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In December 2019, the company was acquired by [[Hoffmann-La Roche]] for $4.3 billion.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.bizjournals.com/philadelphia/news/2019/12/17/roche-completes-4-3b-purchase-of-philadelphia.html | title= Roche completes $4.3B purchase of Philadelphia gene therapy pioneer Spark Therapeutics | work=[[American City Business Journals]] | date=17 December 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite press release | url=https://www.roche.com/media/releases/med-cor-2019-12-17b.htm | title=Roche concludes acquisition of Spark Therapeutics, Inc. to strengthen presence in gene therapy | publisher=[[Hoffmann-La Roche]] | date=17 December 2019}}</ref>
In December 2019, the company was acquired by [[Hoffmann-La Roche]] for $4.3 billion.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.bizjournals.com/philadelphia/news/2019/12/17/roche-completes-4-3b-purchase-of-philadelphia.html | title= Roche completes $4.3B purchase of Philadelphia gene therapy pioneer Spark Therapeutics | work=[[American City Business Journals]] | date=17 December 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite press release | url=https://www.roche.com/media/releases/med-cor-2019-12-17b.htm | title=Roche concludes acquisition of Spark Therapeutics, Inc. to strengthen presence in gene therapy | publisher=[[Hoffmann-La Roche]] | date=17 December 2019}}</ref>

In February 2020, Spark co-founder [[Katherine A. High]] stepped down from the company after the acquisition by Swiss pharma Roche.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.biospace.com/article/spark-therapeutics-co-founder-katherine-high-departs-company-ahead-of-roche-merger/|title=Spark Co-Founder Katherine High Departs Company Ahead of Merger with Roche|website=BioSpace|language=en-US|access-date=2020-03-03}}</ref>


==Products and pipeline==
==Products and pipeline==

Revision as of 08:57, 3 March 2020

Spark Therapeutics, Inc.
Company typeSubsidiary of Hoffmann-La Roche
IndustryBiotechnology
Pharmaceutical
Founded2013; 11 years ago (2013)
FoundersKatherine A. High
Jeffrey Marrazzo
HeadquartersPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania
RevenueIncrease $64 million (2018)
Increase -$78 million (2018)
Total assetsIncrease $814 million (2018)
Total equityDecrease $496 million (2018)
Number of employees
368 (2019)
ParentHoffmann-La Roche
Websitesparktx.com
Footnotes / references
[1]

Spark Therapeutics, Inc. is a developer of gene therapy treatments, which treat debilitating genetic diseases.[1] It is a subsidiary of Hoffmann-La Roche.

History

The company was founded in 2013 by Katherine A. High, Jeffrey Marrazzo, and Steven Altschuler[2] in an effort to commercially develop treatments against haemophilia that High was working on at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.[3]

In January 2015, the company became a public company via an initial public offering.[4]

In December 2017, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved LUXTURNATM (voretigene neparvovec-rzyl) for the treatment of patients with viable retinal cells and confirmed biallelic RPE65 mutation-associated retinal dystrophy, a genetic blinding condition caused by mutations in the RPE65 gene.[1]

In December 2019, the company was acquired by Hoffmann-La Roche for $4.3 billion.[5][6]

In February 2020, Spark co-founder Katherine A. High stepped down from the company after the acquisition by Swiss pharma Roche.[7]

Products and pipeline

The company has 3 gene therapy product candidates in clinical development: (i) SPK-8011, a candidate in the SPK-FVIII program for hemophilia A; (ii) SPK-8016, a product candidate for the hemophilia A inhibitor market; and (iii) SPK-7001, targeting choroideremia, or CHM. SPK-9001, a lead product candidate in the SPK-FIX program for hemophilia B, is being developed in partnership with Pfizer.[1]

Voretigene neparvovec

Voretigene neparvovec, marketed under the tradename Luxturna, is a gene therapy approved by the Food and Drug Administration for treatment of Leber's congenital amaurosis, a rare genetic eye disease.[8]

Fidanacogene elaparvovec

Fidanacogene elaparvovec, previously known by its study ID number SPK-9001,[9] is an experimental drug under investigation for treatment of hemophilia B in partnership with Pfizer. Fidanacogene elaparvovec is an adeno-associated viral vector which is designed to transfer a working copy of the Factor IX gene into the livers of patients who carry non-functioning copies.[10] In July 2018, fidanacogene elaparvovec entered late stage clinical trials.[11]

SPK-8011

SPK-8011 is an experimental drug under investigation for treatment of Haemophilia A. It is entering phase III clinical trials in the United States. The therapy transfers a working copy of the Factor VIII gene into patients who lack one. In Phase II clinical trials, 2 of 7 patients receiving the highest dose of the drug suffered immune responses. One patient had to be hospitalized. The reactions against the treatment were seen as a set back, though Spark suggested that the responses could be controlled with steroids, and promised to move forward with Phase III testing.[12][13]

SPK-7001

SPK-7001 is an experimental drug under investigation for treatment of choroideremia, a genetic disorder that causes blindness.[14]

SPK-3006

SPK-3006 is an experimental drug under investigation for treatment of Pompe disease, a genetic disorder that leads to failure to correctly metabolize glycogen.[14]

SPK-1001

SPK-1001 is an experimental drug under investigation for treatment of Batten disease, a fatal genetic, nervous system disorder.[14]

References

  1. ^ a b c d "Spark Therapeutics, Inc. 2018 Form 10-K Annual Report". U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
  2. ^ Higgins, Robert F., and Tina Liu. "Spark Therapeutics: Pioneering Gene Therapy." Harvard Business School Case 818-059, January 2018.
  3. ^ Crow, David (19 October 2017). "Gene therapy helped these children see. Can it transform medicine?". Financial Times.
  4. ^ George, John (January 30, 2015). "Shake Shack wasn't the day's only gonzo IPO. And this one, for Spark Therapeutics, raised more cash". American City Business Journals.
  5. ^ "Roche completes $4.3B purchase of Philadelphia gene therapy pioneer Spark Therapeutics". American City Business Journals. 17 December 2019.
  6. ^ "Roche concludes acquisition of Spark Therapeutics, Inc. to strengthen presence in gene therapy" (Press release). Hoffmann-La Roche. 17 December 2019.
  7. ^ "Spark Co-Founder Katherine High Departs Company Ahead of Merger with Roche". BioSpace. Retrieved 2020-03-03.
  8. ^ "FDA approves novel gene therapy to treat patients with a rare form of inherited vision loss" (Press release). Food and Drug Administration. 19 December 2017.
  9. ^ "Pfizer Initiates Pivotal Phase 3 Program for Investigational Hemophilia B Gene Therapy" (Press release). Pfizer. 16 July 2018.
  10. ^ Lindsey, George (1 December 2016). "Spk-9001: Adeno-Associated Virus Mediated Gene Transfer for Hemophilia B Achieves Sustained Mean Factor IX Activity Levels of >30% without Immunosuppression". Blood. 128 (22): 3. doi:10.1182/blood.V128.22.3.3.
  11. ^ George, John (16 July 2018). "Pfizer begins late-stage testing of Spark's hemophilia B gene therapy". American City Business Journals.
  12. ^ Garde, Damian (7 August 2018). "Spark's gene therapy data answer some burning questions — and raise a few more". Stat.
  13. ^ Tirrell, Meg (7 August 2018). "Spark Therapeutics shares lose a third of their value as hemophilia gene therapy trial disappoints investors". CNBC.
  14. ^ a b c Morrison, Chris (5 March 2019). "Spark's meteoric rise from hospital-funded spinout to $4.8 billion deal". Nature Biotechnology.
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