Aug 21 (Reuters) -

Gilead Sciences' ( GILD ) unit Kite Pharma said on Thursday

it will acquire privately-held biotech firm Interius

BioTherapeutics for $350 million in cash to advance CAR T-cell

cancer therapies that are delivered directly into patients.

WHY IT'S IMPORTANT

The acquisition will enable Kite to use Interius' platform

to deliver cell therapy directly into patients, simplifying

treatment processes and reducing costs, the company said.

BY THE NUMBERS

Kite said the deal, expected to close pending regulatory

approvals, will reduce Gilead's 2025 profit per share by about

23 cents to 25 cents.

CONTEXT

In CAR T-cell therapy, a patient's T-cells, a key part of

the immune system, are modified to better recognize and attack

cancer cells.

Traditional CAR T-cell therapies, including Kite's approved

blood cancer treatments Yescarta and Tecartus, involve taking

immune cells from a patient. These are modified in a lab, and

then put back into the patient's body - a process that is both

complex and expensive.

Interius' so-called "in-vivo" approach uses intravenous

infusion to deliver DNA directly into cells, potentially

accelerating and simplifying treatments, according to the Kite.

Interest in in-vivo CAR T-cell platforms has surged, with

over $2 billion invested and multiple partnerships formed

recently, according to a report by clinical research firm

Novotech.

The report noted that more than five in-vivo CAR T-cell

programs have entered clinical trials, and disclosed assets are

expected to surpass 100 by the end of 2025.

WHAT'S NEXT

After the deal is approved, Interius' operations will merge

with Kite's research team in Philadelphia, the Gilead unit

added.