Case Analysis 3 - Ending HIV
- What were the pros and cons of Sangamo pursuing its gene editing programs alone versus working with a partner?
Sangamo Biosciences developed zinc-finger nucleases (ZFNs), which is one of the latest technologies whose ability was to edit the genes of a living person. Although, with vast potential, the technology demands a significant amount of R&D work. The purpose of the latter R&D is to ensure both adequate and enough penetration on individual cells to make the difference. The primary purpose of this program was to promise a sure way of giving people mutation that would help to cure HIV (Lombardo et al., 2007). This, therefore, posed some advantages and disadvantages, with the part of pros being Sangamo retaining control of the ZFN technology and its development. Also, gene editing offered great chances towards the cure and prevention of diseases. However, the program was faced with a big blow, where its progress to achieve the vision of HIV gene therapy was delayed. Another disadvantage was that they could not complete drug development and commercialization.
- Does the HIV program offer any special opportunities or challenges?
The invention of this program comes as an opportunity as a challenge. On the biggest opportunity for the Sangamo Biosciences was to provide a technology that would help penetrate individual’s cells to make a difference. This is an opportunity as it would help cure HIV. Creating treatment that could cure HIV would be one of the biggest relief to people living with this virus globally (Tebas et al., 2014). However, it posed great challenges begin from clinical trials, commercialization, and how it would be possible to deliver the program to over 30 million people in the first phase. Additionally, the development of the drug was very expensive and risky, funds that were not readily available, which made Sangamo decide to partner with another organization dealing with the HIV program.
- What do you think Sangamo should do regarding the HIV program? Should it license the technology to a larger pharmaceutical? Should it form a joint venture with another biotech or pharma company? If so, who?
Despite various challenges in addressing the program, there are still some measures that Sangamo can do regarding his program. Most essential is to in extremis financially. Initially, they tried to commercialize ZFNs for HIV therapy, instead, they should seek a license from worldwide known bodies dealing with health issues. Some of these bodies include the amfAR and the World Health Organization (WHO) who would grant the program a loyalty-free license on the ZFN technology relevant to HIV treatment. The latter license would serve as an exchange for funding thus guarantee the progress of the process of ZFN development.
- Importantly, apply as many of the COs (Course Objectives) as you can to the case.
In this case study, many of the objectives have been presented. These learning objectives were aimed at understanding the invention of the program describing the industry dynamics. After this effort, we can appreciate the potentials of the gene editing program on realizing the potentials of ZFN in the prevention and cure of diseases, which was not possible earlier. However, with innovations there are cases of cyber insecurity, therefore, receiving a loyalty license with legit worldwide bodies as well as a partnership will ensure security with this new invention. Additionally, a partnership would be one of the appropriate measures that the program developers could take to seek finds that would help in the development of the drugs.
References
Lombardo, A., Genovese, P., Beausejour, C. M., Colleoni, S., Lee, Y. L., Kim, K. A., ... & Naldini, L. (2007). Gene editing in human stem cells using zinc finger nucleases and integrase-defective lentiviral vector delivery. Nature biotechnology, 25(11), 1298-1306.
Tebas, P., Stein, D., Tang, W. W., Frank, I., Wang, S. Q., Lee, G., ... & June, C. H. (2014). Gene editing of CCR5 in autologous CD4 T cells of persons infected with HIV. New England Journal of Medicine, 370(10), 901-910.
