StemCell Therapy

BOSTON and LONDON, Nov. 24, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Orchard Therapeutics (Nasdaq: ORTX), a global gene therapy leader, today announced that its chief executive officer, Bobby Gaspar, M.D., Ph.D. will participate in a pre-recorded fireside chat as part of the Piper Sandler 32nd Annual Virtual Healthcare Conference. Management will also be available for one-on-one meetings on Tuesday, December 1, 2020.

The fireside chat is available for on-demand viewing under "Events" in the Investors & Media section of the company's website at http://www.orchard-tx.com and will remain available for approximately 90 days.

About Orchard

Orchard Therapeutics is a global gene therapy leader dedicated to transforming the lives of people affected by rare diseases through the development of innovative, potentially curative gene therapies. Our ex vivo autologous gene therapy approach harnesses the power of genetically modified blood stem cells and seeks to correct the underlying cause of disease in a single administration. In 2018, Orchard acquired GSKs rare disease gene therapy portfolio, which originated from a pioneering collaboration between GSK and the San Raffaele Telethon Institute for Gene Therapy in Milan, Italy. Orchard now has one of the deepest and most advanced gene therapy product candidate pipelines in the industry spanning multiple therapeutic areas where the disease burden on children, families and caregivers is immense and current treatment options are limited or do not exist.

Orchard has its global headquarters in London and U.S. headquarters in Boston. For more information, please visit http://www.orchard-tx.com, and follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn.

Availability of Other Information About Orchard

Investors and others should note that Orchard communicates with its investors and the public using the company website (www.orchard-tx.com), the investor relations website (ir.orchard-tx.com), and on social media (TwitterandLinkedIn), including but not limited to investor presentations and investor fact sheets,U.S. Securities and Exchange Commissionfilings, press releases, public conference calls and webcasts. The information that Orchard posts on these channels and websites could be deemed to be material information. As a result, Orchard encourages investors, the media, and others interested in Orchard to review the information that is posted on these channels, including the investor relations website, on a regular basis. This list of channels may be updated from time to time on Orchards investor relations website and may include additional social media channels. The contents of Orchards website or these channels, or any other website that may be accessed from its website or these channels, shall not be deemed incorporated by reference in any filing under the Securities Act of 1933.

Contacts

Investors

Renee LeckDirector, Investor Relations+1 862-242-0764Renee.Leck@orchard-tx.com

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Orchard Therapeutics to Present at Piper Sandler 32nd Annual Virtual Healthcare Conference - GlobeNewswire

Bridging the gap: SYNGAP1 protein is located mostly at synapses, the junctions between neurons (green).

Spectrum is covering the 2020 International SYNGAP1 Scientific Conference, which took place virtually because of the coronavirus pandemic. Here were highlighting researchers reactions to noteworthy presentations.

Drug test: A new assay allows researchers to test thousands of candidate drugs for their ability to boost expression of the autism gene SYNGAP1. The tool may help researchers identify and screen potential treatments for people with mutations that silence the gene. Gavin Rumbaugh, professor of neuroscience at Scripps Research in Jupiter, Florida, presented the unpublished results on 18 November.

The assay uses neurons from mice with one intact and one mutated copy of SYNGAP1. The researchers genetically engineer the mice so that SYNGAP1 protein made from the intact copy is tagged with luciferase the enzyme that gives fireflies their glow.

They then grow these neurons in tiny wells and add a different candidate drug to each well. The amount of SYNGAP1 protein in the dish gives a proportionate amount of light in your well, Rumbaugh says.

Rumbaugh and his team plan to use the platform to run through more than 100,000 different experimental compounds in 2021, he says.

Thats going to be really exciting for drug discovery efforts for SYNGAP1. I think thats going to be a game changer, says Karun Singh, senior scientist at the University Health Network in Toronto, Canada, who was not involved in the work.

It will be very exciting to see if they are able to uncover any useful hits with their novel approach, says Helen Bateup, associate professor of neurobiology at the University of California, Berkeley, who was not involved in the work.

Treatment across ages: A leading theory of autism is that the condition is characterized by a signaling imbalance: too much excitation or too little inhibition in the brain. One of the key players in creating this imbalance is thought to be inhibitory interneurons, which employ the neurotransmitter gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA). And mutations to SYNGAP1 may disrupt GABAs function, said James Clement, assistant professor of neuroscience at the Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research in Bangalore, India, in a presentation on 18 November.

GABA is excitatory early on in brain development and inhibitory later on a switch that seems to be impaired in mice with SYNGAP1 mutations, he says. He and his team have tested a new compound that restores the GABA switch in mice and eases almost all SYNGAP1-related traits including seizures, learning issues and motor impairment in the mice. It works in newborn and adolescent mice. Due to a pending patent application, Clement and his lab are not revealing the compounds name.

I think its important to test efficacy at multiple ages, as they have done, to understand which phenotypes or problems can be improved with early treatment and which might still be responsive to treatment even if its administered later in life, says Bateup, who was not involved in the work. The idea that GABA may remain depolarizing for longer in SYNGAP1 mutant mice is quite interesting.

Clements lab was the only other lab that was presenting at this meeting that presented data from a very early age, says Shilpa Kadam, associate professor of neurology at the Kennedy Krieger Institute in Baltimore, Maryland, who was not involved in the work.

Motor coordination: For mice, the loss of SYNGAP1 function in the striatum impairs their goal-directed learning and seems to lead to inflexible behavior, Bateup said in a presentation on 18 November.

Helen Bateups work looking at striatal function as it relates to motor coordination and motor learning is also pretty exciting and may shed light not only on the motor-coordination difficulties but also the repetitive or habitual motor behaviors, says Constance Smith-Hicks, child neurologist and research scientist at the Kennedy Krieger Institute, who was not involved in the work.

Bateups presentation also demonstrated that SYNGAP1 deletion seems to affect neurons differently depending on which type of dopamine receptor they express.

We know SYNGAP1 is at most excitatory synapses, so why shes seeing some functional effects in one type of cell and not the other, I find that interesting, says Richard Huganir, professor of neuroscience and psychological and brain sciences at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland, who was not involved in the work.

Its exciting to be able to kind of pinpoint which pathway might be involved and get a better understanding of the circuits that are disrupted, says Singh, who was not involved in the work.

Protein levels: People with a nonfunctional copy of SYNGAP1 have about half the typical amount of SYNGAP1 protein. Increasing the activity of the intact copy of the gene could help restore typical functioning, Huganir said in a presentation on 18 November.

He and his team tested this idea on two unique mouse models in unpublished work. Instead ofhaving one intact and one missing copyof the SYNGAP1 gene, as is typical for SYNGAP1 mouse models, each mouse model carriesone intact copy of the gene and one with a mutation seen in people. Both mice produce about half the typical amount of SYNGAP1 protein and show the same behaviors as the classical knockout mouse, despite having different types of mutations.

These new mouse models are crucial because they can directly correlate to what is happening in the humans, says Clement, who was not involved in the work.

Huganir and his team are testing different types of gene therapies to increase SYNGAP1 protein up to the typical levels, and have found that there are two SYNGAP1 protein isoforms, or slight variations of the protein.

One of the isoforms can restore synaptic plasticity in the animal model for SYNGAP1, so I think thats really exciting because even though theres multiple isoforms, it seems that one might be more important from a gene therapy point of view, says Singh, who was not involved in the work. Its pretty exciting to have a specific target now.

Read more reports from the2020 International SYNGAP1 Scientific Conference.

Link:
Reactions from the 2020 SYNGAP1 Scientific Conference - Spectrum

George Church and his graduate students have spent the last decade seeding startups on the razors edge between biology and science fiction: gene therapy to prevent aging, CRISPRed pigs that can be used to harvest organs for transplant, and home kits to test your poop for healthy or unhealthy bacteria. (OK, maybe theyre not allon that razors edge.)

But now a new spinout from the Department of Genetics second floor is tackling a far humbler problem one that major company after major company has stumbled over as they tried to get cures for rare diseases and other gene therapies into the clinic and past regulators: How the hell do you build these?

Theres a lot happening for new therapies but not enough attention around this problem, Lex Rovner, who was a post-doc at Churchs lab from 2015 to 2018, told Endpoints News. And if we dont figure out how to fix this, many of these therapies wont even reach patients.

This week, with Church and a couple other prominent scientists as co-founders, Rovner launched 64x Bio to tackle one key part of the manufacturing bottleneck. They wont be looking to retrofit plants or build gene therapy factories, as Big Pharma and big biotech are now spending billions to do. Instead, with $4.5 million in seed cash, they will try to engineer the individual cells that churn out a critical component of the therapies.

The goal is to build cells that are fine-tuned to do nothing but spit out the viral vectors that researchers and drug developers use to shuttle gene therapies into the body. Different vectors have different demands; 64x Bio will look to make efficient cellular factories for each.

While a few general ways to increase vector production may exist, each unique vector serotype and payload poses a specific challenge, Church said in an emailed statement. Our platform enables us to fine tune custom solutions for these distinct combinations that are particularly hard to overcome.

Before joining Churchs lab, Rovner did her graduate work at Yale, where she studied how to engineer bacteria to produce new kinds of protein for drugs or other purposes. And after leaving Churchs lab in 2018, she initially set out to build a manufacturing startup with a broad focus.

Yet as she spoke with hundreds of biotech executives on LinkedIn and in coffee shops around Cambridge, the same issue kept popping up: They liked their gene therapy technology in the lab but they didnt know how to scale it up.

Everyone kept saying the same thing, Rovner said. We basically realized theres this huge problem.

The issue would soon make headlines in industry publications: bluebird delaying the launch of Zynteglo, Novartis delaying the launch of Zolgensma in the EU, Axovant delaying the start of their Tay-Sachs trial.

Part of the problem, Rovner said, is that gene therapies are delivered on viral vectors. You can build these vectors in mammalian cell lines by feeding them a small circular strand of DNA called a plasmid. The problem is that mammalian cells have, over billions of years, evolved tools and defenses precisely to avoid making viruses. (Lest the mammal they live in die of infection).

There are genetic mutations that can turn off some of the internal defenses and unleash a cells ability to produce virus, but theyre rare and hard to find. Other platforms, Rovner said, try to find these mutations by using CRISPR to knock out genes in different cells and then screening each of them individually, a process that can require hundreds of thousands of different 100-well plates, with each well containing a different group of mutant cells.

Its just not practical, and so these platforms never find the cells, Rovner said.

64x Bio will try to find them by building a library of millions of mutant mammalian cells and then using a molecular barcoding technique to screen those cells in a single pool. The technique, Rovner said, lets them trace how much vector any given cell produces, allowing researchers to quickly identify super-producing cells and their mutations.

The technology was developed partially in-house but draws from IP at Harvard and the Wyss Institute. Harvards Pam Silver and Wysss Jeffrey Way are co-founders.

The company is now based in SoMa in San Francisco. With the seed cash from Fifty Years, Refactor and First Round Capital, Rovner is recruiting and looking to raise a Series A. Theyre in talks with pharma and biotech partners, while they try to validate the first preclinical and clinical applications.

Gene therapy is one focus, but Rovner said the platform works for anything that involves viral vector, including vaccines and oncolytic viruses. You just have to find the right mutation.

Its the rare cell youre looking for, she said.

Read more from the original source:
George Church backs a startup solution to the massive gene therapy manufacturing bottleneck - Endpoints News

Avrobio has shared data on the first Gaucher disease patient to receive its gene therapy AVR-RD-02. The patient, who was stable on enzyme replacement therapy at baseline, experienced a 22% drop in a toxic metabolite after receiving AVR-RD-02 and stopping taking the standard of care.

Gaucher, like the Fabry disease targeted by Avrobios lead prospect, is currently treated using enzyme replacement therapies sold by Sanofi and Takeda, which entered the market through its takeover of Shire. However, a significant minority of patients experience physical limitations despite treatment. Negative outcomes include bone pain and spleen enlargement. Johnson & Johnsons Zavesca offers an oral alternative, but there remain unmet medical needs.

