Gene Therapy: Page 5


  • An illustration of immune cells attacking a tumor.
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    First-of-its-kind cell therapy approved by FDA for rare soft tissue cancer

    Adaptimmune’s Tecelra is the first TCR cell therapy to reach market and, at $727,000, is also the priciest cellular medicine for cancer in the U.S.

    By Aug. 2, 2024
  • Employees of biotechnology company UniQure work in a laboratory.
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    Courtesy of UniQure
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    UniQure restructuring to claim 300 jobs

    The job cuts affect 65% of UniQure’s workforce and include the gene therapy developer’s recent sale of a manufacturing plant to Genezen.

    By Aug. 1, 2024
  • Trendline

    Gene Therapy

    Rapid scientific advances have put the gene therapy field at the forefront of biomedical research. But, as recent setbacks have shown, researchers and drugmakers still face major challenges. 

    By BioPharma Dive staff
  • James Wilson of the University of Pennsylvania
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    Permission granted by University of Pennsylvania
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    Jim Wilson, prominent gene therapy researcher, to depart UPenn

    Wilson, who founded UPenn’s gene therapy program three decades ago, will step down to start two new spinouts, Gemma Bio and Franklin Biolabs.

    By Ned Pagliarulo • Aug. 1, 2024
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    Permission granted by AIRNA
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    Biotech startup Airna raises $60M for RNA editing medicines

    Launched last September, the company is working on a treatment for alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency, which it said could enter the clinic in 2025.

    By July 31, 2024
  • People pass an office building with signage spelling Pfizer in New York City.
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    Pfizer quits Duchenne gene therapy, lays off staff following study setback

    The company is letting go of 150 staffers alongside a decision to officially terminate the high-profile program, which was acquired in 2016.

    By July 30, 2024
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    Pfizer says hemophilia gene therapy meets late-stage study goal

    While the study results were positive, questions remain about the longer-term potential of hemophilia treatments like Pfizer’s.

    By Kristin Jensen • July 24, 2024
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    Permission granted by Bluebird bio
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    US government declines to clear Bluebird fertility support for Zynteglo patients

    The Health and Human Services' inspector general issued a "negative opinion" on Bluebird's request one week after Vertex sued the federal government over access to fertility preservation services.

    By Ned Pagliarulo • July 22, 2024
  • Glycoproteins are proteins that have one or more sugar molecules, called oligosaccharides, covalently attached to them
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    Permission granted by InterVenn Biosciences
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    Sponsored by InterVenn Biosciences

    Breakthroughs in immunotherapy: glycoproteins as predictive biomarkers for therapeutic response

    Serum-based glycoproteins demonstrate success in predicting immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy outcomes.

    July 22, 2024
  • 3D Rendering of a Natural Killer Cell (NK Cell) destroying a cancer cell.
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    Immune reset

    Artiva prices $167M IPO, riding optimism for autoimmune cell therapy

    The offering comes days after the publication of a paper showing what analysts said was early proof that “off-the-shelf” cell therapies can treat inflammatory diseases.

    By July 18, 2024
  • The Vertex Pharmaceuticals building in daylight on the Boston Seaport.
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    Courtesy of Vertex Pharmaceuticals
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    Vertex taps Orum to hunt for better ‘preconditioning’ drugs

    The deal gives Vertex rights to use Orum’s ADC-like technology to discover gentler preparatory regimens for patients receiving intensive treatments like Casgevy.

    By July 16, 2024
  • A photo of Vertex Pharmaceuticals' Boston headquarters.
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    Courtesy of Vertex Pharmaceuticals
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    Vertex sues US over limits on providing fertility services to Casgevy patients

    In the suit, Vertex argues HHS’ stance forces a “Hobson’s choice” on people with sickle cell seeking to undergo the potentially curative treatment.

    By Ned Pagliarulo • Updated July 16, 2024
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    Lexeo gene therapy shows signs of heart benefit in small study

    The biotech, which went public late last year, argued the results justify exploring an accelerated approval. But shares fell by double digits amid investor skepticism.

