By Fineline Cube 
US-based pharmaceutical giant AbbVie (NYSE: ABBV) is poised to acquire fellow American firm Capstan Therapeutics, Inc. This strategic move will grant AbbVie access to Capstan’s first-in-class in vivo tLNP anti-CD19 CAR-T candidate, CPTX2309, which is currently undergoing Phase I clinical trials and is being developed to combat B-cell-mediated autoimmune diseases.
Acquisition Details
As part of the deal, AbbVie will also secure Capstan’s proprietary tLNP platform technology. This innovative platform is designed for the delivery of RNA payloads, including mRNA, and enables the in vivo engineering of specific cell types. Under the terms of the agreement, AbbVie will pay up to USD 2.1 billion in cash to acquire Capstan at the closing of the transaction, with certain customary adjustments applying.
Therapeutic Innovation
CPTX2309, a product of Capstan’s proprietary technology platform, preferentially delivers mRNA payloads encoding anti-CD19 CAR to reprogram CD8-expressing cytotoxic T cells. This entire process occurs in vivo, eliminating the need for lymphodepleting preconditioning or complex ex vivo manufacturing. Through this acquisition, AbbVie and Capstan are aiming to transform the lives of autoimmune disease patients by developing potentially immune system-resetting therapies.-Fineline Info & Tech