Spark Therapeutics’ story as an ambitious gene therapy company spun out of
Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia’s Center for Cellular & Molecular Therapeutics and acquired by pharma company Roche several years later is the kind of exit many healthcare startups seek but never attain.
A company’s journey from commercialization to IPO to acquisition is rarely a straight path. It involves overcoming many challenges and obstacles, especially for a pioneering gene therapy company. Add to that the fact that the IPOs and M&A deals that used to be the classic exit are no longer truly exits but just another chapter in the life cycle of a business in the life science industry. That’s particularly true for breakthrough therapies that have to go through the gauntlet of aligning payer needs and patients’ ability to pay for what could be costly treatment.
Still, the deal underscores the strength of Philadelphia’s life science sector and the region’s ability to successfully commercialize academic research. It stands out as an important success story for Philadelphia’s healthcare and biotech startup ecosystem.
This special report on Spark Therapeutics reflects coverage of the life science company over several years by several reporters at MedCity News, including Deanna Pogorelc, Stephanie Baum, Meghana Keshavan, Juliet Preston, and Alaric DeArment.
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