In a move to rebuild its ophthalmology pipeline, Biogen has acquired gene therapy specialist, Nightstar Therapeutics, for approximately US$877 M. The acquisition gives Biogen two clinical assets – a Phase I/II candidate, NSR-RPGR, for the treatment of X-linked retinitis pigmentosa and a Phase III asset, NSR-REP1, for the treatment of choroideraemia– as well as five preclinical candidates. The deal comes three months after Biogen terminated its US$1.2 B ophthalmic collaboration with Applied Genetic Technologies after a therapy failed to show signs of clinical activity.