Gene-Editing Firm Semma Acquired by Vertex

Gene-Editing Firm Semma Acquired by Vertex

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (NASDAQ: VRTX) purchased another gene-editing biotech company last week, marking its fourth announced transaction of 2019. The pharmaceutical giant bought Semma Therapeutics for $950 million in an all-cash transaction for all of the company’s outstanding shares. Semma leverages stem cell-derived human islets to research potentially cures for type 1 diabetes. The biotech firm will become a separate operating subsidiary of Vertex and executives of Semma will join Vertex and remain in leadership positions at Semma. After a hiatus in 2018, Vertex has been on a shopping spree this year to build its gene-editing platform and capabilities for various... Read More »