Roche to Buy Poseida for up to $1.5 Billion

Rare Daily Staff

Roche Holding is acquiring cell and gene therapy developer Poseida Therapeutics for up to $1.5 billion.

Under the terms of the deal, Roche will pay $9.00 per share in cash at closing, plus non-tradeable contingent value rights to receive up to an additional $4.00 per share in cash upon achievement of specific milestones.

The proposed acquisition will establish a new core capability for Roche in allogeneic cell therapy, with lead opportunities focused on CAR-T programs covered by the existing strategic collaboration between Poseida and Roche in hematologic malignancies. It will include CAR-T programs for solid tumors and autoimmune diseases, along with Poseida’s genetic engineering platform and related preclinical medicines.

The two companies have worked together since 2022 when they entered a collaboration focused on developing allogeneic CAR-T cell therapies for hematological malignancies.

Poseida has pioneered a proprietary technology platform that includes a full set of non-viral capabilities to design, develop and manufacture allogeneic, T stem cell memory cells (TSCM)-rich CAR-T therapies. TSCM cells are considered ideal for CAR-T therapy because they are long-lived, multi-potent and self-replicating, with the potential for an improved safety and efficacy profile. This may offer benefits compared to other approaches, which either use a different cell type or drive T cell differentiation (and therefore less stemness) as part of the process to manufacture the CAR-T cells.

“Poseida has demonstrated the unique ability of its proprietary non-viral technology platform to create allogeneic, TSCM-rich CAR-T therapies with the potential to improve clinical outcomes and expand access to this important class of medicines,” said Kristin Yarema, president and CEO of Poseida Therapeutics. “Roche’s global capabilities in late-stage development and commercialization will enable patients worldwide to benefit from the transformative potential of allo CAR-T.”

Poseida and its employees will join the Roche Group as part of Roche’s Pharmaceuticals Division. The deal has been unanimously approved by both boards. The closing of the transaction is expected in the first quarter of 2025.