Athenex pushes further into cell therapy with Kuur acquisition

Two months after a regulatory setback for Athenex’s most advanced pipeline program, the biotech is pivoting further into cell therapy through the acquisition of Kuur, which itself had run into difficult times of late.

Athenex Inc. (NASDAQ:ATNX) said Wednesday it would acquire the CAR natural killer T (NKT) cell therapy company for $70 million up front in Athenex stock with Kuur Therapeutics investors eligible for up to $115 million in milestones. It is a strategic shift for Athenex after FDA issued a complete response letter for the biotech’s oral paclitaxel program and requested a new trial in early March...