Avrobio is developing AVR-RD-02 to address those needs. The data shared as part of Avrobios R&D day mark the start of the effort to show AVR-RD-02 performs as hoped in the clinic.

Start using real-world data to advance your clinical research

Much has been written about the promise of real-world data (RWD) in life sciences, but how does it work in practice? We address this question in a new whitepaper that demonstrates the potential benefits of new RWD technologies with a proof of concept study to show how RWD can be incorporated into clinical research.

The first patient to receive AVR-RD-02 discontinued enzyme replacement therapy one month before taking the gene therapy. Three months after receiving the gene therapy, levels of Gaucher biomarker lyso-Gb1 had fallen 22%. The patients level of plasma chitotriosidase, a biomarker of cells associated with severe organ damage, was down 17%. Hemoglobin and platelets were in the normal range.

AVR-RD-02 triggered those changes without causing serious adverse events. The data drop offers an early indication that Avrobio may be able to improve outcomes by harvesting hematopoietic stem cells, adding a gene that encodes for glucocerebrosidase and reinfusing the cells back into the same patient. With enzyme replacement therapies costing healthcare systems up to $400,000 a year per patient, there is scope for AVR-RD-02 to cut the cost of treating Gaucher disease.

Avrobio shared the early look at clinical data on AVR-RD-02 alongside updates about other assets. There is now more than three years of data on some Fabry patients treated with Avrobios lead asset, putting the company in a position to plot a path to accelerated approval. Avrobio plans to submit its briefing book to the FDA by the end of the year to align on an accelerated approval strategy.

The update also covered cystinosis candidate AVR-RD-04. The first patient to receive the candidate is off oral and eye drop cysteamine 12 months after receiving the gene therapy. The number of crystals in the patients skin are down 56%, leading Avrobio to posit they may have gained the ability to make their own functional cystinosin protein.

The rest is here:
Avrobio tracks improvements in first patient treated with Gaucher gene therapy - FierceBiotech

Once wary of inking deals around gene therapy, Eli Lilly is jumping headfirst into developing treatments that edit genes within the body. Its teaming up with cell and gene therapy biotech Precision BioSciences to develop in vivo gene therapies for three gene targets, starting with Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

Lilly is forking over $100 million upfront and investing $35 million in Precision BioSciences, but its on the hook for up to $420 million in development and commercialization milestones per product it takes forward. Under the deal, Precision will lead preclinical research and IND-enabling studies and pass the baton to Lilly for clinical development and commercialization.

RELATED: Gilead axes $445M Precision BioSciences gene therapy hep B pact

Start using real-world data to advance your clinical research

Much has been written about the promise of real-world data (RWD) in life sciences, but how does it work in practice? We address this question in a new whitepaper that demonstrates the potential benefits of new RWD technologies with a proof of concept study to show how RWD can be incorporated into clinical research.

Beyond Duchenne, the duo did not disclose the targets of the deal. Precisions stock jumped 10% on the news when the market opened Friday. The partnership is a boost for Precision, which lost Gilead Sciences as a partner in July when the company pulled the plug on a hepatitis B collaboration worth up to $445 million.

Lilly started 2019 with an $8 billion takeover of Loxo Oncology, signaling an appetite for new cancer drugsan area in which the company had been late to the game, CEO David Ricks told Reuters at the time. It would stay away from the fields of CAR-T and gene therapy, though, because, in their current iteration, they dont reach a lot of patients.

Almost everything I am aware of is single gene edit defects, which ultimately leads you to pretty ultra-rare conditions, which are not our area of interest, Ricks told Reuters.

Since then, the Indianapolis-based pharma has changed its tune.

RELATED: Off-the-shelf CAR-T and gene-editing player Precision Bio files $100M IPO

"This collaboration with Precision BioSciences represents another milestone in the realization of our vision to create medicines with transformational potential, using new therapeutic modalities such as gene editing to tackle targets and indications which were previously undruggable, said Andrew Adams, Ph.D., vice president of new therapeutic modalities at Eli Lilly, in a statement Friday.

Lilly and Precision will use the latters ARCUS genome editing platform to develop new gene therapies. The technology is based on a natural enzyme called a homing endonuclease that can insert or delete a piece of DNA before shutting itself off using a built-in safety switch. The switch is designed to prevent unwanted, off-target edits elsewhere in the genome.

Duchenne is caused by mutations in the dystrophin gene that stop it from producing a protein of the same name. Without it, muscle fibers, including those in the heart, eventually weaken and die.

Sarepta markets two drugs for Duchenne muscular dystrophy, Exondys 51 and Vyondys 53, for patients whose disease is amenable to skipping exons 51 and 53, respectively. Together, the drugs work for about one-fifth of patients with the disease. A gene therapy that addresses the dystrophin mutation could reach many more patients.

RELATED: Pfizer's DMD gene therapy looks good in data refresh, but safety concerns persist

Pfizer is working on a gene therapy for Duchenne, while Sarepta is working on a micro-dystrophin gene therapy using a truncated version of dystrophin. Ultragenyx recently jumped into the fray, teaming up with Solid Biosciences on gene therapies for Duchenne and other muscular dystrophies stemming from a lack of the dystrophin protein.

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Lilly, Precision Biosciences team up on Duchenne gene therapy in $135M deal - FierceBiotech

Just over a year after its first phase 3 trial of its Engensis gene therapy for painful diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) bombed, Helixmith has started dosing patients in a new study.

The South Korean biotech says the DNA plasmid-based therapy has been administered to a patient at Innovative Research of West Florida. The aim is to enrol 152 DPN patients at 15 clinical sites across the US in the study, called REGAiN-1A.

Helixmith has previously suggested that if positive, the new study could support marketing applications for Engensis. It is due to generate results in December 2021, which could lead to filings in 2022.

While most gene therapies in late-stage development target rare diseases, DPN is a relatively common condition and is likely to become even more prevalent as diabetes is becoming more common around the world. It has a lifetime prevalence of around 50% in people with diabetes, with around half of these having pain.

In DPN, prolonged exposure to higher than normal blood sugar levels damages nerves, most commonly in the legs and feet but also in the arms and hands.

At the moment treatment is limited to drugs like gabapentin and pregabalin, which are only palliative and dont tackle the underlying cause of the condition.

Engensis also known as VM202 is a DNA plasmid-based gene therapy that is administered as an intramuscular injection into the calves, delivering a gene coding for human hepatocyte growth factor (HGF).

The hope is that delivery of Engensis to the lower limbs might promote nerve system regeneration and alleviate the pain that often accompanies DPN, whilst also promoting blood vessel growth in the extremities.

In its first 500-patient phase 3 trial, called DPN 3-1, Engensis was no better than placebo at reducing pain scores over the first 90 days of the trial. However Helixmith (formerly known as ViroMed) said that was due to a major mix-up in the study protocol, which undermined the results.

Analysis of samples taken from patients in the placebo group found traces of the VM202 plasmid, suggesting that clinicians may have inadvertently administered the gene therapy to the control group.

There was also a wide variation in the amount of plasmid DNA among the treatment group, which might suggest inaccuracies in the administration of the gene therapy. On the plus side, safety results were in keeping with a benign profile seen in earlier-stage clinical trials.

Helixmith then started a phase 3 extension study in 101 subjects from DPN 3-1 conducted under a separate protocol to look at long-term safety and efficacy at 12 months.

That backed up the safety data for the therapy, and also found significant pain reductions compared to placebo after six, nine and 12 months, as well as a trend towards reduced pain at three months.

The primary measure in REGAiN-1A will be a comparison of the average daily pain scores from seven days prior to the first injection, to seven days prior to the six-month visit between both the Engensis and placebo groups.

Secondary efficacy measures include pain reduction at six months compared to placebo, as well as the proportion of patients experiencing a 50% reduction in pain at six months. The therapy will be administered by injection into the calf at day zero, 14, 90 and 104.

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Helixmith starts new trial of diabetic neuropathy gene therapy - - pharmaphorum

New York, Nov. 19, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report "Global Gene Therapy Industry" - https://www.reportlinker.com/p05817594/?utm_source=GNW 6% in the year 2020 and thereafter recover and grow to reach US$3.3 billion by the year 2027, trailing a post COVID-19 CAGR of 19.5% over the analysis period 2020 through 2027. Governments worldwide are focusing all healthcare resources on fighting the global pandemic. Billions of dollars have poured into researching COVID-19 drugs, therapies and vaccines. Over US$8 billion globally excluding the U.S. has been pledged only for vaccine development. The U.S. has independently pumped billions of dollars into COVID-19 research and response. The massive reallocation of funds and reprioritization of efforts has left a glaring gap in other sectors of healthcare. Gene therapy which holds promise for treating cancer, cystic fibrosis, heart disease, diabetes, hemophilia & AIDS, is slumping due to lack of research funds & reduced footfall of patients seeking treatment. Given the complex and fragile manufacturing and delivery system along with funding models of the industry, COVID-19 has emerged as a black swan event. Various players still find it challenging to ensure timely delivery of gene therapy to patients and clinical sites. There are concerns regarding administration of cell and gene therapies. The chances of virus transmission, mainly to people in the high-risk group, coerced hospitals to delay or cancel appointments. In addition, travel restrictions and stay-at-home orders discouraged patients from visiting to treatment centres. Treatments intended to be delivered into ICUs are being impacted by bed reservations made for patients with COVID-19 infection.

R&D and preclinical activities are also affected by supply shortages as a result of strong demand for consumables like reagents and PPE from COVID-19 laboratories. The clinical development segment suffered the most due to concerns regarding recruitment of patients and suspension of trial enrolments for protecting participants from the risk of infection. These issues are delaying activation of new sites, prompting players to postpone new clinical trials. However, the intensity of disruptions for cell and gene therapy trials was less in comparison to the pharmaceutical industry due to association of the former with rare and serious medical conditions, enabling participants to continue trials. While companies targeting paediatric diseases suspended trials, others dealing with oncology maintained the pace. COVID-19 has also impacted patient assessment and has made it difficult for companies to perform follow-up evaluations for trial participants. These issues are attributed to confluence of various factors like travel ban, withdrawal of several services from healthcare sites and the risk of virus transmission. In addition, these disruptions are anticipated to threaten existence of certain cell and gene therapy companies, particularly small-scale biotech players that are in pre-commercial phase and rely on external funding. As governments, stakeholders, pharmaceutical companies and venture capitalists invest in these players on the basis of research milestones, pipeline progress and data readouts, ability of these companies to secure future funding will also be affected.

In the post COVID-19 period, growth will be led by therapy indications in the field of oncology. Gene therapies hold promise to improve the condition of patients where traditional cancer treatments such as radiation and chemotherapy are not effective. Blood and lymphatic cancers hold huge potential as gene therapies can manipulate the genetic information to target the cancerous proteins, thereby enabling the body to fight against the cancers. Oncology will remain the key area of focus for gene therapy applications. Cancer therapies represent the leading category, as is gauged through robust rise in the number of molecules being tested across numerous clinical trials. Novartis which recently bagged the U.S. FDA approval for Kymriah, a gene therapy designed for the treatment of hematological cancer, is seeking to gain commercial approval in established and emerging countries. Similarly, Kite Pharma, the developer of YESCARTA, the first CAR T-cell therapy approved for certain types of non-Hodgkin lymphoma in adults, has formed a separate team to provide end-to-end support for its Yescarta customers including hospitals and clinics. Such efforts by developers would augment the use case of gene therapies in treatment of large B-cell lymphoma and acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), the high potential cancer treatment verticals. More developmental focus will also be shed on monogenic rare diseases which have clearer genomic targets and the unmet need in smaller patient populations. Majority gene therapies so far have come to market through accelerated review pathways of regulatory authorities. In the year 2018 alone, over 150 applications for investigational new drugs for gene therapies were filed. In the coming years, there will be significant improvement in the number of approvals for new gene therapies. The growth is anticipated to emerge from different modalities including RNAi, ASOs and CRISPR gene editing based therapeutics which offer long term opportunities for growth. These technologies are generating much excitement for investors.

