oncology therapies. If successful, Halda’s assets could provide important new treatment options for patients with solid tumors that currently have limited therapeutic choices.