As part of my 2014 predictions, I argued gene therapy would get hot and investor interest would turn toward the monogenic programs at Sangamo Biosciences (SGMO). The partnership announced on Jan. 9 between Biogen Idec (BIIB) and Sangamo confirmed my prediction to a certain extent, albeit sooner in the year than I expected. <\/p>\n
Let's discuss what the Biogen partnership means for Sangamo moving forward, and discuss the implications for other gene therapy stocks like Bluebird (BLUE) and Acceleron (XLRN)? <\/p>\n
The partnership covers two Sangamo programs: sickle cell disease (SCD) and beta-thalassemia (BT). Sangamo will receive a $20 million upfront payment and is eligible for just about $300 million in future milestones. While it is not explicitly stated, $15 million of those milestones appear to be related to the start of a phase I trial. Sangamo will receive double-digit royalties on sales and retains the right to co-promote in the U.S., assuming drug approval, of course. <\/p>\n
Summed up, the new partnership is a nice entry into the gene therapy business for Biogen and continued validation of the Sangamo monogenic disease pipeline. <\/p>\n
Sobek has no position in any stocks mentioned in this column. <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
View post:<\/p>\n
The State of Gene Therapy in a Biogen Idec World: Sangamo, Bluebird and Acceleron<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" As part of my 2014 predictions, I argued gene therapy would get hot and investor interest would turn toward the monogenic programs at Sangamo Biosciences (SGMO). The partnership announced on Jan. 9 between Biogen Idec (BIIB) and Sangamo confirmed my prediction to a certain extent, albeit sooner in the year than I expected. Continue reading