Gilead Sciences' subsidiary Kite Pharma has agreed to acquire privately-held biotech firm Interius BioTherapeutics for $350 million in cash. The acquisition aims to advance Kite's in vivo CAR T-cell therapy pipeline, focusing on cancer and autoimmune disease treatments. Interius has developed a single-shot CAR T program and has dosed six patients in its ongoing Phase 1 trial in Australia. This deal marks the third in vivo CAR T buyout by major pharmaceutical companies in 2025, following similar moves by AbbVie and AstraZeneca. The transaction reflects growing interest in in vivo CAR T therapies, which are emerging as a promising area within the broader cell and gene therapy sector. The total value of mergers and acquisitions in this space, including earlier deals like Sanofi's acquisition of Tidal Therapeutics in 2021, approaches $3 billion. Kite's move positions Gilead to compete in an early-stage rivalry among big pharma companies aiming to develop next-generation CAR T-cell therapies that bypass traditional autologous and allogeneic approaches.