CAMBRIDGE, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--bluebird bio, an emerging leader in the development of innovative gene therapies for severe genetic disorders, today announced that it has entered into an agreement with the French Muscular Dystrophy Association (AFM), a French non-profit entity, whereby the company will receive an initial amount of approximately $1.4 million in cash to support the development of LentiGlobin®, the company’s development-stage program for the treatment of beta-thalassemia and sickle cell anemia. As part of the research agreement, bluebird bio has the option to draw upon an additional amount of up to $2.8 million in credit toward the manufacturing of cGMP clinical trial material at Généthon. In December 2010, bluebird bio entered into an agreement with Généthon designed to enable substantial advances in the existing manufacturing process of lentiviral vectors for the benefit of both partners.
