Bluebird seeks gene therapy trial restart after cancer scare

bluebird bio is to ask regulators to restart clinical studies of its LentiGlobin for sickle cell disease, after an investigation concluded that a case of acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) was “very unlikely” to be caused by the gene therapy.

Known as Zynteglo in Europe where it is approved to treat the rare blood disorder beta-thalassemia, the gene therapy has been given the all-clear by bluebird’s scientists after reviewing the case of AML that emerged in a trial of the drug in sickle cell disease.