Alright, let's get this straight. Johnson & Johnson, a company that's had its fair share of, shall we say, "PR challenges," is buying Halda Therapeutics for a cool $3.05 billion. Halda claims to have this RIPTAC™ technology that can "selectively kill cancer cells." Right. Because Big Pharma has always been about curing diseases and never about…profits. Give me a break.
So, Halda's got this HLD-0915 thingamajig, a "first-in-class, oral RIPTAC™ therapeutic" for prostate cancer. Phase 1/2 data showed it was "well-tolerated and showed encouraging signs of anti-tumor activity." Translation: it didn't kill anyone immediately, and maybe, just maybe, it shrunk a tumor or two. They're touting "reductions in prostate-specific antigen (PSA) and responses by Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST)." Jargon, jargon, jargon.
The claim is that it can overcome resistance to treatment. Like cancer just throws up its hands and says, "Oh no, not that trick again!" I mean, seriously?
And then there's this line from John C. Reed, M.D., Ph.D., executive vice president at J&J: "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." Halda Therapeutics Announces Acquisition by Johnson & Johnson
"Selective killing of cancer cells." Sounds like something straight out of a sci-fi movie. Maybe I should go back to writing about tech...at least those scams are a little more transparent.
J&J's Jennifer Taubert calls this acquisition a "potential mid- and long-term catalyst for growth." Let's be real: she means profit, not patient well-being. The press release is dripping with corporate buzzwords like "innovative pipeline" and "world-class R&D." It's enough to make you gag.
They even admit they expect "dilution in 2026 of $0.15 to Adjusted Earnings Per Share (EPS) due to short-term financing and a non-recurring charge related to the equity awards for Halda employees upon closing." So, basically, they're telling us it'll cost them a bit upfront, but they're banking on raking in the dough later. Offcourse, they are.
But wait, are we really supposed to just take their word for it? The company that knowingly sold baby powder laced with asbestos is now our savior in the fight against cancer? I'm supposed to believe this?
And what about Halda’s other RIPTAC™ programs? Breast, lung, other tumors…it all sounds too good to be true, doesn't it? What are the actual details? What are the long-term side effects? What's the real success rate? Nobody seems to be asking those questions.
It's always about the money. Always. This isn't about curing cancer; it's about controlling the market. J&J is betting big that Halda's technology will give them a leg up in the cutthroat world of oncology. And honestly, I ain't holding my breath waiting for them to suddenly develop a conscience.
