AbbVie has agreed to acquire cell therapy developer Capstan Therapeutics in a deal worth up to $2.1 billion in cash, the companies announced Monday. The acquisition positions AbbVie at the forefront of in vivo cell therapy research, combining CAR-T technology with messenger RNA delivery systems to engineer immune cells directly within patients' bodies.
Revolutionary In Vivo CAR-T Technology
The acquisition will provide AbbVie access to Capstan's proprietary technology that uses modified lipid nanoparticles to deliver genetic instructions capable of engineering specific cells. This ambitious scientific approach blends the established science behind CAR-T cell therapy with messenger RNA vaccine technology, potentially addressing the complexity, expense and time limitations that have restricted CAR-T adoption to specific oncology niches.
Unlike existing CAR-T therapies that require removing patients' cells and reengineering them in laboratories, Capstan's in vivo approach accomplishes T cell reprogramming directly in the body. The company engineers its lipid nanoparticles to specifically target certain types of T cells, using messenger RNA instructions similar to those enabling mRNA vaccines to train immune recognition of viral proteins.
Lead Program Targets Autoimmune Diseases
Capstan recently dosed the first patient in a Phase 1 trial of its lead drug candidate CPTX2309, designed as a treatment for B cell-mediated autoimmune diseases. The therapy aims to reprogram immune T cells to target CD19, a protein commonly found on B cells.
By clearing both pathogenic and normal B cells expressing CD19, the reprogrammed T cells are intended to prompt an immune system reset and prevent disease progression. Because T cell reprogramming relies on mRNA instructions, Capstan believes the engineered T cells will be transient and clear out after completing their therapeutic function.
"By advancing CPTX2309 and utilizing Capstan's novel platform technology, AbbVie and Capstan aim to transform the care of those living with autoimmune diseases by developing treatments that have the potential to reset the immune system," said Roopal Thakkar, M.D., executive vice president, research and development and chief scientific officer at AbbVie.
Strong Investor Backing and Strategic Rationale
Prior to the acquisition announcement, Capstan had attracted significant investment from major pharmaceutical companies. Pfizer, Bayer, Eli Lilly, Bristol Myers Squibb, Novartis and Johnson & Johnson all participated in at least one of the startup's private funding rounds, through which Capstan raised $340 million.
The deal reflects growing industry interest in applying CAR-T therapy to immune diseases, sparked by academic research demonstrating the technology's potential in treating conditions like lupus. Multiple companies are now exploring whether cell therapy might help reset immune system regulation in diseases where normal self-regulation has failed.
For AbbVie, the acquisition complements existing cell therapy efforts, including a partnership with Umoja Biopharma in oncology applications. The in vivo approach could offer more convenient alternatives in cancer treatment while opening new possibilities for addressing autoimmune conditions through immune system reprogramming.
