The first gene-edited therapy will be submitted for sickle cell disease and transfusion-dependent beta thalassemia; it will compete with bluebird in both indications, but analysts anticipate blockbuster sales in excess of $2bn.

The start-up will secure $70m from Genentech, after closing a series B financing, while it moves its first CAR-T program into the clinic for ovarian cancer later this year.

US FDA India country director Dr Sarah McMullen provides a fact check at a recent conclave to dispel the notion that interchangeable biosimilars are safer and more effective than other approved biosimilars.

GSK takes equity stake in Spero, and global rights to tebipenem except for certain Asian markets. Merck KGaA gets rights to Nerviano’s next-generation PARP inhibitor for cancer.