    By July 15, 2024
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    UniQure stock surges on data for Huntington’s gene therapy

    The biotech’s stock rose more than 60% as fresh data appeared to alleviate some investor concerns about the therapy’s effectiveness and reliability.

    By July 9, 2024
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    Immune reset

    Cartesian data add to progress, questions for CAR-T in autoimmune disease

    The company claimed Phase 2 study results prove the therapy’s promise treating myasthenia gravis. But shares lost more than a quarter of their value amid questions about the data.

    By July 2, 2024
  • Employees of biotechnology company UniQure work in a laboratory.
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    Courtesy of UniQure
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    UniQure, with sale of plant, outsources Hemgenix manufacturing

    The gene therapy developer, which cut jobs in October, expects the sale of a Lexington, Massachusetts, facility to Genezen to lower its cash burn.

    By Ned Pagliarulo • July 1, 2024
  • 3D Rendering of a Natural Killer Cell (NK Cell) destroying a cancer cell.
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    Getty Images
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    With revised IPO pitch, Artiva touts ‘natural killer’ cell therapy for autoimmune disease

    Like many of its cell therapy peers, Artiva, which originally sought an IPO in 2021, has shifted its strategy to ride a wave of investor interest in autoimmune disease research.

    By July 1, 2024
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    Sponsored by Bio-Rad

    Are you meeting safety standards for residual host cell DNA?

    Ensure the safety of gene therapies with accurate HEK293 DNA measurement using Vericheck ddPCR kits.

    July 1, 2024
  • FDA headquarters with sign in foreground
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    Sarah Silbiger via Getty Images
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    Rocket gene therapy rejected by FDA over manufacturing

    The complete response letter follows other recent manufacturing-related rejections, including one for a cell therapy from Abeona Therapeutics.

    By Ned Pagliarulo • June 28, 2024
  • An illustration of CRISPR-cas9 gene editing
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    del Aguila III, Ernesto. (2018). "CRISPR Cas9" [Illustration]. Retrieved from Flickr.
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    First-of-its-kind Intellia data suggest CRISPR drug could be given more than once

    The findings provide early proof that multiple doses of a gene editing medicine can be safely administered with additive effects, overcoming a key constraint of the complex therapies.  

    By June 26, 2024
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    Exsilio debuts with $82M, pitching a ‘leap’ forward for genetic medicine

    The company claims it can address some of the field’s limitations with medicines delivered via messenger RNA and lipid nanoparticles.

    By June 25, 2024
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    Permission granted by Accredo
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    Sponsored by Accredo by Evernorth

    The role of a specialty pharmacy in enhancing patient access to rare and gene therapies

    Four critical components in which the right specialty pharmacy partner can bring rare and gene therapy manufacturers the scale, expertise and capabilities needed to drive enhanced patient access.

    June 24, 2024
  • A photograph of a Sarepta building in Boston, MA
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    Courtesy of Sarepta
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    Sarepta Duchenne gene therapy wins broader use from FDA

    The approval makes Elevidys available to most Duchenne patients at least 4 years of age, despite mixed trial results that have led to skepticism about its effectiveness. 

    By Updated June 21, 2024
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    Syncona melds two gene therapy biotechs for better shot at new nervous system treatments

    The new company, Spur Therapeutics, is getting another $50 million from Syncona to support its broadened pipeline, which targets Parkinson’s disease as well as heart conditions.

    By June 17, 2024
  • An illustration of necrotic muscle fiber in Duchenne muscular dystrophy.
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    Pfizer setback brings questions for Duchenne gene therapy ahead of Sarepta decision

    The failure of another trial adds to uncertainty around the benefits of the gene-based treatments, though industry analysts still expect Sarepta’s Elevidys’ to be unaffected.

    By June 13, 2024
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    Can robots break the cell therapy bottleneck?

    A partnership between cell therapy delivery specialist Portal Biotechnologies and precision robotics maker Multiply Labs could address manufacturing hurdles, the CEOs said.

    By Michael Gibney • May 29, 2024