Bluebird bio has molted to reveal a new—or new-ish, at least—brand identity.
After a busy summer that saw the drugmaker sell itself to a pair of private equity firms, go private and install new leadership, the bluebird name has left the nest, replaced as of Thursday by Genetix Biotherapeutics.
The new branding harks back to the company’s origins, as it was founded in 1992 as Genetix Pharmaceuticals before taking flight as bluebird bio in 2010.
The return to the Genetix moniker reflects the pharma’s “newly sharpened focus on commercial execution to deliver life-changing genetic therapies,” according to this week’s announcement, which highlighted Genetix’s status as “the first and only company to secure FDA approval for three gene therapies”: Lyfgenia for sickle cell disease, Zynteglo for beta-thalassemia and Skysona for early cerebral adrenoleukodystrophy.
“Our rebrand is far more than a name change—it represents renewed hope for thousands of individuals who could benefit from our genetic therapies,” CEO David Meek said in a statement.
“Although we are the market leader, the vast majority of patients have not yet received treatment. Fortunately, our therapies are a one-time administered, durable treatment, which can dramatically improve clinical manifestations,” he continued. “Our sole purpose is to work with patients, providers, and payers to make access simpler and more streamlined. We’ve assembled an experienced team of industry leaders and have outlined a clear plan to do just that, and I am confident we will execute successfully.”
Meek, who previously served as chief executive of the likes of Novartis Canada, Ipsen and Mirati Therapeutics, took the reins at Genetix in early June, when Carlyle and SK Capital closed their acquisition of the company.
The deal offered either $5 per share to bluebird investors or $3 per share plus a one-time contingent value right of $6.84 per share, which will pay out only if sales of the three gene therapies reach $600 million over any 12-month period by the end of 2027. For reference, their combined sales weighed in at $84 million for 2024 and $39 million in Q1 of this year.
The deal also reverted Genetix into a privately held company.
Under its new leadership, Genetix has outlined four key priorities, three of which are dedicated to improving access to its three current offerings: strengthening its partnerships with qualified treatment centers, expanding its manufacturing capacity and boosting its manufacturing capabilities.
Finally, the company is also continuing work on its HGB-210 phase 3 trial, which is studying lovo-cel (lovotibeglogene autotemcel)—the gene therapy already approved as Lyfgenia—in adults and children with sickle cell disease.
Separately, last month, Genetix saw Skysona’s label narrowed by the FDA due to concerns that the therapy may raise the risk of blood cancer.