Ensoma emerges with Series A funding and a collaboration deal with Takeda for its vector-delivered treatments.<\/p>\n
Ensoma was backed in its Series A financing by 5AM Ventures and Takeda, amongst other investors, with $70 million (57 million).<\/p>\n
Takedas investment occurs alongside an exclusive worldwide license to develop Ensomas Engenious vectors for up to five rare disease indications.<\/p>\n
Image: iStock\/yekorzh<\/p>\n
The agreement includes a potential $100 million investment in upfront and preclinical research payments. Should the candidates progress past the preclinical stage, Ensoma is in line to receive up to $1.25 billion in additional development and commercialization milestones.<\/p>\n
At the heart of the deal are Ensomas vectors, which the company states are designed to deliver genome modification technologies, such as genome editing through CRISPR\/Cas9 or zinc finger nuclease.<\/p>\n
This would allow Ensomas vectors to potentially treat rare monogenic diseases but, according to the company, also the possibility for broader disease indications in oncology or infectious diseases.<\/p>\n
The vectors are engineered adenovirus vectors that do not contain any viral genome, allowing for storage space to deliver therapeutic cargo.<\/p>\n
A spokesperson for Ensoma confirmed that it is currently working with unspecified contract manufacturing partners but that there are plans to bring manufacturing inhouse.<\/p>\n
We are launching with significant process development and manufacturing expertise, the spokesperson added.<\/p>\n
The company arrives with a chief technology officer in Daniel Leblanc, who previously led manufacturing, analytical development and drug product development for Flexion Therapeutics, a company developing an adenovirus-based gene therapy.<\/p>\n
Regarding the complexity of producing Engenious vectors, the spokesperson stated that the process is much simpler and scalable compared to adeno-associated virus and lentiviral vector manufacturing.<\/p>\n
Executive chairman of Ensoma, Paula Soteropoulos, announced on the companys launch that the plan is to deliver any treatments off-the-shelf, as no stem cell donors are required in their production and with no prior conditioning needing to take place.<\/p>\n
The conditioning refers to patients who receive certain ex vivo gene therapy via lentiviral vectors undergoing chemotherapy prior to delivery.<\/p>\n
Ensoma plans to administer its therapies through a single injection, potentially allowing the treatment to be delivered where access to sophisticated healthcare systems may be limited, the company states.<\/p>\n
In terms of the next steps for the company, the spokesperson outlined that the Series A financing would allow the company to reach the investigational new drug (IND)-candidate nomination stage before it would need to raise additional equity. Ensoma plans to advance its own internal programs alongside those developed with Takeda.<\/p>\n
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Read more from the original source: Ensoma emerges with Series A funding and a collaboration deal with Takeda for its vector-delivered treatments. Ensoma was backed in its Series A financing by 5AM Ventures and Takeda, amongst other investors, with $70 million (57 million). Takedas investment occurs alongside an exclusive worldwide license to develop Ensomas Engenious vectors for up to five rare disease indications Continue reading
\nEnsoma launches to deliver off-the-shelf genomics - BioProcess Insider - BioProcess Insider<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"