Bristol Myers Squibb (BMS) has announced an agreement to acquire Orbital Therapeutics, a privately held biotechnology company based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, for $1.5 billion. The acquisition is intended to strengthen and diversify BMS’s portfolio of cell therapy treatments.
Orbital Therapeutics focuses on developing in-vivo RNA medicines that reprogram the immune system to address the underlying biology and complexities of autoimmune diseases. In-vivo CAR T cell therapy, the approach used by Orbital, involves genetically engineering immune cells directly inside the patient’s body through intravenous infusion, eliminating the need for harvesting and modifying the patient’s own T cells outside the body.
The lead program at Orbital, OTX-201, aims to treat autoimmune diseases by depleting B cells to reset the immune system. Autoimmune diseases driven by B cells include more than 40 indications across areas such as rheumatology, neurology, and dermatology.
“In vivo CAR T represents a novel treatment approach that could redefine how we treat autoimmune diseases,” said Robert Plenge, MD, Ph.D., Executive Vice President and Chief Research Officer at BMS. “This acquisition enhances our robust cell therapy research platform and provides an opportunity to advance a potential best-in-class therapy designed to deplete autoreactive B cells and reset the immune system.
“We are excited by the promise this holds for patients with autoimmune diseases who are waiting for better options,” Plenge added.
Through this deal, BMS will also acquire Orbital’s proprietary RNA platform. This technology combines circular and linear RNA engineering with advanced lipid nanoparticle (LNP) delivery systems and artificial intelligence-driven design tools to create durable, programmable RNA therapies for a wide range of diseases.
“With the acquisition of Orbital Therapeutics and its next-generation RNA platform, we have an incredible opportunity to make CAR T-cell therapy more efficient and accessible to more patients,” said Lynelle B. Hoch, President of Cell Therapy Organization at BMS.
“As a leader in cell therapy, we are uniquely positioned to evaluate multiple different platform approaches to induce immune reset in autoimmune diseases and continue to optimize in-vivo technology in clinical development,” Hoch stated.
Ron Philip, CEO of Orbital Therapeutics, commented on the agreement: “Since inception, Orbital has made significant strides developing a differentiated RNA platform designed to enable a new generation of RNA medicines that reach more tissues, address more diseases, and benefit more patients.”
“The promising early data from our lead program, OTX-201, underscore the strength of this approach and the potential of our integrated RNA technologies,” Philip continued. “Together, we aim to deliver RNA medicines that provide patients with treatments that are simpler, safer, and more accessible compared to today’s complex therapies.”
Under the terms of the agreement between BMS and Orbital Therapeutics, BMS will pay $1.5 billion in cash upon closing after meeting customary conditions including regulatory review under antitrust laws. Until completion of the transaction process both companies will operate independently.
Bristol Myers Squibb currently markets two approved CAR T-cell therapies: Abecma (idecabtagene vicleucel) for multiple myeloma and Breyanzi (lisocabtagene maraleucel) for certain types of lymphoma.
