Basis of presentation, principles of consolidation and significant accounting policies (Policies)	6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2022
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Basis of presentation	Basis of presentation The accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements are unaudited and have been prepared by the Company in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (“GAAP”). Any reference in these notes to applicable guidance is meant to refer to the authoritative United States GAAP as included in the ASC and Accounting Standards Updates (“ASUs”) of the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”). Certain information and footnote disclosures normally included in the Company’s annual financial statements have been condensed or omitted. These condensed consolidated financial statements, in the opinion of management, reflect all normal recurring adjustments necessary for a fair presentation of the Company’s financial position and results of operations for the interim periods ended June 30, 2022 and 2021.
Consolidation	The accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company and its wholly-owned subsidiaries. 2seventy bio was a wholly-owned subsidiary until it became an independent publicly-traded company on November 4, 2021. All intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation. The Company views its operations and manages its business in one operating segment.
Discontinued operations	Discontinued operations The Company determined that the separation of its oncology business in November 2021 and the sale of its manufacturing facility in Durham, North Carolina in September 2021 represented multiple components of a single disposal plan that met the criteria for classification as a discontinued operation in accordance with ASC Subtopic 205-20, Discontinued Operations (“ASC 205-20”). Accordingly, the accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements for the three and six months ended June 30, 2021 have been updated to present the results of all discontinued operations reported as a separate component of loss in the consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive loss (see Note 3, Discontinued operations).
Use of estimates	Use of estimates The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts in the financial statements and accompanying notes. Actual results could materially differ from those estimates. Management considers many factors in selecting appropriate financial accounting policies and controls, and in developing the estimates and assumptions that are used in the preparation of these financial statements. Management must apply significant judgment in this process. In addition, other factors may affect estimates, including: expected business and operational changes, sensitivity and volatility associated with the assumptions used in developing estimates, and whether historical trends are expected to be representative of future trends. The estimation process often may yield a range of potentially reasonable estimates of the ultimate future outcomes and management must select an amount that falls within that range of reasonable estimates. This process may result in actual results differing materially from those estimated amounts used in the preparation of the financial statements. Estimates and judgments are used in the following areas, among others: future undiscounted cash flows and subsequent fair value estimates used to assess potential and measure any impairment of long-lived assets, including goodwill and intangible assets, and the measurement of right-of-use assets and lease liabilities, stock-based compensation expense, accrued expenses, income taxes, the assets and liabilities and losses related to discontinued operations and the assessment of the Company's ability to fund its operations for at least the next twelve months from the date of issuance of these financial statements.
Recent accounting pronouncements	Recent accounting pronouncements Not yet adopted ASU No. 2022-02, Financial Instruments – Credit Losses (Topic 326): Troubled Debt Restructurings and Vintage Disclosures In March 2022, the FASB issued ASU 2022-02, Financial Instruments – Credit Losses (Topic 326): Troubled Debt Restructurings and Vintage Disclosures (“ASU 2022-02”), which eliminates the recognition and measurement guidance on troubled debt restructurings for creditors that have adopted ASC 326 and requires enhanced disclosure of loan modifications for borrowers experiencing financial difficulty. ASU 2022-02 amends the guidance on vintage disclosures to require disclosure of current-period gross write-offs by year of origination. The new standard will be effective beginning January 1, 2023. The adoption of ASU 2022-02 is not expected to have a material impact on the Company's financial position or results of operations.