Bristol Myers Squibb on Friday announced it will buy the privately held biotechnology company Orbital Therapeutics for $1.5 billion in an acquisition that will strengthen and diversify BMS’ portfolio of cell therapy treatments.
Orbital Therapeutics, based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, is pioneering a new generation of in-vivo RNA medicines that reprogram the immune system, enabling treatments needed to address the underlying biology and complexities of autoimmune disease.
In-vivo CAR T cell therapy is a next-generation approach where immune cells, delivered via a simple IV infusion, are genetically engineered directly inside the patient’s body, avoiding the need for harvesting, modifying, and reinfusing a patient’s T cells.
Orbital’s lead program, OTX-201, targets autoimmune disease through B cell depletion to reset the immune system. B cell-driven autoimmune diseases span more than 40 disease indications across multiple therapeutic areas, including 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, 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 said.
BMS will also acquire Orbital’s proprietary RNA platform, which integrates circular and linear RNA engineering, advanced LNP delivery, and AI-driven design to enable durable, programmable RNA therapies tailored to the distinct biology of a broad spectrum 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, Cell Therapy Organization, 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 said.
Ron Philip, CEO of Orbital Therapeutics, said the agreement with BMS, a recognized leader in global medicine, marks a transformational moment for the advancement of RNA medicine.
“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,” Philip said.
“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 said. “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, BMS will pay $1.5 billion in cash at closing to acquire Orbital, subject to the satisfaction of customary closing conditions, including expiration of the applicable waiting period under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976. Until then, BMS and Orbital will continue to operate as separate and independent companies.
Bristol Myers Squibb is currently the only company with two approved CAR T-cell therapies: Abecma (idecabtagene vicleucel) for multiple myeloma and Breyanzi (lisocabtagene maraleucel) for certain types of lymphoma.
