Biogen and the University of Pennsylvania recently created a broad collaboration and alliance to further develop multiple gene therapy programs with new technologies, therapies and platforms.
This visionary, multi-year alliance is worth $2 billion. It is dedicated to creating new gene editing technologies, therapies and therapeutic platforms for several different diseases. The two main experts leading the research and development are Jean Bennett and James Wilson.
“Recent advances in gene transfer and editing have now brought us to a promising stage, and we believe that this exciting collaboration with Biogen will further fuel our collective ability to translate our research into viable gene therapies,” Bennett said.
The main target is creating therapeutic methods for skeletal muscle, eye and central nervous system genes. The researchers will also confirm next-generation gene transfer technology with adeno-associated virus (AAV) gene delivery vectors.
“We are committed to advancing gene therapy, and our collaboration with the University of Pennsylvania has significantly strengthened both our leadership and overall capabilities in the field,” Olivier Danos, senior vice president of cell and gene therapy at Biogen, said. “Joining forces with gene therapy pioneers James Wilson and Jean Bennett further enables Biogen to approach the technology from a powerful perspective. By exploring next-generation delivery in various tissues such as the retina, skeletal muscle and CNS, we will explore the potential for extending gene therapy beyond disorders linked to single gene mutations and into a broader spectrum of complex diseases, including devastating neurological conditions that affect a multitude of patients throughout the world.”
