Beam announces early-stage data on sickle cell disease therapy

Beam Therapeutics (Nasdaq: BEAM) will detail new clinical and pre-clinical data on its sickle cell disease (SCD) therapies at the upcoming American Society of Hematology (ASH) meeting.

The biotech will outline early results related to its genetically-engineered BEAM-101 cell therapy and its ESCAPE program. Data for four patients enrolled in the Phase I/II BEACON trial, which examines the single-dose BEAM-101 for SCD patients, indicate consistent safety and efficacy.

While one patient in the BEACON trial died four months after receiving BEAM-101, investigators said the death was likely linked to busulfan, a chemotherapy agent used in conditioning prior to cell therapy.