Johnson & Johnson announced that it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Halda Therapeutics OpCo, Inc. for $3.05 billion in cash, marking one of the company’s most significant oncology acquisitions in recent years. The deal brings into Johnson & Johnson a clinical-stage prostate cancer therapy along with a next-generation technology platform designed to create highly targeted oral treatments for multiple solid tumors. The transaction is expected to close within the next few months, pending antitrust clearance and standard closing conditions.
Halda Therapeutics’ proprietary Regulated Induced Proximity Targeting Chimera (RIPTAC) platform is engineered to develop oral, targeted therapies initially focused on prostate cancer, with plans to expand into breast, lung, and other tumor types. The lead clinical candidate, HLD-0915, is being studied as a once-daily treatment for prostate cancer, a disease with new diagnoses projected to reach 1.7 million cases globally by 2030. Johnson & Johnson described the therapy as a precision cancer cell-killing approach capable of overcoming common mechanisms of treatment resistance, representing a potential shift in how advanced prostate cancer is addressed.
HLD-0915 has demonstrated promising preliminary efficacy and an early safety profile in its ongoing Phase 1/2 clinical trial. In addition to the lead program, the acquisition includes multiple earlier-stage candidates targeting breast, lung, and other solid tumors. Johnson & Johnson indicated that Halda’s underlying technology platform may also enable new classes of highly targeted therapies beyond oncology.
The acquisition builds on Johnson & Johnson’s nearly 20-year commitment to prostate cancer research and adds to its oncology portfolio, which already includes several global blockbusters. The company highlighted that Halda’s differentiated assets offer complementary mechanisms of action that could serve as critical new options for patients. Johnson & Johnson plans to integrate Halda’s pipeline, platform, and personnel across its research, development, commercial, and manufacturing functions.
Under the terms of the agreement, the acquisition will be treated as a business combination. Johnson & Johnson expects approximately $0.15 of dilution to Adjusted Earnings Per Share in 2026, driven by short-term financing and a one-time charge for Halda employee equity awards issued at closing. Additional financial details will be provided during the company’s fourth-quarter earnings call on January 21, 2026.
Johnson & Johnson stated that the acquisition aligns with its long-term healthcare innovation strategy, which centers on developing more innovative, less invasive, and personalized treatments. The company’s combined strengths in Innovative Medicine and MedTech position it to accelerate Halda’s programs and broaden the reach of emerging precision therapies for patients worldwide.
KEY QUOTES
“This acquisition further strengthens our deep oncology pipeline with an exciting lead asset in prostate cancer and a platform capable of treating multiple cancers and diseases beyond oncology, providing a potential mid- and long-term catalyst for growth. We look forward to combining Halda’s pipeline, platform and people with our world class R&D, commercial and manufacturing capabilities and advancing our goal of bringing these therapies to patients around the world.”
Jennifer Taubert, Executive Vice President, Worldwide Chairman, Innovative Medicine, Johnson & Johnson
“Many therapies lose effectiveness over time due to resistance. Halda’s innovative technology is designed to work even when cancers no longer respond to standard treatments using a novel mechanism that enables the selective killing of cancer cells.”
“Results seen with HLD-0915 demonstrate impressive preliminary efficacy and a strong early safety profile in prostate cancer. We are eager to accelerate the ongoing Phase 1/2 clinical trial of HLD-0915 and progress a pipeline of novel product candidates based on RIPTAC™ technology.”
John C. Reed, M.D., Ph.D., Executive Vice President, Innovative Medicine, R&D, Johnson & Johnson
