In a further validation of its zinc finger nuclease (ZFN) genome-editing platform, Sangamo BioSciences has formed a collaboration with Biogen Idec to develop potentially curative therapies for haemoglobinopathies, including sickle cell disease (SCD) and beta-thalassaemia (BT). The deal comes only 1 month after Sangamo reported promising preclinical data from its ZFN therapeutic programmes for SCD and BT at the annual American Society of Hematology meeting. In 2012, Sangamo partnered with Shire to develop zinc finger DNA-binding protein (ZFP) therapeutics for haemophilia and other monogenic diseases, including Huntington’s disease.