28 October 2021 | News
Acquisition of GammaDelta Therapeutics expands Takeda’s immuno-oncology and innate immune cell therapy portfolio
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Japanese firm Takeda Pharmaceutical has announced the exercise of its option to acquire UK-based GammaDelta Therapeutics, a company focused on exploiting the unique properties of gamma delta (γδ) T cells for immunotherapy.
Through the acquisition, Takeda will obtain GammaDelta’s allogeneic variable delta 1 (Vδ1) gamma-delta (γδ) T cell therapy platforms, which includes both blood-derived and tissue-derived platforms, in addition to early-stage cell therapy programs.
The acquisition follows a multi-year collaboration between Takeda and GammaDelta Therapeutics formed in 2017 to develop GammaDelta’s novel γδ T cell therapy platforms, in which Takeda received an equity stake and an exclusive right to purchase GammaDelta. The deal is expected to be finalized in Q1 of Takeda’s fiscal year 2022.
Takeda seeks to broaden the impact of immunotherapy in cancer treatment by focusing on mechanisms that leverage innate immunity. Innate immune responses serve as the body’s first defense mechanism against disease and involve the orchestration of a broad arsenal of mechanisms and cell types, including γδ T cells and natural killer (NK) cells, that may help to overcome cancer’s ability to evade immune recognition.