bluebird bio (BLUE) and its partner Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMY) announced positive results from several studies using its LentiGlobin gene therapy to treat patients with beta-thalassemia. The more prominent news item involves long-term data from one study, which showed that those treated with the therapy were able to achieve transfusion independence for as long as five years. This long-term data, along with several other positive studies, proves that LentiGlobin is a solid treatment option for patients who have this disease. It is imperative that these patients achieve long-term transfusion independence for an improvement of quality of