Swiss pharmaceutical giant Roche (SWX: RO) has inaugurated a new gene therapy development center in Germany, following an investment of EUR 90 million (USD 97.4 million). The expansive 2,500 square meter facility is designed to specialize in the production of gene vectors for clinical trials across various therapeutic areas, including neurology, ophthalmology, haemophilia, and oncology.
This initiative is in line with local government efforts to foster research and development (R&D) in the gene therapy sector and to create a hub for gene therapy players. The move includes collaboration with national firm Bayer (ETR: BAYN) and comes at a strategic time, as US gene therapy developers have been increasingly focusing outside the European Union (EU). Currently, China leads in the number of ongoing gene therapy studies, followed by the US and the UK.- Flcube.com
