The gene therapy start-up taps diversified public and private investors, as well as strategic backer Shire, for one of the year’s biggest rounds of private capital funding for a biotech thus far.

bluebird bio LLC has taken in $65 million in venture capital over the past year, thanks to encouraging studies with two different kinds of lentiviral vectors that transfer new copies of genes into patients' own stem cells. Given that vectors have different properties - one integrates into the DNA coding region, the other does not - the company might eventually be able to mix and match therapeutic gene "fillings" to vectors as needed. The start-up is ready to start commercializing gene therapies for serious genetic disorders, starting with ALD and beta-thalassemia. .

Private Company Edition: Lilly will open a third accelerator, this time in San Diego, and Fosun partnered with Treehill to help later-stage firms get over the finish line. Also, Flagship – after recent UK investments – signals its next fund will total $3bn. ArrivoBio and Alto Neuroscience raised $45m each.