Competitors identified in this market include, among others,

Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p05817594/?utm_source=GNW

I. INTRODUCTION, METHODOLOGY & REPORT SCOPE I-1

II. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY II-1

1. MARKET OVERVIEW II-1 A Prelude to Gene Therapy II-1 Classification of Gene Therapies II-1 Impact of Covid-19 and a Looming Global Recession II-2 COVID-19 Causes Gene Therapy Market to Buckle & Collapse II-2 COVID-19 Impact on Different Aspects of Gene Therapy II-2 Manufacturing & Delivery II-2 Research & Clinical Development II-3 Commercial Operations & Access II-3 Managing Derailed Operations II-4 Focus on Clinical Development Programs II-4 Targeting Manufacturing & Delivery Strategies II-4 Securing Supplies II-4 Remote Working II-4 Gene Therapy Set to Witness Rapid Growth Post COVID-19 II-5 By Vector Type II-5 VIRAL VECTORS ACCOUNT FOR A MAJOR SHARE OF THE MARKET II-5 Adeno-Associated Virus Vectors II-6 Lentivirus II-6 NON-VIRAL VECTORS TO WITNESS FASTER GROWTH II-7 US and Europe Dominate the Gene Therapy Market II-8 Oncology Represents the Largest Indication for Gene Therapy II-9 Market Outlook II-9 WORLD BRANDS II-10

2. FOCUS ON SELECT PLAYERS II-16 Recent Market Activity II-18 Select Innovations II-24

3. MARKET TRENDS & DRIVERS II-25 Availability of Novel Therapies Drive Market Growth II-25 Select Approved Gene Therapy Products II-26 Adeno-associated Virus Vectors - A Leading Platform for Gene Therapy II-27 Lentiviral Vectors Witness Increased Interest II-27 Rising Cancer Incidence Worldwide Spurs Demand for Gene Therapy II-28 Exhibit 1: Global Cancer Incidence: Number of New Cancer Cases in Million for the Years 2018, 2020, 2025, 2030, 2035 and 2040 II-28 Exhibit 2: Global Number of New Cancer Cases and Cancer-related Deaths by Cancer Site for 2018 II-29 Exhibit 3: Number of New Cancer Cases and Deaths (in Million) by Region for 2018 II-30 Compelling Level of Technology & Innovation to Ignite Gene Therapy II-30 Promising Gene Therapy Innovations for Treatment of Inherited Retinal Diseases II-31 Gene Therapy Pivots M&A Activity in Dynamic Domain of Genomic Medicine II-31 M&As Rampant in Gene Therapy Space II-31 Gene Therapy Deals: 2018 and 2019 II-32 Emphasis on Formulating Robust Regulatory Framework II-33 Strong Gene Therapy Pipeline II-33 Gene Therapy: Phase III Clinical Trials II-33 OHSU Implements First-Ever LCA10 Gene Therapy Clinical Trial with CRISPR II-35 Growing Funding for Gene Therapy Research II-35 Market Issues & Challenges II-35

4. GLOBAL MARKET PERSPECTIVE II-37 Table 1: World Current & Future Analysis for Gene Therapy by Geographic Region - USA, Canada, Japan, China, Europe, Asia-Pacific and Rest of World Markets - Independent Analysis of Annual Sales in US$ Thousand for Years 2020 through 2027 II-37

Table 2: World Historic Review for Gene Therapy by Geographic Region - USA, Canada, Japan, China, Europe, Asia-Pacific and Rest of World Markets - Independent Analysis of Annual Sales in US$ Thousand for Years 2017 through 2019 II-38

Table 3: World 10-Year Perspective for Gene Therapy by Geographic Region - Percentage Breakdown of Value Sales for USA, Canada, Japan, China, Europe, Asia-Pacific and Rest of World Markets for Years 2017, 2020 & 2027 II-39

Table 4: World Current & Future Analysis for Viral by Geographic Region - USA, Canada, Japan, China, Europe, Asia-Pacific and Rest of World Markets - Independent Analysis of Annual Sales in US$ Thousand for Years 2020 through 2027 II-40

Table 5: World Historic Review for Viral by Geographic Region - USA, Canada, Japan, China, Europe, Asia-Pacific and Rest of World Markets - Independent Analysis of Annual Sales in US$ Thousand for Years 2017 through 2019 II-41

Table 6: World 10-Year Perspective for Viral by Geographic Region - Percentage Breakdown of Value Sales for USA, Canada, Japan, China, Europe, Asia-Pacific and Rest of World for Years 2017, 2020 & 2027 II-42

Table 7: World Current & Future Analysis for Non-Viral by Geographic Region - USA, Canada, Japan, China, Europe, Asia-Pacific and Rest of World Markets - Independent Analysis of Annual Sales in US$ Thousand for Years 2020 through 2027 II-43

Table 8: World Historic Review for Non-Viral by Geographic Region - USA, Canada, Japan, China, Europe, Asia-Pacific and Rest of World Markets - Independent Analysis of Annual Sales in US$ Thousand for Years 2017 through 2019 II-44

Table 9: World 10-Year Perspective for Non-Viral by Geographic Region - Percentage Breakdown of Value Sales for USA, Canada, Japan, China, Europe, Asia-Pacific and Rest of World for Years 2017, 2020 & 2027 II-45

Table 10: World Current & Future Analysis for Oncological Disorders by Geographic Region - USA, Canada, Japan, China, Europe, Asia-Pacific and Rest of World Markets - Independent Analysis of Annual Sales in US$ Thousand for Years 2020 through 2027 II-46

Table 11: World Historic Review for Oncological Disorders by Geographic Region - USA, Canada, Japan, China, Europe, Asia-Pacific and Rest of World Markets - Independent Analysis of Annual Sales in US$ Thousand for Years 2017 through 2019 II-47

Table 12: World 10-Year Perspective for Oncological Disorders by Geographic Region - Percentage Breakdown of Value Sales for USA, Canada, Japan, China, Europe, Asia-Pacific and Rest of World for Years 2017, 2020 & 2027 II-48

Table 13: World Current & Future Analysis for Rare Diseases by Geographic Region - USA, Canada, Japan, China, Europe, Asia-Pacific and Rest of World Markets - Independent Analysis of Annual Sales in US$ Thousand for Years 2020 through 2027 II-49

Table 14: World Historic Review for Rare Diseases by Geographic Region - USA, Canada, Japan, China, Europe, Asia-Pacific and Rest of World Markets - Independent Analysis of Annual Sales in US$ Thousand for Years 2017 through 2019 II-50

Table 15: World 10-Year Perspective for Rare Diseases by Geographic Region - Percentage Breakdown of Value Sales for USA, Canada, Japan, China, Europe, Asia-Pacific and Rest of World for Years 2017, 2020 & 2027 II-51

Table 16: World Current & Future Analysis for Neurological Disorders by Geographic Region - USA, Canada, Japan, China, Europe, Asia-Pacific and Rest of World Markets - Independent Analysis of Annual Sales in US$ Thousand for Years 2020 through 2027 II-52

Table 17: World Historic Review for Neurological Disorders by Geographic Region - USA, Canada, Japan, China, Europe, Asia-Pacific and Rest of World Markets - Independent Analysis of Annual Sales in US$ Thousand for Years 2017 through 2019 II-53

Table 18: World 10-Year Perspective for Neurological Disorders by Geographic Region - Percentage Breakdown of Value Sales for USA, Canada, Japan, China, Europe, Asia-Pacific and Rest of World for Years 2017, 2020 & 2027 II-54

Table 19: World Current & Future Analysis for Other Applications by Geographic Region - USA, Canada, Japan, China, Europe, Asia-Pacific and Rest of World Markets - Independent Analysis of Annual Sales in US$ Thousand for Years 2020 through 2027 II-55

Table 20: World Historic Review for Other Applications by Geographic Region - USA, Canada, Japan, China, Europe, Asia-Pacific and Rest of World Markets - Independent Analysis of Annual Sales in US$ Thousand for Years 2017 through 2019 II-56

Table 21: World 10-Year Perspective for Other Applications by Geographic Region - Percentage Breakdown of Value Sales for USA, Canada, Japan, China, Europe, Asia-Pacific and Rest of World for Years 2017, 2020 & 2027 II-57

III. MARKET ANALYSIS III-1

GEOGRAPHIC MARKET ANALYSIS III-1

UNITED STATES III-1 Table 22: USA Current & Future Analysis for Gene Therapy by Vector Type - Viral and Non-Viral - Independent Analysis of Annual Sales in US$ Thousand for the Years 2020 through 2027 III-1

Table 23: USA Historic Review for Gene Therapy by Vector Type - Viral and Non-Viral Markets - Independent Analysis of Annual Sales in US$ Thousand for Years 2017 through 2019 III-2

Table 24: USA 10-Year Perspective for Gene Therapy by Vector Type - Percentage Breakdown of Value Sales for Viral and Non-Viral for the Years 2017, 2020 & 2027 III-3

Table 25: USA Current & Future Analysis for Gene Therapy by Application - Oncological Disorders, Rare Diseases, Neurological Disorders and Other Applications - Independent Analysis of Annual Sales in US$ Thousand for the Years 2020 through 2027 III-4

Table 26: USA Historic Review for Gene Therapy by Application - Oncological Disorders, Rare Diseases, Neurological Disorders and Other Applications Markets - Independent Analysis of Annual Sales in US$ Thousand for Years 2017 through 2019 III-5

Table 27: USA 10-Year Perspective for Gene Therapy by Application - Percentage Breakdown of Value Sales for Oncological Disorders, Rare Diseases, Neurological Disorders and Other Applications for the Years 2017, 2020 & 2027 III-6

CANADA III-7 Table 28: Canada Current & Future Analysis for Gene Therapy by Vector Type - Viral and Non-Viral - Independent Analysis of Annual Sales in US$ Thousand for the Years 2020 through 2027 III-7

Table 29: Canada Historic Review for Gene Therapy by Vector Type - Viral and Non-Viral Markets - Independent Analysis of Annual Sales in US$ Thousand for Years 2017 through 2019 III-8

Table 30: Canada 10-Year Perspective for Gene Therapy by Vector Type - Percentage Breakdown of Value Sales for Viral and Non-Viral for the Years 2017, 2020 & 2027 III-9

Table 31: Canada Current & Future Analysis for Gene Therapy by Application - Oncological Disorders, Rare Diseases, Neurological Disorders and Other Applications - Independent Analysis of Annual Sales in US$ Thousand for the Years 2020 through 2027 III-10

Table 32: Canada Historic Review for Gene Therapy by Application - Oncological Disorders, Rare Diseases, Neurological Disorders and Other Applications Markets - Independent Analysis of Annual Sales in US$ Thousand for Years 2017 through 2019 III-11

Table 33: Canada 10-Year Perspective for Gene Therapy by Application - Percentage Breakdown of Value Sales for Oncological Disorders, Rare Diseases, Neurological Disorders and Other Applications for the Years 2017, 2020 & 2027 III-12

JAPAN III-13 Table 34: Japan Current & Future Analysis for Gene Therapy by Vector Type - Viral and Non-Viral - Independent Analysis of Annual Sales in US$ Thousand for the Years 2020 through 2027 III-13

Table 35: Japan Historic Review for Gene Therapy by Vector Type - Viral and Non-Viral Markets - Independent Analysis of Annual Sales in US$ Thousand for Years 2017 through 2019 III-14

Table 36: Japan 10-Year Perspective for Gene Therapy by Vector Type - Percentage Breakdown of Value Sales for Viral and Non-Viral for the Years 2017, 2020 & 2027 III-15

Table 37: Japan Current & Future Analysis for Gene Therapy by Application - Oncological Disorders, Rare Diseases, Neurological Disorders and Other Applications - Independent Analysis of Annual Sales in US$ Thousand for the Years 2020 through 2027 III-16

Table 38: Japan Historic Review for Gene Therapy by Application - Oncological Disorders, Rare Diseases, Neurological Disorders and Other Applications Markets - Independent Analysis of Annual Sales in US$ Thousand for Years 2017 through 2019 III-17

