Gilead Sciences Inc. has agreed to acquire Tubulis GmbH, a private Germany-based, clinical-stage biotechnology company developing next-generation antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs).

The acquisition significantly expands Gilead’s ADC capabilities by adding next-generation assets and platforms designed to more selectively deliver diverse payloads to tumors and maximize patient benefit.

Tubulis’ lead asset, TUB-040, a NaPi2b-directed topoisomerase-I inhibitor (TOPO1i) ADC, is currently in Phase 1b/2 development for platinum-resistant ovarian cancer and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Gilead will also acquire TUB-030, a 5T4 targeted ADC, which has demonstrated promising initial clinical data across various solid tumor types. Tubulis’ programs and platforms have broad potential across multiple tumor types, complementing Gilead’s existing development and commercialization expertise in oncology.

“The agreement to acquire Tubulis is a significant milestone in Gilead’s progress in oncology. The company brings a clinical-stage candidate that is a potential new treatment for ovarian cancer, as well as a next-generation ADC platform and a promising early pipeline,” said Daniel O’Day, Chairman and CEO, Gilead Sciences.

This agreement follows a two-year collaboration with Tubulis, which O’Day says gave Gilead a strong conviction in its programs and research capabilities.

“From the outset, we believed our conjugation technology platforms could have broad impact across the ADC field and the initial data from TUB-040 have reinforced that conviction,” said Dominik Schumacher, PhD, CEO and Co-founder of Tubulis. “Joining Gilead allows us to build on this foundation within an organization that brings deep scientific expertise, global development capabilities, and the scale needed to translate innovation into medicines for patients worldwide. Through our existing collaboration, Gilead has already seen the potential of our technologies and together, we are well positioned to accelerate the development of our ADC pipeline.”

Following the close of the transaction, Tubulis will operate as a dedicated ADC research organization within Gilead, with the Munich site serving as a hub for ADC innovation, building on its integrated discovery, manufacturing and clinical capabilities to advance next generation ADCs.

More Gilead News

Earlier this year, Gilead agreed to acquire Arcellx, a biotechnology company focused on delivering a new class of innovative immunotherapies for patients with cancer and other incurable diseases.