Pfizer has abandoned development of a hemophilia A gene therapy it licensed from Sangamo Therapeutics, a move that could imperil Sangamo’s future.
It’s a sudden turnabout for Pfizer, which had indicated it would bring the experimental treatment to regulators, albeit not one that is likely to have a significant impact on the pharma giant or patients. Another gene therapy for the rare bleeding disorder was approved last year but has mustered little interest, largely because standard-of-care is already high and gene therapies aren’t yet curative.
Sangamo’s leadership, though, had been depending on the treatment to help save the beleaguered biotech. According to the deal Sangamo inked in 2017, Pfizer still owed the California-based biotech $220 million in milestones.
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