Newco Trogenix Ltd. has emerged from incubation and raised £70 million (US$94.1 million) in a series A, as it prepares the ground for a U.S/U.K. clinical trial of a novel gene therapy construct in glioblastoma multiforme that is due to start at the beginning of 2026.

In a deal that could bring more than $2.1 billion in payments to Arbor Biotechnologies Inc., 90-year-old Chiesi Group gained exclusive and global rights to develop and commercialize ABO-101 for primary hyperoxaluria type 1, an ultra-rare disease caused by a mutation in the AGXT gene, as well as an option to go after a limited number of additional targets.

Opus Genetics Inc. will be sitting down with the U.S. FDA to talk about positive three-month data from the pediatric cohort of its ongoing phase I/II trial called OPGx-LCA5-1001 – partially funded by the agency – evaluating OPGx-LCA5, a gene augmentation therapy for ultra-rare Leber congenital amaurosis type 5 (LCA5). The affliction is a severe form of retinal dystrophy that renders babies blind in the first year of life.

The U.S. FDA released a trio of draft guidances to help sponsors in developing and monitoring cell and gene therapies, as well as other regenerative medicine therapies.

An ongoing concern for scientists is that there will be across-the-board funding cuts. This is already happening in mRNA research, where reductions affected coronavirus-related projects. During the pandemic, efforts focused on this pathogen, and once the health emergency was over, grants for antivirals were eliminated. However, these drugs could stem future outbreaks. Despite the cuts, recent research continues to demonstrate the potential of mRNA, not only for the development of antivirals, but also for obtaining more effective and longer-lasting vaccines.

Two months after starting the phase I/II Synrgy trial with its gene therapy, CAP-002, enrolling 12 pediatric patients with rare disease STXBP1 encephalopathy, Capsida Biotherapeutics paused the study following the death of the trial’s first patient.

The U.S. FDA has given a swift and full approval to Precigen Inc.’s gene therapy, Papzimeos (zopapogene imadenovec), for treating adults with recurrent respiratory papillomatosis (RRP), a rare and chronic disease characterized by benign tumors in the respiratory tract.

Aussie gene therapy company Mirugen Pty Ltd. has emerged from stealth mode from the Center for Eye Research Australia in Melbourne, toting a AU$4.5 million (US$2.9 million) seed round that will see it optimize its lead candidate to treat retinitis pigmentosa.

After about a two-week absence as the U.S. FDA’s CBER director, Vinay Prasad’s return overall prompted a mild reaction on Wall Street for some stocks tied to companies developing cell and gene therapies.