Gilead Sciences to Acquire Arcellx in $7.8B Deal on Anito-Cel Cancer Therapy

- Oncology takes centre stage in Gilead’s new acquisition deal. - Gilead doubles down on CAR-T Therapy with Arcellx purchase, offering 79% higher on its shares. - Gilead Sciences is apparently dealing with declining sales for its COVID drug Veklury.

Adepu Bindu

24 Feb 2026 — 3 min read

Gilead Sciences to Acquire Arcellx in $7.8B Deal on Anito-Cel Cancer Therapy

Gilead Sciences (one of the leading research-based biopharmaceutical companies in the U.S.) is now buying Arcellx for up to $7.8B to expand its cancer treatment wing. Apparently, the company's sales of its COVID drug Veklury are falling. This comes to light as a strategic move under CEO Daniel O’ Day as the company will soon lose its patent protection.

Cancer treatments (oncology and more specifically anito-cel) are one of the fastest-growing markets in medicine, and Gilead Sciences sees this as a perfect opportunity to offset losses. The company already had a partnership with Arcellx through its cancer division, Kite Pharma. Right now, it's acquiring the whole company at 79% higher than the share price. So, what is anito-cel? What is the regulatory status? For all that, learn more.

What Is Anito-Cel in Cancer Treatment?

Anito-cel is a CAR-T therapy (it's a cutting-edge cancer treatment that modifies a patient’s immune cells). The treatment is designed to treat multiple myeloma (it's a type of blood cancer). Several experts firmly believe that this could be a top therapy that may have better safety than others. Now this means big bucks (billions and more) of business for Gilead Sciences.

Why Is Gilead Sciences Acquiring Arcellx?

Gilead Sciences is doing well in its HIV medicines and liver disease treatments. However, there's a long decline in its COVID drug Veklury sales. Soon, the company will lose patent protection for its key drugs as well. Plus, there is competition in CAR-T therapy, too.

The leading CAR-T therapy today is Carvykti, developed by Johnson & Johnson and Legend Biotech. The drug made them $1.9 billion in sales in 2025. Therefore, to outperform its own numbers and to develop the best anito-cel therapy, Gilead Sciences acquired Arcellx.

Gilead–Arcellx Deal: Financial Breakdown

Aspect	Details
Maximum Deal Value	Up to $7.8 billion
Payment Per Share	$115 per share (cash)
Premium Offered	79% higher than Arcellx’s last closing stock price
Share Market Reaction	Arcellx shares rose 77.9% to $114.06 after the announcement
Additional Shareholder Bonus	Extra $5 per share (conditional)
Condition for Bonus	If anito-cel global sales reach $6 billion by the end of 2029
Milestone Payments Removed	Up to $1.5 billion eliminated for Gilead
Expected Deal Completion	Q2 2026 (April–June)
Earnings Impact	Expected to boost earnings per share from 2028 onward (after approval)

Final Thoughts...

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is currently reviewing anito-cel treatment. It is being evaluated as a fourth-line treatment (meaning used after several other treatments fail), and a decision may come by December 23 this year. Hence, the deal’s future success depends heavily on it. Arcellx, on the other hand, is enjoying a 77.9% share jump, reaching about $114. For more updates on the same, keep in touch.