Gilead signs $1.9 billion deal with Vir Biotechnology to license dual-masked T-cell engagers for oncology

Gilead Sciences announced a licensing agreement with Vir Biotechnology to access Vir's dual-masked PRO-XTEN T-cell engager platform for oncology.

Under the deal, Vir will discover, design and optimize three bispecific antibody candidates that target solid-tumor antigens, while Gilead will have exclusive rights to select the candidates and will take charge of development, manufacturing and commercialization.

The agreement includes an upfront payment of $90 million to Vir, consisting of $65 million in cash and a $25 million equity investment, and the total potential value of the partnership is reported at $1.9 billion.

Vir's CEO said the partnership provides non-dilutive funding and lets the company focus on its own pipeline, while Gilead aims to broaden its oncology portfolio through the new T-cell engager programs.