Ferring Pharmaceuticals and Blackstone Life Sciences Invest Over US$570 Million in Novel Gene Therapy for Bladder Cancer Patients

Dechert advised Ferring Pharmaceuticals in its joint investment alongside Blackstone Life Sciences of over US$570 million in nadofaragene firadenovec (rAd-IFN/Syn3), an investigational novel gene therapy in late stage development for patients with high-grade, Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) unresponsive, non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC).

Ferring Pharmaceuticals is a research-driven, specialty biopharmaceutical group committed to helping people around the world build families and live better lives.

Blackstone Life Sciences is a private investment platform with capabilities to invest across the life-cycle of companies and products within the key life science sectors.

FerGene, a new gene therapy company and Ferring subsidiary, has been created to potentially commercialize nadofaragene firadenovec in the U.S. and to advance the global clinical development. FerGene’s goal is to bring this promising therapy to a patient population which has seen little improvement in their standard of care over the past twenty years. Blackstone will invest US$400 million and Ferring will invest up to US$170 million in FerGene. Ferring will also potentially launch and commercialize nadofaragene firadenovec outside of the U.S.

Nadofaragene firadenovec, currently in late Phase 3 development, has been granted Breakthrough Therapy designation and had its Biologics License Application (BLA) accepted for filing and granted Priority Review by the FDA.

The Dechert team was led by David Schulman and included Josh Milgrim, Eric Rubin, Craig Falls, Mina Miljevic and Aryeh Zuber.

About Dechert

Dechert is a leading global law firm with 26 offices around the world. We advise on matters and transactions of the greatest complexity, bringing energy, creativity and efficient management of legal issues to deliver commercial and practical advice for clients.