Gilead Sciences has inked a billion-dollar deal with Shanghai-based PepStar therapeutics to secure the global rights to an oral IL-23 receptor inhibitor, which the company hopes will rival Johnson & Johnson’s recently approved therapy Icotyde (icotrokinra).
Through this deal, Gilead will hand over $1.275bn upfront to obtain the rights to PepStar’s macrocyclic peptide IL-23R inhibitor pill programme. This includes its lead asset, HCXT-2001, which is currently in Phase I trials. While the IL-23R inhibitor class has thus far made its commercial mark in plaque psoriasis, clinical success is now being seen in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Gilead is prioritising the latter with HCXT-2001, though the company is yet to specify which specific indications it will pursue.
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Unlike other options on the market, HCXT-2001 has an extended half-life, leading Gilead’s CMO, Dietmar Berger to claim that the drug could offer a “potentially differentiated approach” to the company’s burgeoning inflammation pipeline – which is primarily focused on IBD, type 2 inflammatory diseases, lupus and B cell-mediated autoimmune diseases.
“We see potential for HCXT-2001 alone or in combination, including with emvistegrast, as a daily oral treatment for people living with IBD,” Berger added.
Emvistegrast is Gilead’s in-house developed α4β7 integrin inhibitor, which is currently in mid-stage development for IBD. The drug has already demonstrated its potential, having recently met its primary endpoint in patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) during the Phase II SWIFT study (NCT06290934).
According to Jefferies analysts, this deal is a good move from Gilead as it allows the company to pursue a promising combination. “Proof of concept data from ABBV-266 [a combination of risankizumab and trosunilimab] shows that a4b7 + IL-23 may offer the best clinical remission in patients with prior advanced treatment,” they commented.
Meanwhile, they add that preclinical pharmacokinetic studies have pointed toward the early favourability of HCXT-2001 versus Icotyde – pointing to early signs of the drug’s differentiated potential.
Gilead doubles down on dealmaking
Gilead’s deal with PepStar is the latest in a string of deals inked by the California-based pharma, which is currently preparing itself for several key patent expiries across its virology portfolio.
To bolster its pipeline and bring new promising assets in, Gilead has inked three acquisitions in 2026. This includes its $7.8bn buyout of CAR-T specialist, Arcellx, as well as its takeovers worth up to $5bn and $2.2bn of antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) developer Tubulis and autoimmune T-cell engager (TCE) therapy-focused biotech Ouro Medicines, respectively.
In the same vein, Gilead also recently forged a $1.9bn licensing pact with Vir Biotechnologies centred around next-generation TCEs for solid tumours.
According to a recent report by GlobalData, parent company of Pharmaceutical Technology, more than half of the 157 surveyed pharmaceutical professionals feel optimistic or very optimistic about industry growth within the next 12 months.
