Spark Thera in potential $280 million hemophilia B deal with Pfizer

US gene therapy start up Spark Therapeutics has entered into a global collaboration with pharma giant Pfizer (NYSE: PFE) for the development and potential commercialization of SPK-FIX, a development program advancing proprietary, bio-engineered adeno-associated virus (AAV) vectors for the potential treatment of hemophilia B.

The companies will work together on a worldwide basis with the aim of bringing an important investigational therapy to patients.

Last month, the US Food and Drug Administration granted Breakthrough Therapy designation for Spark’s SPK-RPE65, a treatment for inherited retinal dystrophies, and the promise of the biotech firm's pipeline has helped it raise more than $80 million in venture capital funding in under a year. SPK-RPE65 currently is in a fully-enrolled pivotal Phase III clinical trial, data from which Spark expects to report in the second half of 2015.