Table 39: Japan 10-Year Perspective for Gene Therapy by Application - Percentage Breakdown of Value Sales for Oncological Disorders, Rare Diseases, Neurological Disorders and Other Applications for the Years 2017, 2020 & 2027 III-18

CHINA III-19 Table 40: China Current & Future Analysis for Gene Therapy by Vector Type - Viral and Non-Viral - Independent Analysis of Annual Sales in US$ Thousand for the Years 2020 through 2027 III-19

Table 41: China Historic Review for Gene Therapy by Vector Type - Viral and Non-Viral Markets - Independent Analysis of Annual Sales in US$ Thousand for Years 2017 through 2019 III-20

Table 42: China 10-Year Perspective for Gene Therapy by Vector Type - Percentage Breakdown of Value Sales for Viral and Non-Viral for the Years 2017, 2020 & 2027 III-21

Table 43: China Current & Future Analysis for Gene Therapy by Application - Oncological Disorders, Rare Diseases, Neurological Disorders and Other Applications - Independent Analysis of Annual Sales in US$ Thousand for the Years 2020 through 2027 III-22

Table 44: China Historic Review for Gene Therapy by Application - Oncological Disorders, Rare Diseases, Neurological Disorders and Other Applications Markets - Independent Analysis of Annual Sales in US$ Thousand for Years 2017 through 2019 III-23

Table 45: China 10-Year Perspective for Gene Therapy by Application - Percentage Breakdown of Value Sales for Oncological Disorders, Rare Diseases, Neurological Disorders and Other Applications for the Years 2017, 2020 & 2027 III-24

EUROPE III-25 Table 46: Europe Current & Future Analysis for Gene Therapy by Geographic Region - France, Germany, Italy, UK and Rest of Europe Markets - Independent Analysis of Annual Sales in US$ Thousand for Years 2020 through 2027 III-25

Table 47: Europe Historic Review for Gene Therapy by Geographic Region - France, Germany, Italy, UK and Rest of Europe Markets - Independent Analysis of Annual Sales in US$ Thousand for Years 2017 through 2019 III-26

Table 48: Europe 10-Year Perspective for Gene Therapy by Geographic Region - Percentage Breakdown of Value Sales for France, Germany, Italy, UK and Rest of Europe Markets for Years 2017, 2020 & 2027 III-27

Table 49: Europe Current & Future Analysis for Gene Therapy by Vector Type - Viral and Non-Viral - Independent Analysis of Annual Sales in US$ Thousand for the Years 2020 through 2027 III-28

Table 50: Europe Historic Review for Gene Therapy by Vector Type - Viral and Non-Viral Markets - Independent Analysis of Annual Sales in US$ Thousand for Years 2017 through 2019 III-29

Table 51: Europe 10-Year Perspective for Gene Therapy by Vector Type - Percentage Breakdown of Value Sales for Viral and Non-Viral for the Years 2017, 2020 & 2027 III-30

Table 52: Europe Current & Future Analysis for Gene Therapy by Application - Oncological Disorders, Rare Diseases, Neurological Disorders and Other Applications - Independent Analysis of Annual Sales in US$ Thousand for the Years 2020 through 2027 III-31

Table 53: Europe Historic Review for Gene Therapy by Application - Oncological Disorders, Rare Diseases, Neurological Disorders and Other Applications Markets - Independent Analysis of Annual Sales in US$ Thousand for Years 2017 through 2019 III-32

Table 54: Europe 10-Year Perspective for Gene Therapy by Application - Percentage Breakdown of Value Sales for Oncological Disorders, Rare Diseases, Neurological Disorders and Other Applications for the Years 2017, 2020 & 2027 III-33

FRANCE III-34 Table 55: France Current & Future Analysis for Gene Therapy by Vector Type - Viral and Non-Viral - Independent Analysis of Annual Sales in US$ Thousand for the Years 2020 through 2027 III-34

Table 56: France Historic Review for Gene Therapy by Vector Type - Viral and Non-Viral Markets - Independent Analysis of Annual Sales in US$ Thousand for Years 2017 through 2019 III-35

Table 57: France 10-Year Perspective for Gene Therapy by Vector Type - Percentage Breakdown of Value Sales for Viral and Non-Viral for the Years 2017, 2020 & 2027 III-36

Table 58: France Current & Future Analysis for Gene Therapy by Application - Oncological Disorders, Rare Diseases, Neurological Disorders and Other Applications - Independent Analysis of Annual Sales in US$ Thousand for the Years 2020 through 2027 III-37

Table 59: France Historic Review for Gene Therapy by Application - Oncological Disorders, Rare Diseases, Neurological Disorders and Other Applications Markets - Independent Analysis of Annual Sales in US$ Thousand for Years 2017 through 2019 III-38

Table 60: France 10-Year Perspective for Gene Therapy by Application - Percentage Breakdown of Value Sales for Oncological Disorders, Rare Diseases, Neurological Disorders and Other Applications for the Years 2017, 2020 & 2027 III-39

GERMANY III-40 Table 61: Germany Current & Future Analysis for Gene Therapy by Vector Type - Viral and Non-Viral - Independent Analysis of Annual Sales in US$ Thousand for the Years 2020 through 2027 III-40

Table 62: Germany Historic Review for Gene Therapy by Vector Type - Viral and Non-Viral Markets - Independent Analysis of Annual Sales in US$ Thousand for Years 2017 through 2019 III-41

Table 63: Germany 10-Year Perspective for Gene Therapy by Vector Type - Percentage Breakdown of Value Sales for Viral and Non-Viral for the Years 2017, 2020 & 2027 III-42

Table 64: Germany Current & Future Analysis for Gene Therapy by Application - Oncological Disorders, Rare Diseases, Neurological Disorders and Other Applications - Independent Analysis of Annual Sales in US$ Thousand for the Years 2020 through 2027 III-43

Table 65: Germany Historic Review for Gene Therapy by Application - Oncological Disorders, Rare Diseases, Neurological Disorders and Other Applications Markets - Independent Analysis of Annual Sales in US$ Thousand for Years 2017 through 2019 III-44

Table 66: Germany 10-Year Perspective for Gene Therapy by Application - Percentage Breakdown of Value Sales for Oncological Disorders, Rare Diseases, Neurological Disorders and Other Applications for the Years 2017, 2020 & 2027 III-45

ITALY III-46 Table 67: Italy Current & Future Analysis for Gene Therapy by Vector Type - Viral and Non-Viral - Independent Analysis of Annual Sales in US$ Thousand for the Years 2020 through 2027 III-46

Table 68: Italy Historic Review for Gene Therapy by Vector Type - Viral and Non-Viral Markets - Independent Analysis of Annual Sales in US$ Thousand for Years 2017 through 2019 III-47

Table 69: Italy 10-Year Perspective for Gene Therapy by Vector Type - Percentage Breakdown of Value Sales for Viral and Non-Viral for the Years 2017, 2020 & 2027 III-48

Table 70: Italy Current & Future Analysis for Gene Therapy by Application - Oncological Disorders, Rare Diseases, Neurological Disorders and Other Applications - Independent Analysis of Annual Sales in US$ Thousand for the Years 2020 through 2027 III-49

Table 71: Italy Historic Review for Gene Therapy by Application - Oncological Disorders, Rare Diseases, Neurological Disorders and Other Applications Markets - Independent Analysis of Annual Sales in US$ Thousand for Years 2017 through 2019 III-50

Table 72: Italy 10-Year Perspective for Gene Therapy by Application - Percentage Breakdown of Value Sales for Oncological Disorders, Rare Diseases, Neurological Disorders and Other Applications for the Years 2017, 2020 & 2027 III-51

UNITED KINGDOM III-52 Table 73: UK Current & Future Analysis for Gene Therapy by Vector Type - Viral and Non-Viral - Independent Analysis of Annual Sales in US$ Thousand for the Years 2020 through 2027 III-52

Table 74: UK Historic Review for Gene Therapy by Vector Type - Viral and Non-Viral Markets - Independent Analysis of Annual Sales in US$ Thousand for Years 2017 through 2019 III-53

Table 75: UK 10-Year Perspective for Gene Therapy by Vector Type - Percentage Breakdown of Value Sales for Viral and Non-Viral for the Years 2017, 2020 & 2027 III-54

Table 76: UK Current & Future Analysis for Gene Therapy by Application - Oncological Disorders, Rare Diseases, Neurological Disorders and Other Applications - Independent Analysis of Annual Sales in US$ Thousand for the Years 2020 through 2027 III-55

Table 77: UK Historic Review for Gene Therapy by Application - Oncological Disorders, Rare Diseases, Neurological Disorders and Other Applications Markets - Independent Analysis of Annual Sales in US$ Thousand for Years 2017 through 2019 III-56

Table 78: UK 10-Year Perspective for Gene Therapy by Application - Percentage Breakdown of Value Sales for Oncological Disorders, Rare Diseases, Neurological Disorders and Other Applications for the Years 2017, 2020 & 2027 III-57

REST OF EUROPE III-58 Table 79: Rest of Europe Current & Future Analysis for Gene Therapy by Vector Type - Viral and Non-Viral - Independent Analysis of Annual Sales in US$ Thousand for the Years 2020 through 2027 III-58

Table 80: Rest of Europe Historic Review for Gene Therapy by Vector Type - Viral and Non-Viral Markets - Independent Analysis of Annual Sales in US$ Thousand for Years 2017 through 2019 III-59

Table 81: Rest of Europe 10-Year Perspective for Gene Therapy by Vector Type - Percentage Breakdown of Value Sales for Viral and Non-Viral for the Years 2017, 2020 & 2027 III-60

Table 82: Rest of Europe Current & Future Analysis for Gene Therapy by Application - Oncological Disorders, Rare Diseases, Neurological Disorders and Other Applications - Independent Analysis of Annual Sales in US$ Thousand for the Years 2020 through 2027 III-61

Table 83: Rest of Europe Historic Review for Gene Therapy by Application - Oncological Disorders, Rare Diseases, Neurological Disorders and Other Applications Markets - Independent Analysis of Annual Sales in US$ Thousand for Years 2017 through 2019 III-62

Table 84: Rest of Europe 10-Year Perspective for Gene Therapy by Application - Percentage Breakdown of Value Sales for Oncological Disorders, Rare Diseases, Neurological Disorders and Other Applications for the Years 2017, 2020 & 2027 III-63

ASIA-PACIFIC III-64 Table 85: Asia-Pacific Current & Future Analysis for Gene Therapy by Vector Type - Viral and Non-Viral - Independent Analysis of Annual Sales in US$ Thousand for the Years 2020 through 2027 III-64

Table 86: Asia-Pacific Historic Review for Gene Therapy by Vector Type - Viral and Non-Viral Markets - Independent Analysis of Annual Sales in US$ Thousand for Years 2017 through 2019 III-65

Table 87: Asia-Pacific 10-Year Perspective for Gene Therapy by Vector Type - Percentage Breakdown of Value Sales for Viral and Non-Viral for the Years 2017, 2020 & 2027 III-66

Table 88: Asia-Pacific Current & Future Analysis for Gene Therapy by Application - Oncological Disorders, Rare Diseases, Neurological Disorders and Other Applications - Independent Analysis of Annual Sales in US$ Thousand for the Years 2020 through 2027 III-67

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Global Gene Therapy Industry - GlobeNewswire

NEW YORKand RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C., Nov. 19, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Sio Gene Therapies, Inc. (NASDAQ: SIOX), a clinical-stage company focused on developing gene therapies to radically transform the lives of patients with neurodegenerative diseases, today announced the appointment of Guangping Gao, Ph.D., as Chief AAV Scientific Advisor. Dr. Gao, a world-recognized scientist and past President of the ASGCT, has played key roles in the discovery and characterization of adeno-associated virus (AAV) serotypes which were instrumental in the resurgence of gene therapy. In his advisory role, Dr. Gao will provide strategic guidance and scientific and technical input across Sios AAV-based gene therapy programs.

