Takeda Abandons Cell Therapy Research, Seeks External Partner Amid Strategic Shift

Takeda Pharmaceutical Company is exiting the cell therapy field as part of a strategic portfolio reprioritization to focus on modalities that can deliver transformative therapies more quickly and at scale, such as small molecules, biologics, and antibody-drug conjugates. The company will seek external partners to continue advancing its cell therapy platform and clinic-ready programs, although it currently has no active clinical trials in this area. This exit includes discontinuing its gamma delta T-cell therapy platform, which was acquired through its 2021 buyout of GammaDelta Therapeutics, and is expected to result in an impairment loss of approximately 58 billion Japanese yen (about $394 million). Takeda's decision follows a broader restructuring amid profit declines and shifts in focus toward autoimmune conditions, reflecting challenges in the cell therapy funding climate and a pivot away from solid tumor and blood cancer programs. The company plans to redirect investments toward preclinical programs it considers more innovative and likely to yield faster patient benefits. Takeda's strategic shift aligns with its ongoing efforts to streamline its portfolio and improve profitability in a competitive pharmaceutical market.