LentiGlobin BB305: Additional Ph I/II HGB-206 data

Data from 7 evaluable patients with severe sickle cell disease in the open-label, U.S. Phase I/II HGB-206 trial showed that LentiGlobin BB305 led to a median vector copy number (VCN) of 0.08 vector copies/diploid genome in peripheral blood at a median follow-up of 7.1 months. Additionally, the median hemoglobin level generated by LentiGlobin BB305 was 0.4 g/dL at 3 months. bluebird said the VCN was "relatively low" compared to other studies and likely contributed to the low expression of anti-sickling hemoglobin. Data will be presented at the American Society of Hematology meeting in San Diego next month. In December 2015, bluebird said anti-sickling hemoglobin production in the first 2 patients enrolled in HGB-206 was below the threshold needed to potentially achieve a disease-modifying effect (see BioCentury, Dec. 14, 2015)...