We are honored to welcome Dr. Gao, a gene therapy pioneer, to Sio Gene Therapies, said Pavan Cheruvu, M.D., Chief Executive Officer ofSio. Dr. Gao brings an incredible wealth of knowledge ranging from fundamental discoveries in viral vectors, preclinical and clinical gene therapy product development, to viral manufacturing for clinical research. We believe his experience and insight will be invaluable to our team as we continue to advance our pipeline and evaluate potential business development opportunities. We look forward to collaborating with Dr. Gao as we work toward our mission of providing transformative treatments to patients with severe genetic disease.

Dr. Gao said, Sios strategic approach to gene therapy directly targets the underlying disease biology, which I believe has the potential to lead to transformative and life-saving treatments. I have been impressed by the teams comprehensive execution in driving forward clinical programs while in parallel laying a strong manufacturing foundation to support their mission to deliver these treatments to patients as rapidly as possible. I am thrilled to begin my role at Sio and look forward to leveraging my diverse experiences to fully unlock the potential of their gene therapy portfolio."

Dr. Gao is Co-Director of the Li Weibo Institute for Rare Disease Research, Director of the Horae Gene Therapy Center and Viral Vector Core, Professor of Microbiology and Physiological Systems and Penelope Booth Rockwell Professor in Biomedical Research at the University of Massachusetts Medical School. Dr Gaos more than 30 years in scientific research in molecular genetics have made foundational contributions to the development of viral vector gene therapy for rare genetic diseases including the discovery, development and engineering of novel viral vectors for in vivo gene delivery as well as preclinical and clinical gene therapy product development. He has also made significant contributions to the development of viral vector manufacturing for gene therapy applications and the development of technology platforms for novel gene therapy approaches in humans. Dr. Gao has published nearly 300 research papers and serves as the Executive Editor-In-Chief of Human Gene Therapy, Senior Editor of the Gene and Cell Therapy book series and serves on the Editorial Boards of several other gene therapy and virology journals. In addition to previously serving as President of ASGCT, he is an elected fellow of the U.S. National Academy of Inventors, holding 174 patents and an additional 373 patent applications pending with over 10 licensed to pharmaceutical companies. Dr. Gao is co-founder of Voyager Therapeutics, Adrenas Therapeutics and Aspa Therapeutics.

About Sio Gene Therapies

Sio Gene Therapies combines cutting-edge science with bold imagination to develop genetic medicines that aim to radically improve the lives of patients. Our current pipeline of clinical-stage candidates includes the first potentially curative AAV-based gene therapies for GM1 gangliosidosis and Tay-Sachs/Sandhoff diseases, which are rare and uniformly fatal pediatric conditions caused by single gene deficiencies. We are also expanding the reach of gene therapy to highly prevalent conditions such as Parkinsons disease, which affects millions of patients globally. Led by an experienced team of gene therapy development experts, and supported by collaborations with premier academic, industry and patient advocacy organizations, Sio is focused on accelerating its candidates through clinical trials to liberate patients with debilitating diseases through the transformational power of gene therapies. For more information, visit http://www.siogtx.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements for the purposes of the safe harbor provisions under The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and other federal securities laws. The use of words such as "will," "expect," "believe," "estimate," and other similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. For example, all statements Sio makes regarding costs associated with its operating activities are forward-looking. All forward-looking statements are based on estimates and assumptions by Sios management that, although Sio believes to be reasonable, are inherently uncertain. All forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those that Sio expected. Such risks and uncertainties include, among others, the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on our operations, the initiation and conduct of preclinical studies and clinical trials; the availability of data from clinical trials; the development of a suspension-based manufacturing process for Axo-Lenti-PD; the scaling up of manufacturing, the expectations for regulatory submissions and approvals; the continued development of our gene therapy product candidates and platforms; Sios scientific approach and general development progress; and the availability or commercial potential of Sios product candidates. These statements are also subject to a number of material risks and uncertainties that are described in Sios most recent Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 13, 2020, as updated by its subsequent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which it was made. Sio undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Contacts:

Media and Investors

Parag MeswaniSio Gene Therapies, Inc.Chief Commercial Officerinvestors@siogtx.com

Josephine Belluardo, Ph.D.LifeSci Communications(646) 751-4361jo@lifescicomms.cominfo@siogtx.com

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Sio Gene Therapies Appoints Gene Therapy Pioneer Guangping Gao, Ph.D., as Chief AAV Scientific Advisor - BioSpace

NEW YORK, Nov. 18, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Prevail Therapeutics Inc. (Nasdaq: PRVL), a biotechnology company developing potentially disease-modifying AAV-based gene therapies for patients with neurodegenerative diseases, today announced that the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) onNovember 17, 2020issued a composition of matter patent, U.S. Patent No. 10,837,028,with claims directed to the AAV vector used in PR001, Prevails experimental gene therapy program for the treatment of Parkinsons disease with GBA1 mutations (PD-GBA) and neuronopathic Gaucher disease (nGD). The base patent term extends until October 3, 2038, excluding patent term extensions or coverage in additional related patent filings.

We are excited to make important progress this year with PR001, which is being evaluated in the Phase 1/2 PROPEL trial for patients with Parkinsons disease with GBA1 mutations and in the Phase 1/2 PROVIDE trial for patients with Type 2 Gaucher disease, said Asa Abeliovich, M.D., Ph.D., Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Prevail. We are advancing clinical development of PR001 to make a potentially transformative difference for these patients who currently have no approved treatment options.

The Company recently announced that patient dosing has continued in the Phase 1/2 PROPEL clinical trial of PR001 for PD-GBA patients, and it expects to provide the next biomarker and safety analysis on a subset of patients in the PROPEL trial by mid-2021. The Company expects to initiate enrollment of the Phase 1/2 PROVIDE clinical trial of PR001 for Type 2 Gaucher disease patients in the fourth quarter of 2020 and currently anticipates it will provide the next update on PR001 biomarker and safety data for nGD in 2021.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has granted Fast Track designations for PR001 for the treatment of PD-GBA and nGD. In addition, the FDA granted PR001 Rare Pediatric Diseasedesignation for the treatment of nGD, and Orphan Drugdesignation for the treatment of patients with Gaucher disease.

About Prevail TherapeuticsPrevail is a gene therapy company leveraging breakthroughs in human genetics with the goal of developing and commercializing disease-modifying AAV-based gene therapies for patients with neurodegenerative diseases. The Company is developing PR001 for patients with Parkinsons disease with GBA1mutations (PD-GBA) and neuronopathic Gaucher disease (nGD); PR006 for patients with frontotemporal dementia withGRNmutations (FTD-GRN); and PR004 for patients with certain synucleinopathies.

Prevail was founded by Dr.Asa Abeliovichin 2017, through a collaborative effort withThe Silverstein Foundationfor Parkinsons with GBA and OrbiMed, and is headquartered inNewYork, NY.

Forward-Looking Statements Related to PrevailStatements contained in this press release regarding matters that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended. Examples of these forward-looking statements include statements concerning the potential for Prevails gene therapy candidates to make a transformative difference for patients with neurodegenerative diseases; the expected timing of reporting additional interim data on a subset of patients from the PROPEL trial; and the anticipated timing of enrollment of and the next update on data from the PROVIDE trial. Because such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties, actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, among others: Prevails novel approach to gene therapy makes it difficult to predict the time, cost and potential success of product candidate development or regulatory approval; Prevails gene therapy programs may not meet safety and efficacy levels needed to support ongoing clinical development or regulatory approval; the regulatory landscape for gene therapy is rigorous, complex, uncertain and subject to change; the fact that gene therapies are novel, complex and difficult to manufacture; and risks relating to the impact on our business of the COVID-19 pandemic or similar public health crises. These and other risks are described more fully in Prevails filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), including the Risk Factors sections of the Companys most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the SEC, and its other documents subsequently filed with or furnished to the SEC. All forward-looking statements contained in this press release speak only as of the date on which they were made. Except to the extent required by law, Prevail undertakes no obligation to update such statements to reflect events that occur or circumstances that exist after the date on which they were made.

Media Contact:Lisa QuTen Bridge Communications LQu@tenbridgecommunications.com678-662-9166

Investor Contact:investors@prevailtherapeutics.com

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Prevail Therapeutics Granted Composition of Matter Patent for Experimental Gene Therapy Program PR001 - GlobeNewswire

Catalent has appointed Behzad Mahdavi, Ph.D., MBA, as Vice President of Open Innovation, Biologics, Cell and Gene Therapy. In this new role, Dr. Mahdavi will join a team of experts in Catalents Science and Technology Group that works with customers and external innovators in both small and large molecules, to accelerate the adoption of new development and drug delivery technologies, and scalable manufacturing processes and techniques. He reports to Julien Meissonnier, Catalents Chief Scientific Officer.

Dr. Mahdavi has more than 20 years of experience in developing and implementing growth strategies in the biopharmaceutical industries. Dr. Mahdavi joins Catalent after a 13-year career at Lonza, where he held the role of Vice President Strategic Innovation & Alliances, and various board-level positions at other innovative companies. Prior to joining Lonza, he was Chief Executive Officer of SAM Electron Technologies.

As a company, Catalent continues to invest in the rapidly evolving and growing areas of cell and gene therapies and next-generation biopharmaceuticals, which are redefining the landscape of treating diseases, commented Mr. Meissonnier. I am delighted to welcome Behzad to Catalent, as he brings significant experience in leveraging accelerated innovation with strategic external sourcing, to further strengthen our strategy of delivering the therapies of tomorrow to patients faster, and more efficiently.

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Catalent Appoints Open Innovation, Biologics, Cell And Gene Therapy VP - Contract Pharma

For the first time, researchers at the Center for Cell-Based Therapy (CTC) in Ribeiro Preto, Brazil, have identified a non-hereditary mutation in blood cells from a patient with GATA2 deficiency.

GATA2 deficiency is a rare autosomal disease caused by inherited mutations in the gene that encodes GATA-binding protein 2 (GATA2), which regulates the expression of genes that play a role in developmental processes and cell renewal.

An article on the study is publishedin the journalBlood.

The non-hereditary mutation may have acted as a natural gene therapy which prevented the disease from damaging the process of blood cell renewal. This meant that the patient did not develop such typical clinical manifestations as bone marrow failure, hearing loss, and lymphedema.

The researchers say that the findings pave the way for the use of gene therapy and changes to the process of checking family medical history and medical records for families with the hereditary disorder.

Luiz Fernando Bazzo Catto, first author of the article, said: When a germline [inherited] mutation in GATA2 is detected, the patients family has to be investigated because there may be silent cases.

The discovery was made when two sons were receiving medical treatment at the blood centre of the hospital run by FMRP-USP, both of which, in post-mortem DNA sequencing, showed germline mutations and GATA2 deficiency diagnosis. The researchers used next generation sequencing to estimate the proportion of normal blood cells in the fathers bone marrow, preventing clinical manifestations of GATA2 deficiency, and of cells similar to his childrens showing that 93% of his leukocytes had the mutation that protects from the clinical manifestations of GATA2 deficiency.

Following the sequencing of the fathers T-lymphocytes, the researchers found that the mutation occurred early in their lives and in the development of hematopoietic stem cells, which have the potential to form blood.

They also measured the activity of the blood cells, to see if they could maintain the activity of inducing normal cell production for a long time, by measuring the telomeres of his peripheral blood leukocytes. Telomeres are repetitive sequences of non-coding DNA at the tip of chromosomes that protect them from damage. Each time cells divide, their telomeres become shorter. They eventually become so short that division is no longer possible, and the cells die or become senescent.

The telomeres analysed by the researchers were long, indicating that the cells can remain active for a long time.

The researchers hypothesised that the existence of the somatic mutation in the fathers blood cells, and its restoration of the blood cell renewal process, may have contributed to the non-manifestation of extra-haematological symptoms of GATA2 deficiency such as deafness, lymphedema, and thrombosis.

Professor Rodrigo Calado, a corresponding author of the article, said: A sort of natural gene therapy occurred in this patient. Its as if he embodied an experiment and a medium-term prospect of analogous gene therapy treatment in patients with GATA2 deficiency.

The findings help us understand better how stem cells can recover by repairing an initial genetic defect.

