Johnson & Johnson to acquire Halda Therapeutics for $3.05B in cash

Halda Therapeutics entered into a definitive agreement pursuant to which Johnson & Johnson will acquire Halda for $3.05 billion, payable in cash at closing, subject to customary adjustments. Halda’s portfolio includes HLD-0915, a first-in-class, oral RIPTAC therapeutic, in development for metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer. Recently presented Phase 1/2 data demonstrated this novel therapy was well-tolerated and showed encouraging signs of anti-tumor activity, including reductions in prostate-specific antigen (PSA) and responses by Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors, in patients with advanced prostate cancer, many of whom had progressed after multiple prior therapies and exhausted available treatments. The transaction is expected to close within the next few months, subject to the satisfaction of customary closing conditions, including expiration of the applicable waiting period under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976. Until then, Johnson & Johnson and Halda will continue to operate as separate and independent companies.