Kite, a Gilead Company, announced it will acquire Interius BioTherapeutics, a privately held biotech firm pioneering in vivo CAR therapies, in a $350 million deal aimed at advancing next-generation cell therapy technologies.
The acquisition brings Interius’s proprietary in vivo platform under Kite’s umbrella, complementing its leadership in engineered cell therapies. Unlike traditional CAR T-cell treatments, which involve harvesting and modifying a patient’s cells outside the body, Interius’s approach generates CAR T-cells directly inside the patient via a single intravenous infusion. The platform eliminates the need for preconditioning chemotherapy and complex manufacturing processes.
“In vivo therapy is a promising frontier with the potential to transform how we approach treating patients,” said Cindy Perettie, Executive Vice President of Kite. “By combining Interius’s novel platform with Kite’s expertise, we aim to bring more accessible and scalable therapies to patients.”
The Interius platform uses a modular design, allowing it to be adapted quickly for various disease targets and scaled more efficiently. This could enable broader access to cell therapies—especially for patients with aggressive disease who may not be eligible for traditional treatments due to time or clinical constraints.
Phil Johnson, President and CEO of Interius, called the deal a “pivotal step” for both the company and the in vivo therapy field. “With Kite’s global infrastructure and deep experience, we can move more rapidly into multiple therapeutic areas and expand access to care,” he said.
Following the acquisition, Interius’s team will be integrated into Kite’s research operations, forming a new center of excellence for in vivo therapies in Philadelphia. The move marks a significant step forward in Kite’s goal to develop off-the-shelf, personalized treatments that are more patient-friendly and scalable.