Window to gene therapy

Biogen Inc.'s recent deal with Applied Genetic Technologies Corp. is mainly a play to gain hands-on experience developing and manufacturing gene therapies while building its own gene therapy research unit.

Early last year, after a hiatus of several years, Biogen re-entered gene therapy via a deal to use Sangamo BioSciences Inc.'s zinc finger nuclease gene editing technology to develop treatments for beta thalassemia and sickle cell disease. In September, Biogen hired Olivier Danos as SVP of gene and cell therapy to build a new research unit to identify and develop technologies for gene transfer and genome engineering for therapeutic applications...