AbbVie has revealed it will acquire Capstan Therapeutics, a clinical-stage biotechnology company dedicated to advancing in vivo engineering of cells through RNA delivery using tLNPs. 

The acquisition will include CPTX2309, a potential first-in-class in vivo tLNP anti-CD19 CAR-T therapy candidate, currently in Phase I development for the treatment of B cell-mediated autoimmune diseases.  

Additionally, AbbVie will acquire Capstan’s proprietary tLNP platform technology designed to deliver RNA payloads, such as mRNA, capable of engineering specific cell types in vivo. 

“Scientific innovation is required to address not just the symptoms of autoimmune diseases, but also to resolve and potentially cure the underlying disease,” said Roopal Thakkar, Executive Vice President, Research and Development and Chief Scientific Officer, AbbVie. “By advancing CPTX2309 and utilising 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.” 

Under the terms of the agreement, AbbVie will pay up to $2.1 billion in cash at closing to acquire Capstan, subject to certain customary adjustments. 

“In vivo CAR-T represents a potential new treatment modality in medicine – embodying the transformative power of cell therapy with the accessibility and scalability of an off-the-shelf biologic. This technology has the potential to become a first-in-class platform to treat a wide range of autoimmune diseases,” said Laura Shawver, President and Chief Executive Officer, Capstan. 

CPTX2309 delivers an mRNA payload encoding an anti-CD19 CAR preferentially to reprogramme CD8-expressing cytotoxic T cells.  

This process is achieved in vivo, without the need for lymphodepletion preconditioning and complex ex vivo manufacturing. The in vivo-modified CD8-expressing T cells will transiently express the CD19 CAR and deplete B cells in the periphery and tissues. 

Diana Spencer, Senior Digital Content Editor, DDW