Lilly to Acquire Kelonia to Advance In Vivo CAR-T and Lentiviral Gene Delivery Platform

Apr 20, 2026-

Eli Lilly and Company announced it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Kelonia Therapeutics, a clinical-stage company pioneering in vivo gene delivery technologies. The deal, valued at up to $7 billion including milestone payments, reflects Lilly’s strategic push to expand its capabilities in genetic medicines and next-generation cell therapy.

Kelonia’s platform is built on its proprietary in vivo gene placement system (iGPS®), which leverages engineered lentiviral particles to selectively deliver genetic payloads into T cells directly داخل the body. This approach enables the generation of chimeric antigen receptor T cells (CAR-T) in vivo, bypassing the need for complex ex vivo cell manufacturing and preconditioning chemotherapy. The technology has the potential to significantly improve accessibility, scalability, and cost of CAR-T therapies.

The company’s lead program, KLN-1010, is a first-in-class investigational in vivo CAR-T therapy currently in Phase 1 clinical development for relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma. The therapy is designed as a one-time intravenous treatment that generates CAR-T cells targeting B-cell maturation antigen (BCMA), a well-established target in multiple myeloma. Early clinical data, presented at the American Society of Hematology Annual Meeting 2025 plenary session, demonstrated promising tolerability and initial signs of clinical activity, providing early validation of the platform.

Executives from both companies emphasized the potential of in vivo CAR-T to address key limitations of current autologous therapies, including manufacturing delays, logistical complexity, and limited patient access. By enabling the body to produce its own CAR-T cells, Kelonia’s approach could represent a paradigm shift in cell therapy delivery, extending its application beyond hematologic cancers to a broader range of diseases.

Under the terms of the agreement, Kelonia shareholders will receive an upfront payment of $3.25 billion, with additional payments tied to clinical, regulatory, and commercial milestones. The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions and regulatory approvals and is expected to close in the second half of 2026.