{"url":"https://newsforagent.com/news/2026-10-24/gilead-pepstar-oral-drug-program-acquisition","markdown_url":"https://newsforagent.com/news/2026-10-24/gilead-pepstar-oral-drug-program-acquisition.md","title":"Gilead Buys PepStar Oral Drug Program for $1.275 Billion","headline":"Gilead Sciences to Buy PepStar's Oral Inflammatory Drug Program for $1.275 Billion in Cash","description":"Gilead Sciences agreed to buy Shanghai-based PepStar Therapeutics' experimental oral drug program for $1.275 billion in cash, gaining worldwide rights.","section":"Mergers & Acquisitions","published_at":"2026-10-24T00:35:53+00:00","modified_at":"2026-10-24T00:35:53+00:00","author":"News Desk","key_takeaways":["Gilead Sciences agreed on Thursday to buy PepStar Therapeutics' experimental oral drug program for inflammatory diseases for $1.275 billion in cash.","The deal includes lead candidate HCXT-2001 and is expected to close in the fourth quarter, giving Gilead worldwide rights.","Gilead sees potential to develop the early-stage asset alone or with its own oral drug emvistegrast as an all-oral approach for inflammatory bowel disease."],"companies":[{"name":"Gilead Sciences","is_primary":true,"profile_url":"https://akta.pro/company-profiles/00002y8/gilead-sciences","website":"http://www.gilead.com"},{"name":"Merck","is_primary":false,"profile_url":"https://akta.pro/company-profiles/00009dg/merck","website":"https://www.merckgroup.com"},{"name":"Silence Therapeutics","is_primary":false,"profile_url":"https://akta.pro/company-profiles/0003gre/silence-therapeutics","website":"http://www.silence-therapeutics.com"}],"source":{"publisher":"TradingView","title":"Stocktwits Biotech Dealmaker: Gilead And Roche Double Down On Early-Stage Assets Over Full Buyouts This Week","url":"https://www.tradingview.com/news/stocktwits:0329fd15d094b:0-stocktwits-biotech-dealmaker-gilead-and-roche-double-down-on-early-stage-assets-over-full-buyouts-this-week/"},"other_sources":[],"tags":["Mergers & Acquisitions","Gilead Sciences","Merck","Silence Therapeutics"],"body_markdown":"[Gilead Sciences](https://akta.pro/company-profiles/00002y8/gilead-sciences) agreed on Thursday to buy Shanghai-based PepStar Therapeutics' experimental oral drug program for inflammatory diseases, including lead candidate HCXT-2001, for $1.275 billion in cash. [TradingView](https://www.tradingview.com/news/stocktwits:0329fd15d094b:0-stocktwits-biotech-dealmaker-gilead-and-roche-double-down-on-early-stage-assets-over-full-buyouts-this-week/) reported the agreement, which gives Gilead worldwide rights and is expected to close in the fourth quarter.\n\n## Gilead's $1.275 Billion PepStar Program Deal\n\nGilead Sciences is a publicly traded biopharmaceutical company that develops and commercializes more than 25 medicines across virology, oncology and inflammation therapeutic areas, according to company records. PepStar Therapeutics is a Shanghai-based company whose experimental oral drug program targets inflammatory diseases.\n\nThe deal covers HCXT-2001, an early-stage asset Gilead sees potential to develop alone or in combination with its own oral drug emvistegrast as an all-oral approach for inflammatory bowel disease. The purchase follows a mid-October collaboration deal with Vir Biotechnology and forms part of Gilead's efforts to expand its inflammation portfolio beyond its core HIV business.\n\nHansoh Pharma, the China-based pharmaceutical company that expanded its antibody-drug conjugate partnership with Roche in the same week, entered that partnership and licensing deal worth over $15 billion covering antibody-drug conjugate programs, receiving an upfront $400 million and a first anniversary payment of $110 million, EIN Presswire reported.\n\n## Gilead's Recent Pipeline and Regulatory Moves\n\nGilead's recent company records include a June 2026 regulatory action in which the FDA approved Trodelvy (sacituzumab govitecan) for first-line metastatic triple-negative breast cancer as monotherapy and in combination with Keytruda, expanding the oncology franchise into the PD-L1+ front-line setting, according to akta.pro [company records](https://akta.pro/company-data). The same records show a June 2026 product launch in which Gilead initiated a lenacapavir-based HIV PrEP rollout in South Africa and received FDA sNDA acceptance for Yeztugo (oral lenacapavir) with a PDUFA date of February 2, 2027.\n\n## Gilead's October Trial and Settlement News\n\nGilead reported on October 19, 2026, that its experimental once-daily pill emvistegrast reduced symptoms of ulcerative colitis in more patients than placebo in a mid-stage trial, Yahoo reported. On October 22, 2026, Gilead agreed to settle Texas False Claims Act litigation over its patient support programs, a settlement requiring a payment, dismissal with prejudice, and release of all claims by Texas and Health Choice Advocates, The future of trading reported.\n\n## Gilead's Fourth-Quarter Closing and Earnings Date\n\nGilead expects the PepStar transaction to close in the fourth quarter. The company will release its third-quarter 2026 financial results and guidance after market close on October 29, 2026, with management hosting a webcast at 4:30 p.m. Eastern Time, Stock Titan reported.\n","publisher":{"name":"News for Agent","url":"https://newsforagent.com"}}