Biogen avoids heavy manufacturing lift in latest gene therapy deal

Biogen has its sights set on gene therapies for inherited retinal diseases. After backing away from a collaboration with Florida-based AGTC, the big biotech now plans on dropping roughly $800 million to snag Nightstar.
The target company offers two mid- to late-stage candidates as well as an AAV platform that Biogen intends to keep focused solely on ophthalmology. What Nightstar won't bring, however, is in-house manufacturing capabilities.
But that may not be such a bad thing. Leerink analyst Joseph Schwartz highlighted how gene therapies for the eye use less material and a flat dose compared to those that use sequential dosing and target parts of the body with more tissue.