On July 29, 2026 Johnson & Johnson1 (NYSE: JNJ) reported strategic agreements and collaboration with Sail Biomedicines (Sail), a biotechnology company developing in vivo CAR-T therapies for immune-mediated diseases. Johnson & Johnson will collaborate with Sail to advance its lead immune-mediated disease program and broader platform technology, with incentives to expand the application of Sail’s in vivo CAR-T platform across additional therapeutic targets over time. Johnson & Johnson2 will also make an equity investment in Sail. Additionally, Johnson & Johnson has been granted an exclusive option to acquire Sail for $2.58 billion.
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In vivo CAR-T therapies represent one of the most promising frontiers in medicine, with the potential to deliver transformative therapies across a range of cancer and immune-mediated diseases. Unlike traditional cell therapies, Sail’s lead program and platform are designed to reprogram a patient’s immune cells directly within the body, with the goal of resetting the immune system and delivering durable disease control. Through this collaboration, Johnson & Johnson and Sail will combine their expertise to advance innovative in vivo CAR-T therapies that have the potential to improve patient outcomes and ultimately deliver curative treatment approaches for people living with complex diseases.
"People living with serious immune-mediated diseases continue to need treatments that can deliver deeper, more durable disease control," said John Reed, Executive Vice President, Innovative Medicine Research & Development, Johnson & Johnson. "Sail’s innovative platform represents an exciting new approach that seeks to harness the power of CAR-T therapy in a simpler, more scalable way. By working together with Sail, we aim to accelerate the development of innovative therapies that have the potential to fundamentally transform how immune-mediated diseases are treated."
Building on its leadership in immunology and established expertise in CAR-T therapy within oncology, Johnson & Johnson continues to invest in emerging technologies with the potential to reshape disease treatment and transform patient outcomes. The agreement with Sail expands the Company’s capabilities in in vivo CAR-T, strengthens its position at the forefront of immune system reprogramming and immune reset, and creates opportunities to advance future programs across a range of complex diseases.
Under the terms of the agreements, Johnson & Johnson would make total initial payments of $785 million3, including a $465 million equity investment, and additional contingent payments of $140 million if certain development milestones are achieved. Subject to Johnson & Johnson’s decision to exercise the option, Johnson & Johnson would make an additional payment of $2.58 billion. Assuming exercise of the option, Johnson & Johnson expects the agreements to dilute adjusted operational earnings per share and adjusted earnings per share by approximately $0.18 in 2026 and approximately $1.28 in 2027. Please refer to the Current Report on Form 8-K furnished to the SEC on the date of this press release for updated full year 2026 guidance.
The transactions are subject to applicable regulatory approvals and/or other conditions.
(Press release, Johnson & Johnson, JUL 29, 2026, View Source [SID1234669505])