The National Gaucher Foundation of Canada has been the recipient of financial grants from AVROBIO. However, the content below was created independently from, and without regard to, such grants. I recently caught up with friend and fellow Canadian, Christine White, president of the National Gaucher Foundation of Canada. Even in a virtual meeting, it’s hard […]
Author Archives: avrobioprod
International partnerships in biotech: How small details can have a big impact
By Deanna Petersen, CBO of AVROBIO, and Ted Tanaka, international partnering consultant with Tanaka International LLC. Imagine yourself setting out to do business in Japan. You step off the plane, check into your hotel, take a quick nap and then head to a restaurant to meet your potential new Japanese colleagues. You shake hands, sit […]
Where we stand: A perspective on AVROBIO’s place in the gene therapy landscape
Last month, AVROBIO presented an update at the American Society of Gene and Cell Therapy annual meeting that we believe illustrates the broad range of potential benefits that comes with using patients’ own hematopoietic stem cells (HSC) to address genetic disease. Early data from our collaborator-sponsored Phase 1/2 clinical trial in cystinosis showed consistent expression […]
2021 Annual Report: CEO Geoff MacKay on how gene therapy’s promise propels us forward
2021 challenged us all in many ways. As successive waves of SARS-CoV2 variants swept around the globe, we saw a monumental scientific achievement in our industry – the development and distribution of a completely new vaccine – accompanied by various failures and missteps that undermined progress against the pandemic. It was an imperfect and at […]
Moving gene therapy forward: Predictions for the next phase of development
Gene therapy has encountered plenty of speed bumps in the past year, with companies across the industry dealing with safety issues, regulatory setbacks, chemistry, manufacturing and control (CMC) challenges and difficult questions over commercialization. AVROBIO has not been immune, as we recently deprioritized one of our clinical programs due to several factors, including emerging clinical […]
Going out on a limb: Lessons I’ve learned chasing my dreams
One of the most common questions I get asked is how I got into the business side of the biotech industry, and in particular business development. My career path did not follow a predictable, straight line. I had not set out intending to become a chief business officer at a biotech company. It was a […]
A periscope for gene therapy: How high-resolution methods like single-cell sequencing may help predict the fate of gene therapy drug product
In recent years, tools that enable deeper analysis of single cells have made incredible progress. We can now look at individual cells from a single sample and see how they differ from one another in terms of their DNA, gene expression and protein production. With these tools, each cell tells its own story about where […]
Are you a giver or a taker?
There’s something that’s been on my mind for quite a while, probably since December, when I took time to look back at 2020 and reflect on the power of coming together as a community to make it through this challenging year. The work we are doing is unique — cutting edge. But what’s it going […]
Inclusivity is key to scientific advancements: Why I helped start “Out Toxicologists and Allies”
In the modern world of science, things move fast. There is always a new innovation or discovery just around the corner, ready to change the field. And it’s all the result of people working together: a combination of great dedication, rigorous research, and steadfast support from colleagues. However, diversity of thought is the silent understructure […]
“Commercial” is not a dirty word: Why all biotech companies need a strong commercial mindset from the earliest stages
Does commercialization strategy matter when you are years from having a commercial product? In my experience in biotech, the answer is a resounding yes. Biotech is an industry that has a high rate of failure — 90 percent of drug candidates do not get approval. Even if approval comes, a study by Deloitte Center for Health Solutions […]
