AstraZeneca to Acquire EsoBiotec in $1 Bn Deal to Advance In Vivo Cell Therapies

The deal, valued at up to $1 billion, aims to accelerate the development of EsoBiotec's Engineered NanoBody Lentiviral (ENaBL) platform, which has shown promising early clinical results in cancer treatment.

AstraZeneca, a leading global biopharmaceutical company, has announced a definitive agreement to acquire EsoBiotec, a Belgium-based biotechnology company pioneering in vivo cell therapies.

The deal, valued at up to $1 billion, aims to accelerate the development of EsoBiotec's Engineered NanoBody Lentiviral (ENaBL) platform, which has shown promising early clinical results in cancer treatment.

According to Susan Galbraith, Executive Vice President of Oncology and Haematology R&D at AstraZeneca, "We are excited about the acquisition of EsoBiotec and the opportunity to rapidly advance their promising in vivo platform. We believe it has the potential to transform cell therapy and will enable us to scale these innovative treatments so that many more patients around the world can access them."

Transforming Cell Therapy with ENaBL

EsoBiotec's ENaBL platform uses targeted lentiviruses to deliver genetic instructions directly to immune cells within the body. This process programs immune cells, such as T cells, to recognize and destroy tumors or autoreactive cells involved in immune-mediated diseases.

Unlike traditional cell therapies, which require cells to be extracted, genetically modified outside the body, and then reinfused into the patient, EsoBiotec's in vivo approach allows for treatment through a simple intravenous (IV) injection.

The current process for traditional cell therapy can take weeks, involving complex manufacturing and immune cell depletion.

EsoBiotec's method eliminates these barriers by engineering immune cells directly within the patient's body, reducing the time and cost associated with treatment while increasing accessibility for patients.

Strategic Impact & Financial Terms

Under the terms of the agreement, AstraZeneca will acquire all outstanding equity of EsoBiotec for a total consideration of up to $1 billion.

This includes an initial payment of $425 million upon closing of the deal and up to $575 million in contingent milestone-based payments tied to the achievement of development and regulatory goals.

The transaction is expected to close in the second quarter of 2025, subject to regulatory approvals and customary closing conditions. AstraZeneca confirmed that the deal will not impact its financial guidance for 2025.

EsoBiotec will become a wholly owned subsidiary of AstraZeneca, retaining its operations in Belgium. The acquisition is expected to strengthen AstraZeneca's cell therapy pipeline and expand its capabilities in oncology and immune-mediated diseases.

Jean-Pierre Latere, CEO of EsoBiotec, expressed confidence in the partnership's potential, "We look forward to working with AstraZeneca, a global leader in drug development, to advance our shared goal of bringing transformative cost-effective cell therapies to more patients globally. By combining our expertise and resources, we can accelerate the development of our in vivo platform, which we believe will have broad therapeutic applicability."

Stay tuned for more such updates on Digital Health News.