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Non-hereditary mutation acts as natural gene therapy for GATA2 deficiency - Health Europa

Vivet Therapeutics and Pfizer are one step closer to bringing a gene therapy for a rare liver disorder into the clinic.

The companies announced Wednesday morning that the FDA has accepted its IND application for a Phase I/II study in the treatment of Wilsons disease. The study, evaluating a program dubbed VTX-801, is expected to launch early next year.

VTX-801 is an rAAV-based gene therapy vector designed to deliver a protein called ATP7B in the hopes of restoring copper homeostasis, reversing liver pathology and reducing copper accumulation in the brain, as it was shown to do in mouse models.

The study will be open label and not be randomized. Researchers will give a one-time IV infusion of the gene therapy in up to 16 adult patients, with the goal of evaluating three different dosage levels. Ultimately, the companies set a primary endpoint for safety and tolerability after 52 weeks.

In March 2019, Pfizer acquired a minority stake in the company, and in September, the big pharma agreed to manufacture the VTX-801 vector for this Phase I/II study. Max Gelman

Florida-based biotech Generex has inked the biggest deal (it) could even imagine, bagging $50 million from a consortium of Chinese institutions that licensed its Ii-Key vaccine tech for infectious diseases and cancer.

Comprising hybrid peptides and a suppression, the platform has spawned a vaccine candidate against SARS-CoV-2 in addition to a pipeline of immuno-oncology therapies.

We are able to generate a detailed immune activation profile of our Ii-Key vaccine candidates by screening blood samples from COVID-19 recovered patients, explained Richard Purcell, EVP of R&D.

In addition to the upfront fee for the overall deal, the unnamed partners have handed over $5 million to license the Covid-19 vaccine candidate and promised a $20 million success fee if its approved in China. Separate contracts for the other indications are being finalized. Amber Tong

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News briefing: Pfizer and Vivet get the OK to start gene therapy trial for rare liver disorder; Florida biotech inks $50M China deal - Endpoints News

Just a few months after withdrawing its IPO filing, 4D Molecular Therapeutics is seeking to go public once again.

The Emeryville, CA-based company submitted a new S-1 on Tuesday, detailing plans for a $75 million raise as it aims for the second time to hit the Nasdaq. 4DMT had previously sought a $100 million IPO back in September 2019, but withdrew the filing in July of this year after completing a $75 million Series C in June.

Should 4DMT complete the transition to a public company this time around, theyll join a crowded IPO party thats lasted nearly the entire year.

Nasdaq head of healthcare listings Jordan Saxe provided the most recent tally for biotech IPOs in late October, counting 72 companies going public at the time. Combined, those outlets have raised roughly $13.2 billion. The debuts have slowed since the summer, but Saxe pegged a fair estimate of 75 IPOs and just under $14 billion in proceeds to round out 2020.

Several factors have contributed to this years wave, Saxe previously told Endpoints News, as the Covid-19 pandemic has highlighted innovation and crossover investors have steadily increased biotech investments in the second half of the 2010s. The pandemic economy has also made biotech companies more appealing given that theyre less reliant on quarter-to-quarter sales numbers.

In the last four years, only 2018 comes close in terms of the sheer amount of biotechs shooting for Wall Street. That years tab totaled 56 IPOs, according to independent analyst Brad Loncar.

Within the new S-1, 4DMT didnt provide too much detail about how much money theyd spend on each of their programs. The company did list, however, that ongoing clinical trials for their leading programs 4D-310 and 4D-125 would be their top priority. Both of those candidates are currently in Phase I/II with data likely coming next year.

The main research driving the company has been building out a base of more than a billion vector capsid sequences, which CEO David Kirn said in June needed years to take place. 4DMT needed that time to run the sequences through non-human primates to see which shells were the least toxic and most likely to prevent antibody resistance.

By doing so, the biotech hopes this screening model can help find the capsids most suitable for the vector delivery of gene therapies.

4DMTs lead candidate, 4D-310, is intended to treat Fabry disease, with the goal of initially treating early onset versions before expanding into severe, late-onset patients. 4D-125, meanwhile, has the goal of treating an inherited vision loss disorder called XLRP. Roche has partnered with 4DMT to in-license the program before it begins a pivotal trial.

The biotech is also conducting a Phase I study in 4D-110, which is targeted at patients with choroideremia related to mutations in the CHM gene.

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4DMT shoots for a $75M IPO, its second attempt to go public with its gene therapy vector programs - Endpoints News

Nov. 16, 2020 12:30 UTC

- Highly innovative genome editing technology platform accelerates and broadens ElevateBios cell and gene therapy enabling technologies

- LifeEDIT Therapeutics to develop its own pipeline of potentially life-transforming therapeutics

- LifeEDIT Therapeutics to leverage its novel gene editing platform with strategic partners including ElevateBio portfolio companies

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. & RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- ElevateBio, a Cambridge-based cell and gene therapy holding company, and AgBiome, a leader in developing innovative products from the Earth's microbial communities, today announced that LifeEDIT Therapeutics has joined ElevateBios growing portfolio of therapeutic, technology and manufacturing companies. LifeEDIT Therapeutics combines a highly innovative genome editing platform, derived from AgBiomes massive proprietary microbial library, with ElevateBios proven expertise in the discovery and development of new cell and gene therapies. LifeEDIT will continue to develop internal cell and gene therapies while further strengthening its platform of diverse genome-editing enzymes and provide gene editing expertise to strategic partners including ElevateBio portfolio companies. AgBiome retains rights for gene editing in agriculture, animal health, and diagnostics.

Genome editing technologies have revolutionized the way we develop cell and gene therapies and regenerative medicines, said Mitchell Finer, Ph.D., President, ElevateBio BaseCamp, and newly appointed Chief Executive Officer, LifeEDIT Therapeutics. However, in order to realize the promise of, and democratize, these highly innovative therapeutic approaches, the field needs to access novel RNA-guided nucleases and base editors that offer greater specificity and broader genome coverage, which LifeEDIT can provide. LifeEDITs genome editing platform is one of the most versatile in the field and was the natural fit as we continue to build a world leading cell and gene therapy offering.

Members of ElevateBio will join the newly formed LifeEDIT Therapeutics management team, which will continue to benefit from its existing visionary scientific leadership and research team. The combined executive team will include:

Over the last 18 months we have built a truly unique platform of numerous RNA-guided nucleases with diverse PAM requirements, for which weve been able to show functional activity, said Tedd Elich, Ph.D., Chief Scientific Officer, LifeEDIT Therapeutics. The wide range of gene editing enzymes across our platform increases our ability to target any genomic sequence of interest and will allow us to tackle some of the most challenging diseases, bringing desperately needed, potentially curative, therapies to patients in need.

"AgBiome's GENESISTM platform is built on our microbial collection, their complete genome sequences, and our industry-best data science platform to identify new useful functions, said Eric Ward Co-Chief Executive Officer, AgBiome. This unique resource formed the basis for the many genome editing technologies that are now part of LifeEDIT Therapeutics. We look forward to continuing to collaborate with the LifeEDIT team as they build a world-class pipeline of clinical candidates and bring a broad array of genome editing technologies to innovators across the biotechnology industry."

About Genome Editing and LifeEDIT Therapeutics Platform

Genome editing technologies have revolutionized the way cell and gene therapies and regenerative medicines are discovered and developed by allowing genetic material to be removed, added, or altered at specific locations in the genome. While these technologies are in widespread use experimentally, enzymes that offer broader coverage and greater specificity are needed for creating novel cell and gene therapies.

To meet the need for better genome editing approaches, LifeEDIT Therapeutics has built one of the worlds largest and most diverse arrays of novel RNA-guided nucleases (RGNs) and base editors that are active in mammalian cells. These RGNs were developed using AgBiomes proprietary collection of more than 90,000 microbes and their complete genomes. LifeEDIT Therapeutics is investigating these proprietary RGNs, which are sourced exclusively from non-pathogenic organisms, to develop new gene editing tools with higher fidelity, novel functionality, reduced immune response risk, and easier delivery. LifeEDIT Therapeutics nuclease collection also has a broad range of Protospacer Adjacent Motifs (PAMs) short sequences that must follow the targeted DNA sequence in order for the enzyme to make cuts that offer unprecedented access to genomic loci of interest. The LifeEDIT Therapeutics RGNs offer flexible editing options which encompass knock-out and knock-in capabilities, transcriptional regulation, and base editing when coupled with its proprietary deaminases.

LifeEDIT Therapeutics next generation editing systems will propel the development of novel human therapeutics by enabling ex vivo engineering for cell therapies and regenerative medicines and in vivo delivery of gene therapies. In addition to developing its own pipeline of cell and gene therapies, LifeEDIT Therapeutics will continue to build its platform of novel nucleases, provide gene editing expertise to strategic partners and ElevateBios portfolio companies, and form other third-party partnerships to discover and develop new therapies.

About ElevateBio

ElevateBio, LLC, is a Cambridge-based creator and operator of a portfolio of innovative cell and gene therapy companies. It begins with an environment where scientific inventors can transform their visions for cell and gene therapies into reality for patients with devastating and life-threatening diseases. Working with leading academic researchers, medical centers, and corporate partners, ElevateBios team of scientists, drug developers, and company builders are creating a portfolio of therapeutics companies that are changing the face of cell and gene therapy and regenerative medicine. Core to ElevateBios vision is BaseCamp, a centralized state-of-the-art innovation and manufacturing center, providing fully integrated capabilities, including basic and translational research, process development, clinical development, cGMP manufacturing, and regulatory affairs across multiple cell and gene therapy and regenerative medicine technology platforms. ElevateBio portfolio companies, as well as select strategic partners, are supported by ElevateBio BaseCamp in the advancement of novel cell and gene therapies.

ElevateBios investors include F2 Ventures, MPM Capital, EcoR1 Capital, Redmile Group, Samsara BioCapital, The Invus Group, Emerson Collective, Surveyor Capital (A Citadel company), EDBI, and Vertex Ventures.

ElevateBio is headquartered in Cambridge, Mass, with ElevateBio BaseCamp located in Waltham, Mass. For more information, please visit http://www.elevate.bio.

About AgBiome

AgBiome partners with the microbial world to improve our planet. AgBiome discovers and develops innovative biological and trait products for crop protection. The proprietary GENESIS discovery platform efficiently captures diverse, unique microbes for agriculturally relevant applications, and screens them with industry-best assays for insect, disease, and nematode control. Through its commercial subsidiary, AgBiome develops and sells proprietary crop protection solutions. The first of these, Howler, is a revolutionary fungicide for disease control in a broad variety of crops. AgBiome and Genective recently formed a strategic partnership to establish a new leader in insect traits, a market with over $5 billion in annual opportunities. AgBiome has a global R&D collaboration with Elanco Animal Health Incorporated (NYSE: ELAN), to develop nutritional health products for swine. AgBiomes investors include Polaris Partners, ARCH Venture Partners, Fidelity Investments Inc., UTIMCO, Pontifax AgTech, Innotech Advisors, Syngenta Ventures, Leaps by Bayer, and Novozymes. For more information, visit http://agbiome.com.

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ElevateBio and AgBiome Announce LifeEDIT Will Join ElevateBio's Portfolio of Innovative Cell and Gene Therapy Companies - BioSpace

Maryland, US headquartered company, Orgenesis, is championing a model that aims to bring down those costs it works with partner hospitals throughout the commercialization process.

The companys CGT platform, consisting of a pipeline of licensed cell and gene therapies, scientific expertise, customised processing systems, and an ecosystem of healthcare providers and research institutes, is designed to provide a pathway for groundbreaking autologous therapies to become commercially available on an industrial scale and at prices accessible to large populations.

Orgenesis business model is one focused on decentralization, enabling precision medicines to be prepared on-site at hospitals. In this way, we can really expedite cell and gene therapy development, said Orgenesis CEO, Vered Caplan.

With operations in the US, Europe, Israel and South Korea, Orgenesis has now created an international network of point of care (POCare) centers to serve patients directly in the hospital setting.

