Gilead Takes Calistoga To Boost Cancer Effort

Gilead Sciences Inc.'s acquisition of Calistoga Pharmaceuticals Inc. for $375 million up front February 22 is the richest deal yet for an emerging class of cancer drugs that many companies large and small are hotly pursuing. [See Deal] The generous price tag, which could jump to $600 million with performance milestones, shows Gilead, a relative newcomer to oncology, is serious about branching out beyond its traditional strength in HIV.

Phosphoinositide-3 kinase (PI3K) inhibitors are compounds that block an intracellular signaling pathway critical for numerous cell functions, including proliferation and...