Global Blood rises on 12-week sickle cell data

Global Blood Therapeutics Inc. (NASDAQ:GBT) gained $6.05 (16%) to $44.75 Wednesday after reporting data from Part A of the Phase III HOPE study that it believes could support accelerated approval of voxelotor (formerly GBT440) to treat sickle cell disease.

The company said voxelotor met Part A's primary endpoint by significantly improving the proportion of patients with an increase of more than 1 g/dL hemoglobin from baseline to week 12 vs. placebo. Low- and high-dose voxelotor led to hemoglobin responses in 38% (p=0.0021) and 58% (p<0.0001) of patients, respectively, vs. 9% of patients receiving placebo. Each treatment group surpassed the 35% efficacy benchmark Global Blood and FDA had agreed upon, the company said...