BEAM-101 IND Cleared for Evaluation for Sickle Cell Disease

  Beam Therapeutics Inc. (Nasdaq: BEAM), a biotechnology company developing precision genetic medicines through base editing, today reported recent business and pipeline updates, as well as third quarter 2021 financial results.

As part of today’s update, Beam announced that its Investigational New Drug (IND) application for BEAM-101 for the treatment of sickle cell disease was cleared by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). BEAM-101, the company’s lead ex vivo base editing product candidate, is a patient-specific, autologous hematopoietic investigational cell therapy which incorporates base edits that mimic single nucleotide polymorphisms seen in individuals with hereditary persistence of fetal hemoglobin (HPFH) to potentially alleviate the effects of mutations causing sickle cell disease or beta-thalassemia. This is the first open IND for base editing technology, a next-generation form of CRISPR capable of making single base changes without creating double strand breaks in the DNA. Beam is preparing to initiate a Phase 1/2 clinical trial designed to assess the safety and efficacy of BEAM-101 for the treatment of sickle cell disease, which Beam refers to as the BEACON-101 trial.

“We are thrilled to share that the FDA has cleared our first IND. BEAM-101 has the potential to offer a one-time treatment for patients with sickle cell disease, and this clearance enables the important transition from a preclinical to a clinical-stage company, bringing us closer to our ultimate goal of helping patients,” said John Evans, chief executive officer of Beam. “As leaders in the field of base editing, this milestone underscores the expertise of our team and the significant potential of our technology. We are grateful to the team members who have dedicated countless hours to this effort, and we look forward to this program’s continued evaluation in the clinic. As we look toward 2022, we believe we are well-positioned both financially and organizationally to execute on our vision.”

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/beam-therapeutics-provides-business-pipeline-110000685.html