Mixed Data For Bluebird's LentiGlobin, But Conditional Approval On The Cards

Over the last week bluebird bio has reported first interim Phase III data from the Northstar-2 trial of blood disease drug LentiGlobin and announced a public offering of $350m of common stock.

Blood sample
Bluebird looks towards 2017 EU conditional approval for LentiGlobin as beta-thalassemia gene therapy • Source: Shutterstock

Gene therapy specialist bluebird bio Inc. has reported early Phase III data for LentiGlobin (lentiviral beta-globin gene transfer) in patients with transfusion-dependent beta-thalassemia (TDT) that have split analysts' opinions.

Despite mixed figures from the first three patients treated in the Northstar-2 trial, the results have demonstrated that bluebird's improved manufacturing process can address patient-to-patient treatment variability issues.

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