Tome Biosciences, a genome editing company, has unveiled its presence and announced raising $213 million in its Series A and B financing rounds. The funds come from prominent investors such as Andreessen Horowitz, Arch Venture Partners, GV, Longwood Fund, Polaris Partners, Bruker, Fujifilm, and Alexandria Venture Investments.
Key Points:
Stealth Mode Emergence: Tome Biosciences has emerged from stealth mode, revealing its focus on CRISPR-based genome editing for various applications in gene therapies.
Founders and Technology: The company was founded by Omar Abudayyeh and Jonathan Gootenberg, former researchers at MIT’s McGovern Institute. Tome has secured an exclusive license for their CRISPR technology called Programmable Addition via Site-Specific Targeting Elements (PASTE).
Applications: Tome Biosciences plans to develop gene therapies for monogenic liver diseases and cell therapies for autoimmune diseases using its CRISPR-based technology.
Investors: The company’s funding rounds include participation from notable investors, indicating strong support for its innovative approach to genome editing.
Technology Advancements: The PASTE CRISPR technology allows the insertion of large DNA sequences without inducing double-strand breaks, providing an efficient and precise method for genome editing.
Leadership Team: Tome has strengthened its leadership team with the addition of John Finn as Chief Scientific Officer (CSO) and Matt Barrows as Chief Technology Officer (CTO).
Strategic Focus: The company’s strategic focus is on developing potentially curative treatments for rare monogenic diseases and advancing cell therapies for more common disorders.
Maturation of Editing Technologies: CEO Rahul Kakkar highlighted that Tome’s technology represents the maturation of editing technologies, breaking barriers in genomic medicine discovery.
The emergence of Tome Biosciences and its successful funding rounds underscore the ongoing advancements and interest in CRISPR-based genome editing technologies for therapeutic applications. The company’s focus on precision and efficiency in genome editing holds promise for addressing various genetic disorders.