Takeda Exits Cell Therapy Arena in Strategic Shift, Joining Industry Trend

Takeda Pharmaceutical Company has announced its withdrawal from the cell therapy field as part of a strategic portfolio reprioritization, marking a significant shift in the company's focus and aligning with a broader industry trend away from this modality.

Takeda's Strategic Realignment

The Japanese drugmaker revealed on October 1, 2025, that it is seeking a partner to take over its cell therapy platform and undisclosed preclinical programs. This move reduces Takeda's modality focus from four to three: small molecules, biologics, and antibody-drug conjugates.

The decision to exit cell therapy is expected to result in an impairment loss of approximately 58 billion Japanese yen (about $394 million), primarily attributed to the gamma delta T-cell therapy platform acquired from GammaDelta Therapeutics in 2021.

Impact on Oncology Pipeline and Financial Outlook

Takeda's oncology portfolio has undergone significant changes in recent months. As of July 30, the company's oncology assets no longer included cell therapies, focusing instead on collaborations and partnerships for various cancer treatments.

This latest move follows a series of strategic decisions by Takeda, including:

• Halving its oncology pipeline in May, dropping three early-stage candidates
• A $900 million restructure in 2024 prompted by declining profits and generic competition for its ADHD drug Vyvanse

The company states that it will redirect investments towards programs that can "deliver transformative therapies to patients at increased speed and scale."

Industry-wide Shift in Cell Therapy Approach

Takeda's exit from cell therapy reflects a broader trend in the pharmaceutical industry. Several major players have recently scaled back their involvement in this area:

• Novo Nordisk terminated a $598 million cardio cell therapy collaboration as part of its ongoing restructuring
• Gilead's Kite and Roche's Genentech have both ended cell therapy deals valued at over $2 billion each

However, the landscape remains dynamic, with some companies still making strategic moves in the field. Notably, Kite recently acquired Interius BioTherapeutics for $350 million, focusing on in vivo CAR-T technology.

As the pharmaceutical industry continues to evolve, companies are reassessing their priorities and investment strategies, with cell therapy experiencing what some observers describe as a "boom-and-bust cycle." The coming months may reveal whether this trend represents a temporary setback or a more fundamental shift in the industry's approach to cell therapy development.