Vertex Buys ViaCyte and its Stem Cell-Based Diabetes Treatment for $320M

Vertex Buys ViaCyte and its Stem Cell-Based Diabetes Treatment for $320M

Previously Published on Fiercebiotech.comย – Just a week after Vertexโ€™s stem cell therapy to treat type 1 diabetes was released from an FDA clinical hold, the company is clearing out potential competition by buying ViaCyte for $320 million.

The all-cash dealย announced Monday throws a net around ViaCyteโ€™s stem cell-based treatment for type 1 diabetes, which has been in a neck-and-neck clinical development race with Vertexโ€™s VX-880. But possibly more important than the asset itself, Vertex now has a hold of the intellectual property and science behind the companyโ€™s programs.

Similar to Vertex, ViaCyte has been developing a diabetes treatment by converting immature stem cells into pancreatic cells, referred to as PEC-01, a manufacturing process that takes about 30 days. Once the cells are produced, theyโ€™re implanted into patients and mature into beta cells and other islet cells that help to independently monitor glucose levels. The company has three programs underway testing PEC-01, which span two different delivery methods.

Benefits of Vertex Acquiring ViaCyte

In a statement, Vertex CEO Reshma Kewalramani, M.D., emphasized that the deal centers on bolstering VX-880 saying, โ€œThe acquisition of ViaCyte will accelerate our goal of transforming, if not curing [type 1 diabetes] by … bringing additional tools, technologies and assets to our current stem cell-based programs.โ€ – Vertex Buys ViaCyte.

The acquisition of ViaCyte will accelerate our goal of transforming, if not curing (type 1 diabetes) by bringing additional tools, technologies and assets to our current stem cell-based programs. Share on X

Previously Published on Fiercebiotech.com

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