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22 July 2020Big Pharma

Gilead continues oncology expansion with Tizona deal

Gilead Sciences is continuing its expansion into the field of cancer therapeutics with the purchase of a 49.9% stake in California-based biotechnology company Tizona.

The deal involves an initial $300 million investment, and an exclusive option for Gilead to buy the rest of the company for $1.25 billion.

Gilead can exercise this option following the publication of a Phase 1b study of Tizona’s investigational antibody, TTX-080, which Gilead called a “potential first-in-class” cancer medicine.

The US Food and Drug Administration has cleared Tizona’s investigational new drug application, and Tizona will begin a phase 1 clinical trial later this year.

“This agreement with Tizona adds to the significant progress we’ve made in the first half of this year in building out a strong and diverse immuno-oncology pipeline,” said Gilead CEO Daniel O’Day, adding: “We now have multiple opportunities to develop novel therapies that will improve the treatment of cancer.”

“Gilead’s support will enable Tizona to accelerate and broaden our TTX-080 clinical program while also enabling us to rapidly advance our rich, first-in-class preclinical portfolio and target validation efforts,” said Tizona CEO Scott Clarke.

Earlier this year, Gilead announced a deal to buy immuno-oncology company  Forty Seven, including its lead product candidate magrolimab.

The deals mark a broadening of Gilead’s portfolio, which has traditionally been based on antivirals for diseases like HIV, Ebola, and most recently, COVID-19.

Its strength in the antiviral market for these diseases has occasionally drawn criticism over the price of its flagship drugs, particularly in the case of HIV and pre-exposure prophylaxis.

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More on this story

Americas
2 March 2020   Gilead Sciences has agreed a $4.9 billion deal to buy California-based immuno-oncology company Forty Seven.
Generics
14 May 2020   Gilead has agreed to license its antiviral remdesivir to five generic makers for distribution during the COVID-19 pandemic.

More on this story

Americas
2 March 2020   Gilead Sciences has agreed a $4.9 billion deal to buy California-based immuno-oncology company Forty Seven.
Generics
14 May 2020   Gilead has agreed to license its antiviral remdesivir to five generic makers for distribution during the COVID-19 pandemic.