Bluebird bio


bluebird bio, Inc., based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, is a biotechnology company that develops gene therapies for severe genetic disorders and cancer.
The company's only - in the European Union - approved drug is betibeglogene autotemcel, which treats transfusion-dependent beta thalassemia, a rare genetic blood disorder, and has been approved for use by the European Medicines Agency. The company has been criticized for the $1.8 million cost of the drug, which is the second most expensive drug in the world.
The company is developing LentiGlobin gene therapy for the treatment of sickle cell disease and cerebral adrenoleukodystrophy. It is also developing T cell product candidates to treat acute myeloid leukemia, Merkel-cell carcinoma, diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, and MAGEA4 solid tumors.

History

The company was founded as Genetix Pharmaceuticals in April 1992 by Philippe Leboulch.
In September 2010, the company was renamed bluebird bio and Nick Leschy was named chief executive officer.
In June 2013, the company became a public company via an initial public offering, raising $116 million.
In June 2014, the company acquired Precision Genome Engineering Inc. for up to $156 million.
In November 2017, Celgene, now Bristol-Myers Squibb, announced a collaboration with bluebird bio regarding bb2121 Anti-BCMA CAR-T Cell Therapy. In May 2020 the FDA issued a refusal to file letter to BMS and bluebird bio's marketing application seeking approval of idecabtagene vicleucel for patients with heavily pre-treated relapsed and refractory multiple myeloma.
In August 2018, the company announced a collaboration with Regeneron Pharmaceuticals to discover, develop and commercialize new cell therapies for cancer.

Products