Dec 8 (Reuters) - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Friday approved two gene therapies for sickle cell disease from Vertex Pharmaceuticals and CRISPR Therapeutics , as well as from bluebird bio.

Sickle cell disease is a painful, inherited blood disorder that can be debilitating and lead to premature death. It affects an estimated 100,000 people in the United States, most of whom are Black.

(Reporting by Sriparna Roy, Leroy Leo and Bhanvi Satija in Bengaluru; Editing by Caroline Humer and Bill Berkrot)