The drug, which was designed to treat Duchenne muscular dystrophy, has been linked to the deaths of two teenage boys.

(Reuters) -The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said on Friday it was investigating the death of an eight-year-old boy who received Sarepta Therapeutics' muscular disorder gene therapy Elevidys. The death occurred on June 7, the agency said.

Roche’s move came against a backdrop of wider industry retreat from gene therapy, with Pfizer pulling its FDA-approved hemophilia B treatment Beqvez. Bluebird bio, a gene therapy pioneer once valued at $10 billion at its peak, was sold for just $49 million upfront to private equity firms.