UCB acquires Neurona Therapeutics for $1.15 billion
UCB has agreed to acquire Neurona Therapeutics in a deal worth up to $1.15 billion, comprising $650 million upfront and $500 million in future milestone payments. Neurona’s lead programs focus on GABAergic interneuron cell therapies, designed to restore balance in brain circuits and treat drug-resistant epilepsy. This deal highlights growing confidence in cell therapies for CNS disorders and reinforces the trend of large pharma expanding into regenerative medicine, particularly in diseases where current treatments are limited. For the industry, it signals increasing recognition of cell therapy as a viable modality beyond oncology.
Read more via European Biotechnology, UCB, and Pharmaphorum →
Ray Therapeutics raises $125 million to advance gene therapies for vision restoration
Ray Therapeutics has secured an oversubscribed $125 million series B financing to advance its pipeline of optogenetic gene therapies for vision restoration. The round was led by Janus Henderson Investors, with new investors including Adage Capital Management, Franklin Templeton, Invus and Marshall Wave, alongside strong follow-on support from existing backers including Deerfield Management, Novo Holdings and MRL Ventures Fund. The funding will support late-stage clinical development and commercial readiness for lead program RTx-015 in retinitis pigmentosa, as well as clinical studies for RTx-021 in Stargardt disease and geographic atrophy. The fact that this round was both upsized and oversubscribed is a strong vote of confidence in optogenetic approaches to vision restoration and Ray Therapeutics is positioned as a serious contender in the ocular gene therapy space.
Read more via Businesswire, Fierce Biotech, and CityBiz →
Eli Lilly to acquire Kelonia Therapeutics in up to $7 billion deal for in vivo CAR-T
Eli Lilly has announced an agreement to acquire Kelonia Therapeutics, a clinical-stage biotech pioneering in vivo CAR-T therapy, in a deal worth up to $7 billion. Kelonia shareholders will receive an upfront payment of $3.25, with subsequent payments of up to $3.75 billion tied to clinical, regulatory and commercial milestones. Kelonia’s lead program, KLN-1010 is an investigational one-time intravenous gene therapy targeting BCMA-expressing multiple myeloma cells, with encouraging early clinical results present at ASH 2025. This deal signals strong belief from big pharma in platform technologies that can fundamentally reshape delivery and scalability in CGT.
Read more via Reuters, Fierce Biotech, and PR Newswire →
Six-year-old girl has sight restored by NHS gene therapy
A six-year-old patient in the UK, has had her sight restored following treatment with a gene therapy for a rare inherited eye disorder, delivered through the NHS in collaboration with Great Ormand Street Hospital. Saffie has Leber’s Congenital Amaurosis (LCA), which prevents cells in the eye from producing a protein essential for normal vision. She received the gene therapy in her first eye in April 2025 and her second eye in September 2025. The results have been life-changing allowing Saffie to do everyday activities, improving her vision and quality of life. This story provides a powerful example of real-world patient impact, demonstrating how gene therapies are moving beyond trials into clinical care.
Read more via BBC, Great Ormond Street Hospital, and Sky News →
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