Spark Therapeutics to open headquarters in West Philadelphia

Spark Therapeutics, a gene therapy medical company, this week signed an agreement for a headquarters in West Philadelphia. Spark Therapeutics, spun out of Children's Hospital of Philadelphia in October with $50 million in capital, will build out a 28,000-square-foot facility at 3737 Market St. to house its business operations, clinical research and development, and manufacturing.

Jeffrey D. Marrazzo, cofounder and chief executive, said the new facility "will support the continued expansion of our team and expand our manufacturing capacity to support our clinical development and commercial plans."

Spark anticipates moving into its new headquarters and expanding to 50 full-time employees by the end of 2014. Spark is preparing to complete clinical development of its lead, Phase 3 clinical program to address inherited retinal dystrophies caused by mutations in the RPE65 gene.

- Erin Arvedlund