Astellas has acquired Xyphos Biosciences, Inc., gaining Xyphos’ novel and proprietary ACCEL (Advanced Cellular Control through Engineered Ligands) technology platform, as well as immuno-oncology talent, to develop and advance new ways to target and control immune cells to find, modulate and destroy targeted cells throughout the body.
 
“At Astellas, immuno-oncology is a Primary Focus of our research and development strategy, and we are working on the development of next-generation cancer immuno-therapy using new modalities/technologies,” said Kenji Yasukawa, president and chief executive officer, Astellas. “The innovative technology in development at Xyphos fits perfectly in advancing our immuno-oncology strategy to create and deliver value for patients. Combining this technology with our capabilities in cell therapy that we have been working on so far, we can create next-generation high-function cells and maximize the value of our technology. We look forward to working with Xyphos’ superb team to advance and expand their clinical development programs to bring their novel therapeutics to patients.”
 
“At Xyphos, we are driven to advance our innovative cell therapy technology platform as an exciting new approach to potentially manage and cure cancer,” said James Knighton, chief executive officer, Xyphos. “Astellas’ commitment to immuno-oncology makes them an ideal partner to advance our proprietary NKG2D-based NK-cell and T-cell platform to the next stage of clinical exploration. Further, we look forward to becoming part of Astellas to accelerate this immuno-oncology research and development in the vibrant South San Francisco community.”