Beyond the US, we have POCare centers in many countries in Europe such as Greece, the Netherlands, Belgium, Slovenia, Italy and Spain; we also have centers in Israel, in Korea and in India and we will be starting up soon in Dubai,said the CEO.

The goal is to make gene and cell therapies feasible for large numbers of patients, said Caplan. We used to work as a contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) but we sold that business to Catalent at the beginning of the year.

The centralized processing and supply chain model only served to create a frustrating working environment, with plenty of constraints, said the Orgenesis lead.

We realized very quickly that we couldnt really ramp up to large scale relying on that kind of centralized model, particularly for autologous products, which represent most of the market today. It takes six months to train someone to work in a high-grade cleanroom there is a lot of work and expense involved in that and there is a limited number of patients that can be treated in such cleanrooms the utilization rate is very low - it [centralized processing and supply] is a very inefficient and costly way to supply and to develop medicine there is so much manual work involved, she told BioPharma-Reporter.

The company had been working for a number of years, investing a huge amount of effort in developing a range of automation solutions to supplant those manual processes, as well as building its mobile CGT processing labs and units (OMPULs), she said.

We had been fielding so many requests from hospitals that wanted to collaborate with us, asking us to make or scale up their CAR-T and other therapies. We realized that in order to get this done, we needed to take a decentralized approach and that we needed to provide a solution, not only for one hospital, but for every hospital that wanted these type of therapies; and we saw that such a model brings down the price of the therapy tremendously.

A hospital gives Orgenesis a license to work on the therapy, on the processing; production of the final product is automated and supplied via an on-site point-of-care processing unit. Orgenesis then sets about democratizing the treatment,making it available to any hospital in its POCare network.

The company says the final customized, automated processing system it has developed, with the integrated specific therapy, solves a variety of processing and cost hurdles. It results in a lower required grade of cleanroom, it simplifies facility management requirements, it enables multi-batch processing per cleanroom, which means reduced technical staffing. Moreover, the localized processing eliminates the many logistical difficulties associated with traditional, centralized manufacturing and transport.

Overall, it is said to provide faster turnaround, increased safety, and improved quality control management on-site.

Hospitals really want to supply CGTs, while patients are reading about such treatments and making inquiries of healthcare providers, she added.

Ours is really a combined licensing and service model.

We are like Uber. If you have a car, you want to make some extra revenue, you call up Uber and it gives you the network, the technology and all the operating procedures to be a taxi driver. That is very much what we do in terms of hospitals we give them the ability to be biotech companies, because this is not the standard thing they do, they dont want to take responsibility for cell and gene therapy it is too much for them. They want to treat patients, but they want to have that local supply, so we give them the technology and the capabilities to do that. We give them regulatory support for clinical trials, we give them CRO support, we give them a network - so they can function and do what they need to do, which is to undertake research and treat patients.

Orgenesis intends to leverage its network of regional partners to advance the development and commercialization of its therapeutic pipeline. Towards this end, it said its partners have committed to funding the clinical programs. In turn, the company typically grants its partners geographic rights in exchange for future royalties, and a partnership with Orgenesis to support the supply of the targeted therapies. Through this model, Orgenesis has already signed contracts, which it expect to generate over US$40M in revenue over the next three years, if fully realized.

On the therapeutic front, Orgenesis is focused on several key verticals, including immuno-oncology, anti-viral, and metabolic/auto-immune diseases.

It recently acquired Koligo Therapeutics, with the aim of leveraging Koligos 3D-V bioprinting technology across its POCare Platform. That technology, which utilizes 3D bioprinting and vascularization with autologous cells to create biodegradable and shelf-stable three-dimensional cell and tissue implants, is being developed for diabetes and pancreatitis, with longer term applications for neural, liver, and other cell/tissue transplants.

In February this year, Orgenesis announced that it has entered into a collaboration agreement with the John Hopkins University to utilize the POCare platform to develop and supply a variety of CGTs including cell-based immunotherapy technologies.

And the University of California, Davis (UC Davis) joined its POCare network in January. The collaboration will involve the scale up and integration of UC Davis lentiviral vector process.

Today we are very much in validation mode. Most of the therapies in this space, and the ones we have licensed from the hospitals I think we have about 25 today are all at different stages of clinical development. Some have been used to treat patients but that has all been done under hospital exception.

When we adopt a therapy into the network, we run it through the entire R&D, formal clinical and regulatory processes as [our goal] is a harmonized process, to have the same standard [in our closed systems] at our [POCare] centers, whether that is in Germany or Korea, said the CEO.

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Orgenesis CEO talks disruption: 'We are the Uber of the cell and gene therapy space' - BioPharma-Reporter.com

UCB has struck a deal to buy gene therapy startup Handl Therapeutics. The takeover, which was disclosed alongside a separate gene therapy collaboration, positions UCB to accelerate its push into genetic medicines.

In recent years, UCB has quietly built out its genetic medicine capabilities, buying Element Genomics for a small sum in 2018 while hiring gene therapy specialists and creating plans to refurbish an ex-Eli Lilly R&D site to support its aspirations in the area. Those efforts have been overshadowed by the big-ticket gene therapy deals struck by UCBs peers but point to its interest in the space.

UCB stepped up its gene therapy expansion on Thursday with two deals. UCB has bought Handl for an undisclosed sum to gain control of technology platforms designed to facilitate the development of AAV gene therapy treatments for complex neurodegenerative diseases.

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Handl was founded by Florent Gros, a Novartis veteran, and Michael Linden, an AAV expert who set up the Pfizer Genetic Medicine Institute in London. Working out of Leuven, Belgium, Handl has used the expertise and connections of Gros, its CEO, and Linden, its CSO, to identify and license technologies from Spain, Chile, the U.K. and Belgium.

The Chilean and Spanish academic centers that struck licensing deals with Handl put out statements about their work, disclosing an interest in treating diseases including Alzheimers, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and Parkinsons. Handl entered into a manufacturing contract with Novasep earlier this month, securing support as it wraps up ongoing IND-enabling studies and moves into the clinic.

As part of UCB, the Handl team will continue to work on that program and other projects from its base in Leuven. UCBs international research teams will collaborate with the Handl group.

UCB disclosed the Handl takeover alongside details of a collaboration with Lacerta Therapeutics, a Florida-based AAV gene therapy startup. The deal gives UCB access to Lacertas pipeline of CNS gene therapies. Lacerta will handle research, preclinical and early process development, leaving UCB to focus on IND-enabling studies and subsequent manufacturing work and clinical development.

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UCB inks Handl buyout to boost nascent gene therapy unit - FierceBiotech

Penn Medicine researchers have developed a new targeted approach to prevent a toxicity seen in the sensory neurons of dorsal root ganglia after gene therapy to treat neurological disorders. It's an important hurdle to clear, as the field works toward more safe and effective gene therapies for patients with disorders like spinal muscular atrophy.

"We believe that this new approach could improve safety in gene therapy universally," said first author Juliette Hordeaux, DVM, PhD, senior director of Translational Research in Penn's Gene Therapy Program.

The findings were reported online this week in theScience Translational Medicine.

The toxicity has not been reported in humans, but studies in nonhuman primates using adeno-associated viral (AAV) vectors to deliver corrected genes via the spinal cord fluid and intravenously have revealed problems of axonal degeneration in some tracts of the spinal cord and peripheral nerves. The cause was traced back to the dorsal root ganglion, or DRG, a cluster of neural cells on the outside of the spinal cord responsible for transmission of sensory messages.

This toxicity stems from the overexpression of an introduced gene, known as a transgene, in cells in the DRG, researchers from Penn's Gene Therapy Program found in the study. To correct that, they modified a transgene with a microRNA target designed to reduce the level of the transgene expression in the DRG. That alteration eliminated more than 80 percent of the transgene expression and reduced the toxicity in primates, the researchers report.

"We believe it is a safe, straightforward way to ameliorate the safety of AAV therapy for the central nervous system," said first author Juliette Hordeaux, DVM, PhD, senior director of Translational Research in Penn's Gene Therapy Program. "This approach could be used to design other gene therapy vectors to repress transgene expression in the cell types that are affected by the toxicity and not others, which is critical, because you need the expression everywhere else to effectively treat the disorder."

Gene transfer expert James M. Wilson, MD, PhD, director of the Gene Therapy Program, and professor of Medicine and Pediatrics in Penn's Perelman School of Medicine, served as the senior author of the paper.

After Penn researchers documented DRG toxicity in nonhuman primates, they began devising a way to overcome it. Though its asymptomatic in primates, the damage became clear under close study of histopathology in the CNS. Damage to the DRG in humans, researchers know, can lead to the breakdown of axons responsible for delivering impulses from nerves to the brain. Numbness and weakness in limbs, among other side effects, follow suit.

The observed toxicity in past animal studies was enough for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to recently place a partial hold on human trials administering a gene therapy vector into the spinal cord to treat spinal muscular atrophy, the genetic disease that severely weakens muscles and causes problems with movement. In the new study, the researchers injected vectors with and without an microRNA target, first in mice and then primates. microRNA regulates gene expression and makes for an ideal target in the cells. microRNA-183 was chosen specifically because it is largely restricted to the neurons in the DRG.

Administering unmodified AAV vectors resulted in robust delivery of the new gene into target tissue and toxicity in DRG neurons. Vectors with the miRNA target, on the other hand, reduced transgene expression significantly, as well as the toxicity of DRG neurons, without affecting transduction elsewhere in the primate's brain, histological analyses of the specimens up to 90 days later showed. An immune response was first believed to be causing the toxicity; however, the researchers debunked that hypothesis through experiments that showed how immunosuppressants and steroids were unsuccessful at alleviating the toxicity.

According to the authors, toxicity of DRGs is likely to occur in any gene therapy that relies on high doses of a vector or direct delivery of a vector into the spinal cord fluid. This latest study paves a path forward to prevent that damage.

"We were concerned about the DRG pathology that was observed in most of our NHP studies," Wilson said. "This modified vector shows great promise to reduce DRG toxicity and should facilitate the development of safer AAV-based gene therapies for many CNS diseases."

Reference: Hordeaux J, Buza EL, Jeffrey B, et al. MicroRNA-mediated inhibition of transgene expression reduces dorsal root ganglion toxicity by AAV vectors in primates. Science Translational Medicine. 2020;12(569). doi:10.1126/scitranslmed.aba9188

This article has been republished from the following materials. Note: material may have been edited for length and content. For further information, please contact the cited source.

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New Approach Reduces the Toxicity of Brain-Targeted Gene Therapy - Technology Networks

First look at preclinical data in frontotemporal dementia with progranulin mutations (GRN-FTD) and new amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) program

NOD2 mutation revealed as Crohns disease (CD) genetic target, associated with 7-10% of all CD cases in the U.S. and Europe

Deep dive on transduction enhancers and stable cell line technology innovations that support manufacturing for larger indications

BOSTON and LONDON, Nov. 12, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Orchard Therapeutics (Nasdaq: ORTX), a global gene therapy leader, today previewed details on its investigational hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) gene therapy research programs in GRN-FTD and NOD2-CD in advance of an upcoming virtual R&D investor event. The company also disclosed a new research program in ALS. A live webcast of the presentation will be available in the Investors & Media section of the companys website at http://www.orchard-tx.com starting Friday, November 13, 2020 at 9:00 a.m. ET.

We are excited to draw back the curtain at tomorrows event on our work in larger indications that form an important part of Orchards evolution as a company, including a new program in ALS, in addition to our work in genetic subsets of FTD and Crohns disease, said Bobby Gaspar, M.D., Ph.D., chief executive officer, Orchard Therapeutics. These research programs have been established using a scientific approach that has resulted in more than 160 patients being treated across multiple rare diseases and a recent positive CHMP opinion in the EU for Libmeldy. We believe that HSC gene therapy has the power to transform lives, and we are excited about the possibilities for Orchard and patients with its expanded application.

