Gene therapy at last is coming into its own with a new kind of "p" value, said Bluebird Bio Inc. CEO Nick Leschly. "Instead of publications, it's now about patients," he said, commenting on positive results from a phase I/II trial with a gene therapy against beta-thalassemia major – data that started followers of Bluebird speculating on whether the approach will work in sickle cell disease (SCD), too.