Johnson & Johnson to Acquire Halda Therapeutics for $3.05 Billion to Advance Oral RIPTAC Therapy HLD-0915 in Prostate Cancer

Nov 19, 2025 10:56 CST Updated 10:56

Johnson & Johnson

Medical Device R&D and Manufacturer

Johnson & Johnson announced that it will invest $3.05 billion to further expand its presence in the prostate cancer field.Full-Cash AcquisitionU.S. biotech company Halda Therapeutics (note: all-cash deal) aims to acquire its core asset HLD-0915 for prostate cancer.

So-called, RIPTAC (Regulated Induced Proximity TArgeting Chimeras) It is a bifunctional molecule whose mechanism of action is to induce proximity between tumor-specific proteins and essential proteins.

HLD-0915 is a representative one.RIPTACBifunctional small molecule therapy aims to selectively target prostate cancer tumor cells by binding androgen receptor (AR, a tumor-specific intracellular targeting protein) and the functionally important effector protein BRD4 together in a specific orientation and for a specific purpose. This ternary complex drives the formation of novel protein-protein interactions, selectively inhibiting BRD4 function within cancer cells, ultimately leading to antitumor effects. In preclinical models of prostate cancer, oral administration of HLD-0915 resulted in tumor shrinkage and decreased levels of prostate-specific antigen (PSA), while demonstrating a favorable therapeutic index across all models, including drug-resistant ones.

According to data recently shared by Halda, HLD-0915 demonstrated impressive activity in preclinical models of prostate cancer, showing significant antitumor activity against mutant AR and also exhibiting activity in enzalutamide-resistant tumors.

Phase 1/2 clinical data indicate that HLD-0915, administered orally once daily, was well-tolerated with minimal and manageable treatment-related adverse events.PSA levels decreased significantly in all test dose groups, and measurable reductions in tumor size were observed in patients as assessed by radiographic imaging.

Core Patent:

According to the latest patent US2024051958W, it is speculated that patent II-5 may HLD-0915，That is, the androgen ligand is connected to the BRD4 ligand JQ1 derivative through a linker.

Comparison of Two Other AR PROTAC Degraders in Clinical Use: First-Generation PROTAC ARV-110 andluxdegalutamide (ARV-766)：

It is worth noting that the company's co-founder Craig Crews He is a professor at Yale University and a serial entrepreneur. In 2003, he co-founded Proteolix, which developed the proteasome inhibitor Kyprolis™, approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of multiple myeloma.Dr. Crews' lab also pioneered the field of Targeted Protein Degradation (TDR) drug development technology, known as PROTAC®.Technology. In 2013, Arvinas was founded based on this, and the company is advancing the first drugs based on PROTAC® technology into clinical trials. In addition, he also founded Halda Therapeutics, a venture capital-backed biotechnology company that is developing RIPTAC® therapies designed to selectively target cancer cells. In 2021, Siduma Therapeutics was established to advance other novel heterobifunctional concepts with broad drug development applications.

February this yearHalda willHLD-0915 Pushed into Clinical Trials, Last Month Published Phase 1 Results, The Recent Sale Was Rapid Progress. In addition to the safety and better-than-expected efficacy in Phase 1, there must beStrong supporting background. After all, in my personal opinion, the efficacy of the drug still needs further verification, and how to faceDoseEnzalutamide, etc.Second-Generation Androgen Receptor InhibitorsCompetition.

Comparison of Phase 1 Clinical Results for Luxdegalutamide (ARV-766, n=47):

Phase 1 Clinical Results of HLD-0915 (n=40):

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