OTL-204 for GRN-FTD and new ALS research program

The GRN-FTD and ALS programs are based on the same HSC gene therapy approach that has been clinically validated with Libmeldy (OTL-200), Orchards program for metachromatic leukodystrophy, and is under clinical evaluation in the OTL-203 and OTL-201 programs for mucopolysaccharidosis type I and mucopolysaccharidosis type IIIA, respectively. Development work in GRN-FTD and ALS will be undertaken as part of a collaboration with Boston Childrens Hospital (BCH), the University of Padua (UNIPD) and Prof. Alessandra Biffi, chair of the Pediatric Hematology, Oncology and Stem Cell Transplant Division at UNIPD and co-director of the Gene Therapy Program at BCH.

Prof. Biffi commented, The ability of HSC gene therapy to restore healthy microglia function supports the use of this technology for the development of treatments for a variety of diseases with central nervous system involvement. In GRN-FTD, initial in vitro data shows progranulin expression and secretion in culture and uptake indicative of cross-correction. My previous work at BCH researching ALS supports the novel approach of treating this severe neurodegenerative condition by targeting the NOX2 pathway.

OTL-104 for NOD2-CD

Orchards preclinical program in CD targets mutations in the nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-containing protein 2 (NOD2) gene, which plays a role in immune cell response to bacterial peptides in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. The companys proposed approach leverages this link, using gene modified HSC-derived cells (monocytes) to replace GI resident macrophages, thus potentially correcting the inflammation and colitis associated with NOD2-CD.

Manufacturing Innovations to Support Work in Larger IndicationsTransduction enhancers (TEs) and stable cell line technology (SCLT)

Orchard has completed a thorough TE screening process and identified and validated several novel TE compounds, which in combination, facilitate lentiviral vector entry into HSCs and have shown a greater than 50% reduction in vector requirements. The enhancers mode of action is expected to be effective in each of Orchards HSC gene therapy programs. An evaluation of enhancer-treated HSC engraftment potential in mice is currently underway.

The company has worked extensively with SCLT, including the technology licensed from GSK for certain programs, to both develop processes to efficiently create SCLs for new vectors and scale up the production of SCLs to clinical grade. Results have delivered consistent levels of high-titer lentiviral production comparable to those seen using conventional methods. Selection of single high-titer clones for new vectors using this method has been achieved within three months. Work at Orchard is ongoing to develop upstream and downstream processes to further improve productivity and scalability.

We have a clear roadmap for Orchards future that prioritizes strategic growth and draws on the many synergies across our scientific, manufacturing and emerging commercial platforms, said Frank Thomas, president and chief operating officer. Over the next 12 months we have an array of exciting commercial, regulatory and clinical milestones that will continue to showcase the breadth and depth of our advanced HSC gene therapy portfolio.

Webcast Information

A live webcast of the presentation New Horizons in Gene Therapy will be available under Events in the Investors & Media section of the companys website at http://www.orchard-tx.com. A replay of the webcast will be archived on the Orchard website following the presentation.

About Orchards Research Collaborations

In connection with its previously disclosed collaboration with Prof. Alessandra Biffi, Orchard has signed agreements with Boston Childrens Hospital and the University of Padua to develop and exclusively license new ex vivo HSC gene therapy programs, patents and technologies for the treatment of neurodegenerative disorders. As part of the collaboration, Orchard has initiated sponsored research agreements and obtained exclusive options to license multiple new preclinical programs, including frontotemporal dementia with progranulin mutations (GRN-FTD), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and other rare and less rare indications.Orchard continues to support Professor Biffis labs in the development of new proprietary technology focused on enhancing the application of gene-modified HSC therapy for CNS disorders.

About Orchard

Orchard Therapeutics is a global gene therapy leader dedicated to transforming the lives of people affected by rare diseases through the development of innovative, potentially curative gene therapies. Our ex vivo autologous gene therapy approach harnesses the power of genetically modified blood stem cells and seeks to correct the underlying cause of disease in a single administration. In 2018, Orchard acquired GSKs rare disease gene therapy portfolio, which originated from a pioneering collaboration between GSK and theSan Raffaele Telethon Institute for Gene Therapy in Milan, Italy. Orchard now has one of the deepest and most advanced gene therapy product candidate pipelines in the industry spanning multiple therapeutic areas where the disease burden on children, families and caregivers is immense and current treatment options are limited or do not exist.

Orchard has its global headquarters in London and U.S. headquarters in Boston. For more information, please visit http://www.orchard-tx.com, and follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn.

Availability of Other Information About Orchard

Investors and others should note that Orchard communicates with its investors and the public using the company website (www.orchard-tx.com), the investor relations website (ir.orchard-tx.com), and on social media (Twitter and LinkedIn), including but not limited to investor presentations and investor fact sheets, U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filings, press releases, public conference calls and webcasts. The information that Orchard posts on these channels and websites could be deemed to be material information. As a result, Orchard encourages investors, the media, and others interested in Orchard to review the information that is posted on these channels, including the investor relations website, on a regular basis. This list of channels may be updated from time to time on Orchards investor relations website and may include additional social media channels. The contents of Orchards website or these channels, or any other website that may be accessed from its website or these channels, shall not be deemed incorporated by reference in any filing under the Securities Act of 1933.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains certain forward-looking statements about Orchards strategy, future plans and prospects, which are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements may be identified by words such as anticipates, believes, expects, plans, intends, projects, and future or similar expressions that are intended to identify forward-looking statements.Forward-looking statements include express or implied statements relating to, among other things, Orchards business strategy and goals, including with respect to its manufacturing strategy, expected future milestones, and its plans and expectations for the development of its product candidates, including the product candidates referred to in this release, and the therapeutic and commercial potential of its product candidates.These statements are neither promises nor guarantees and are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond Orchards control, which could cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated in these forward-looking statements. In particular, these risks and uncertainties include, without limitation: the risk that any one or more of Orchards product candidates, including the product candidates referred to in this release, will not be approved, successfully developed or commercialized; the risk that prior results, such as signals of safety, activity or durability of effect, observed from preclinical studies or clinical trials of Orchards product candidates will not be repeated or continue in ongoing or future studies or trials involving its product candidates; the risk that the market opportunity for its product candidates may be lower than estimated; and the severity of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Orchards business, including on preclinical and clinical development, its supply chain and commercial programs. Given these uncertainties, the reader is advised not to place any undue reliance on such forward-looking statements.

Other risks and uncertainties faced by Orchard include those identified under the heading Risk Factors in Orchards quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2020, as filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), as well as subsequent filings and reports filed with the SEC. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release reflect Orchards views as of the date hereof, and Orchard does not assume and specifically disclaims any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required by law.

Contacts

InvestorsRenee LeckDirector, Investor Relations+1 862-242-0764Renee.Leck@orchard-tx.com

MediaChristine HarrisonVice President, Corporate Affairs+1 202-415-0137media@orchard-tx.com

1Knopman DS, Roberts RO. J Mol Neurosci. 2011, Onyike CU, Diehl-Schmid J. Int Rev Psychiatry. 2013 and Riedl L, et al Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat. 20142 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; European Crohns and Colitis Organisation (ECCO); Ashton, James J et al.Clin Transl Gastroenterol. 2020 Feb

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Orchard Therapeutics Unveils Details on New HSC Gene Therapy Research Programs as Part of R&D Investor Event Tomorrow at 9:00 a.m. ET - GlobeNewswire

Belgium-headquartered UCB has strengthened its gene therapy capabilities with a pair of deals a collaboration agreement with Lacerta Therapeutics and the acquisition of Handl Therapeutics.

Handl Therapeutics based in Leuven, Belgium specialises in adeno-associated virus (AAV) capsid technology and has a focus on developing disease modifying gene therapies to treat neurodegenerative diseases.

In addition to its own capabilities, Handl has built an international network to access expertise from a number of institutions. This includes platforms licensed from KU Leuven in Belgium, the Centre for Applied Medical Research in Spain, the University of Chile and Kings College London in the UK.

UCBs global footprint and scientific expertise in neurodegenerative diseases, coupled with our shared cultures of scientific advancement and commitment to patients, creates an exceptional environment in which we can accelerate the development of gene therapies and change patients lives, said Florent Gros, founder and chief executive officer of Handl Therapeutics.

UCB did not disclose the financial terms of the acquisition, although it did add in a statement that the Handl team will continue to be based in Handl and will work closely with UCBs international research team.

The Lacerta deal is focused on developing AAV-based therapies for patients with a central nervous system disease with a high unmet need. Like the Handl acquisition, UCB did not offer the financial details of the Lacerta research collaboration and licensing agreement.

Lacerta is set to lead research and preclinical activities as well as the early manufacturing process development, with UCB planning to lead IND-enabling studies, manufacturing and clinical development.

UCBs ambition for patients relies on our ability to innovate and deliver highly differentiated medicines, said Dhavalkumar Patel, chief scientific officer of UCB.

The acquisition of Handl Therapeutics and the new partnership with Lacerta Therapeutics offers us the potential to drive a fundamental change in how diseases are treated, by moving us from treating symptoms to disease modification and eventually towards a cure. he added.

The Handl and Lacerta deals build on UCBs previous acquisition of Element Genomics in 2018.

UCB paid $30m to access Elements platform of technologies aimed at improving the understanding of genome structure and function including CRISPR editing technologies used for genomic and epigenomic regulatory region analysis and modulation.

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UCB boosts gene therapy offering with a pair of new deals - PMLiVE

Researchers from Penn Medicine have developed a new targeted approach that modifies viral vectors and inhibits toxicities in the sensory neurons of dorsal root ganglia (DRG) that commonly occur following the use of gene therapy for neurological diseases.

This strategy will likely have several important research and clinical implications, as investigators in the field have worked tirelessly for years to develop safer and more effective gene therapies for neurological disorders. We believe that this new approach could improve safety in gene therapy universally, said lead author Juliette Hordeaux, DVM, Ph.D., senior director of Translational Research in Penns Gene Therapy Program, in a statement.

Many gene therapies use viral vectors, but these vectors can have adverse neurological effects. While these toxicities have not yet been observed in humans, nonhuman primate studies using adeno-associated viral (AAV) vectors to deliver corrected genes via the spinal cord fluid have shown issues of axonal degeneration in spinal cord and peripheral nerve tracts. In these studies, the cause of the issues led back to the DRG, comprising a cluster of neural cells found on the outside of the spinal cord that are responsible for delivering sensory messages.

In a recent paper published in Science Translational Medicine, Dr. Hordeaux and colleagues found a way of modifying these vectors so they ultimately avoid these dangerous side effects. They first found that the toxicities appear to come from overexpression of a transgene in cells in the DRG.

The researchers altered a transgene with a microRNA target that was designed to reduce transgene expression levels in the DRG. Ultimately, this modification eliminated over 80% of the transgene expression and resulted in drastic toxicity reduction in the studied primates

We believe it is a safe, straightforward way to ameliorate the safety of AAV therapy for the central nervous system, said Hordeaux about the studied modification. This approach could be used to design other gene therapy vectors to repress transgene expression in the cell types that are affected by the toxicity and not others, which is critical, because you need the expression everywhere else to effectively treat the disorder.

Senior author of the paper was gene transfer expert James M. Wilson, MD, Ph.D., professor of Medicine and Pediatrics in Penns Perelman School of Medicine. Dr. Wilson, who left Solid Biosciences two years ago. Dr. Wilson has been discussing the potential adverse neurological effects of AAV vectors for several years.

Drs. Hordeaux and Wilson injected vectors with and without a microRNA target miRNA183 in mice and primates in the new study. The administration of unaltered AAV vectors led to robust delivery of the gene into target tissue as well as toxicities in DRG neurons. These effects occurred without impacting transduction in elsewhere in the brain, according to histological analyses conducted up to 90 days later.

The authors of the study suggest the toxicity of DRGs likely occur in a gene therapy relying on high vector doses or direct vector delivery into the fluid of the spinal cord. We were concerned about the DRG pathology that was observed in most of our nonhuman primate studies, noted Wilson. This modified vector shows great promise to reduce DRG toxicity and should facilitate the development of safer AAV-based gene therapies for many central nervous system diseases.

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New Targeted Approach Could Prevent Toxicities Associated with Neurological Gene Therapies - BioSpace