Vivet Therapeutics SAS has announced its gene therapy VTX-806 has been awarded European orphan drug designation for the treatment of cerebrotendinous xanthomatosis (CTX), a rare disorder of bile acid metabolism.

Skyline Therapeutics (Shanghai) Co. Ltd.’s SKG-1108, a novel one-time intravitreally delivered gene therapy, has been awarded U.S. orphan drug designation for the treatment of retinitis pigmentosa.

Metagenomi Inc. has reported data from an ongoing preclinical study designed to provide evidence supporting the potential durability and safety of the company’s hemophilia A gene editing investigational therapy, MGX-001.

Mutations in the GNAO1 gene are tied to neurological disorders characterized by movement abnormalities and developmental delay. GNAO1 encodes the protein guanine nucleotide-binding protein G(o) subunit α, which is highly expressed in the brain. Among the mutations, R209H results in dystonia, choreoathetosis and developmental delay without seizures.

Researchers from Excision Biotherapeutics Inc. and affiliated organizations have reported the development of a novel CRISPR/Cas9-mediated genome editing therapy – EBT-104 – for the treatment of latent herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) keratitis.

Innovec Pharmaceutical Technology Co. Ltd. (Innovec Biotherapeutics) has received FDA clearance for its IND application for IVB-103, an AAV-based gene therapy for neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

With a move into Lilly Gateway Labs in Boston’s Seaport District, privately held Tevard Biosciences Inc. is ramping up development of its transfer RNA (tRNA)-based therapies to cure everything from Dravet syndrome and other neurological conditions to cardiology indications and muscular dystrophies.

Kano Therapeutics Inc. announced it has secured $5 million in seed funding, bringing its total funding to date to $7.1 million. The company plans to use the funding to begin internal pipeline development of ex vivo genetic medicines based on kilobase gene insertion, expand its existing therapeutic collaborations to initiate externally driven preclinical programs, and scale its production capacity.

A recent study in PLoS One by researchers from Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center has evaluated the preclinical long-term safety of human A gamma-globin gene-carrying GbGM LV in wild-type mice.

Intellia Therapeutics Inc. has received clearance from the U.K. Medicine and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) to initiate a phase I/II study of NTLA-3001 for the treatment of α1-antitrypsin deficiency (AATD)-associated lung disease.