Technical challenges and lackluster investor sentiment about the near-term commercial potential of cell and gene therapies in neurological disorders may be holding the field back.

The company is struggling to grow revenue, and the biggest of its four key late-stage assets had a setback, but novel technologies are fueling an R&D strategy shift towards high potential programs.

The German group has invested $250m into a facility at its campus in Berkeley, CA to produce cell therapies from its own portfolio and for other companies in the space who are looking to tackle the perennial issue of manufacturing.

Just over six months after getting a complete response letter for its prodrug carbidopa and levodopa combination product, the US major has acquired Mitokinin and its selective PINK1 activator which could potentially be a disease-modifying treatment for Parkinson’s disease.