The firms’ one-time hemophilia B gene therapy has been approved in the EU just months after a US nod, but concerns remain about its prospects on a market that has seen several setbacks for other gene therapies.

Pfizer’s fidanacogene elaparvovec has hit the mark in a Phase III hemophilia B trial just a month after rival UniQure’s Hemgenix won US approval, with Pfizer’s plans for regulatory action raising the stakes for Hemgenix.

ARCH closed a $3bn VC fund to end the month of June while in the same week six public biopharma firms said they are cutting jobs. Even so, some publicly traded companies have been able to launch sizeable offerings, including a $450m note sale by Cytokinetics and Xenon’s $250m follow-on. 

Vertex has acquired the full assets to a promising protease-based drug platform from Catalyst, broadening its R&D base once again.