Wall Street Analyst David Nierengarten of Wedbush Dissects Recent Gene Therapy Shopping Spree

Together, Roche and Biogen paid over $5.5 billion for gene therapy companies Spark and Nightstar. What does this mean for the emerging technology? Spark, of course, received FDA approval for Luxturna as a treatment for inherited retinal disease. But the drug isn’t Roche’s primary focus. Meanwhile, Nightstar’s clinical-stage products could give Biogen a second shot at a gene therapy portfolio after the company severed ties with AGTC in December. Could Biogen make a move to bulk up its ophthalmology offerings?