After regulatory approval, the Swiss pharmaceutical company Roche is now in position to complete a $4.3 billion takeover of Spark Therapeutics. According to a new press release, Roche is acquiring Spark in order to “expand in gene therapy and boost its hemophilia A portfolio.”
Roche co-developed (with Genentech and Chugai) the subcutaneous hemophilia A therapy Hemlibra®, which is currently available for the treatment of hemophilia A patients both with and without inhibitors, while Spark has investigational gene therapy candidates in clinical trials for both hemophilia A and hemophilia B. Spark is developing gene therapies for other conditions as well, including Huntington’s disease.
The deal was cleared after regulators in the U.S. and the U.K. were satisfied that it would not hinder competition in the arena of hemophilia A treatment. The U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and Britain’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) approved the deal on Monday, December 16th
Source: Reuters, December 16, 2019
