Biotech gene therapy companies are viable as independent firms, Cell Genesys exec tells BIO.

INDEPENDENT BIOTECH GENE THERAPY COMPANIES ARE VIABLE despite the recent wave of acquisitions of gene therapy research firms by large pharmaceutical companies, Cell Genesys Director of Business Development Bruce Hironaka told the Biotechnology Industry Organization annual meeting in Philadelphia June 12. Noting a string of recent mergers (Sandoz/SyStemix, Sandoz/Genetic Therapy, Inc., Schering-Plough/Canji, Rhone-Poulenc Rorer/Applied Immune Sciences and Chiron/Viagene), Hironaka observed: "This raises the question, can an independent gene therapy company make it?" Cell Genesys "believes the answer is yes, but the road will be a difficult one."