Gilead to Acquire Global Rights to HCXT-2001 for $1.275 Billion Upfront

Gilead Sciences and PepStar Therapeutics have reached a definitive agreement under which Gilead will acquire global rights to the oral IL-23R inhibitor HCXT-2001 for a $1.275 billion upfront cash payment, with the deal expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2026. HCXT-2001 is still in Phase I; a Phase I psoriasis trial assessing safety, tolerability, PK/PD and food effects began in China in March 2026, and its IND application was accepted by the CDE in June that year.