SparingVision expands ocular disease pipeline with buy of GAMUT Therapeutics

Ocular diseases focussed genomics medicines company SparingVision has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire fellow French biotech firm GAMUT Therapeutics, which has unique gene-independent approach to treat the later stages of rod-cone dystrophies such as retinitis pigmentosa (RP).

The acquisition, subject to legal formalities and approval by shareholders of both companies, will be paid mostly in new SparingVision shares and is expected to close in second-quarter 2021. Further financial terms of the transaction are not disclosed.

GAMUT’s lead product, now SPVN20, is a novel, mutation-agnostic gene therapy, which aims at restoring the function of dormant cone cells in the retina. Dormant cones are viable cones that have lost their function during the progression of a degenerative retinal disease.