Amicus deprioritizes gene therapies, ends plan to merge spinout with Perceptive’s SPAC

With risk calculus changing in the gene therapy field, Amicus and a Perceptive-backed SPAC have scuttled plans to spin out the biotech’s gene therapy programs into a publicly traded company via a planned merger.

The decision comes as Amicus Therapeutics Inc. (NASDAQ:FOLD) revealed plans to scale back its investment in gene therapy R&D amid headwinds in the sector, prioritizing commercial and registrational programs for Fabry disease and Pompe disease. It also arrives weeks after the biotech disclosed a pipeline setback for a gene therapy to treat Batten disease...