Astellas and Poseida Partner on Allogeneic Cell Therapy for Cancer

Astellas Pharma Inc. and Poseida Therapeutics, Inc. have announced a new research collaboration and licensing agreement through Xyphos Biosciences, a subsidiary of Astellas. The collaboration aims to develop innovative convertibleCAR® programs, targeting solid tumors by combining the advanced cell therapy platforms from both companies. Poseida's cell and gene therapies are designed to cure certain cancers and rare diseases, with a focus on allogeneic CAR-T cell therapy products for both solid and liquid tumors. Xyphos employs a unique ACCELTM technology platform that integrates the convertibleCAR® (convertible Chimeric Antigen Receptor) with MicAbodies to specifically target tumor cells.

Under the agreement, Poseida's proprietary allogeneic CAR-T platform will be merged with Xyphos' ACCELTM technology. This combination will generate a Poseida-developed CAR-T construct that will form the basis for two convertibleCAR® product candidates aimed at solid tumors. Xyphos will cover the research costs and handle the development and future commercialization of resulting products. Poseida will receive an upfront payment of $50 million and could earn up to $550 million in potential development and sales milestones, along with tiered royalties on net sales.

Kristin Yarema, CEO of Poseida, expressed enthusiasm for the collaboration, emphasizing the shared vision with Astellas of addressing significant unmet needs in solid tumor malignancies through cutting-edge cell therapies. This partnership underscores the economic value of Poseida's unique non-viral technologies and broadens their development scope beyond their core pipeline. Yarema highlighted Poseida's role as a preferred partner in allogeneic CAR-T therapy.

Adam Pearson, Chief Strategy Officer of Astellas, highlighted the company's dedication to developing innovative cancer treatments, pinpointing Immuno-Oncology as a primary focus within their R&D strategy. He noted that combining Astellas' ACCELTM platform with Poseida's advanced genetic editing technologies would create synergies between the two companies, potentially leading to an expanded portfolio and the delivery of novel CAR-T cell therapies to cancer patients. The collaboration is anticipated to bolster Astellas' portfolio and offer new therapeutic options to patients battling cancer.

Poseida's unique approach to cell and gene therapies leverages its proprietary genetic editing platforms, including the non-viral piggyBac® DNA Delivery System and Cas-CLOVER™ Site-Specific Gene Editing System. These technologies aim to address high unmet medical needs among cancer patients and those with rare diseases. The company has also established a global strategic collaboration with Roche to advance cell therapies for hematologic malignancies.

Astellas Pharma, with a presence in over 70 countries, emphasizes a research and development strategy focused on identifying opportunities for creating new drugs that meet high unmet medical needs. The company seeks to combine its foundational expertise with advanced technologies from external partners to drive healthcare innovation and deliver value to patients. Xyphos Biosciences, acquired by Astellas in 2019, specializes in CAR technology for immune cell therapies and operates from South San Francisco, California.

This collaborative effort between Astellas and Poseida aims to redefine cancer treatment by leveraging each company's strengths in cell therapy and genetic editing. The initiative reflects a strategic alignment to develop therapies that reinvigorate the immune system's ability to combat cancer more effectively.