bluebird rises on LentiGlobin update

bluebird bio Inc. (NASDAQ:BLUE) gained $4.70 to $57.51 on Thursday after starting the Phase III HGB-207 study of LentiGlobin BB305 gene therapy to treat beta-thalassemia. The company said HGB-207 will use LentiGlobin produced by an improved manufacturing process that increases transduction efficiency.

bluebird expects the study to be pivotal in the U.S. and confirmatory in the EU. Last year, the company said it would seek conditional approval of LentiGlobin in the EU based on two Phase I/II studies (see BioCentury Extra, May 19, 2015). ...