PRESS RELEASES

Boston, MA, March 1, 2023 – Chroma Medicine, Inc., (Chroma) a genomic medicine company pioneering single-dose epigenetic editing therapeutics, today announced the completion of a $135 million Series B financing led by GV (Google Ventures), with participation from additional new investors ARCH Venture Partners, DCVC Bio, Mubadala Capital, Sixth Street, and all existing investors, including Alexandria Venture Investments, Atlas Venture, Casdin Capital, Cormorant Asset Management, Janus Henderson Investors, Newpath Partners, Omega Funds, Osage University Partners, Sofinnova Partners, T Rowe Price, and Wellington Management. The financing will support advancement of Chroma’s therapeutic programs toward the clinic, and continued investment in the company’s core epigenetic editing platform.

“In the year since launch, we have made significant progress in advancing the pioneering work of our scientific founders towards harnessing the power of the cell’s epigenome to regulate gene expression and developing a robust portfolio of single-dose epigenetic editing therapeutics,” said Catherine Stehman-Breen, M.D., CEO of Chroma. “We’re grateful to this exceptional syndicate of investors, whose commitment enables our ongoing drive to introduce this new class of precision genomic medicines with curative potential to patients with serious illnesses.”

Current gene editing approaches regulate gene expression by cutting or nicking DNA, introducing risks associated with leveraging unpredictable DNA repair pathways. Chroma’s single-dose epigenetic editors harness the cells’ innate mechanism for gene regulation to precisely and durably silence, activate, and multiplex genes using a single platform, without changing the underlying DNA sequence. This groundbreaking approach enables Chroma to more effectively address a wide range of diseases and to target multiple pathways for complex diseases.

“Epigenetic editing opens the possibility of pursuing targets on the genome previously intractable with other therapeutic modalities; this includes the ability to target both protein coding and non-coding RNAs,” said Vic Myer, Ph.D., CSO of Chroma. “Our approach enables precise regulation while avoiding break-induced mutations, translocations, and rearrangements associated with other technologies, removing limitations on the number of simultaneous edits that are possible.”

“Genomic medicine is an exciting and fast-evolving field, and epigenetic editing has emerged as a promising new frontier for gene regulation,” said Issi Rozen, Venture Partner, GV. “Chroma’s technology enables durable modulation of gene expression—both individual genes and multiple genes at once—providing potentially transformative treatments for patients living with serious diseases.”

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About Chroma Medicine

Chroma Medicine is a biotechnology company pioneering a new class of genomic medicines that harness epigenetics, nature’s innate mechanism for gene regulation, to deliver precise, programmable single-dose therapeutics while preserving genomic integrity. The company was founded by the world’s foremost experts in genomic research and is led by a veteran team of industry leaders and scientists with deep experience in genomic medicine, drug discovery, and development. For more information, please visit chromamedicine.com or follow the company on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Media Contact
Lia Dangelico
Verge Scientific Communications
540.303.0180
ldangelico@vergescientific.com

Cambridge, MA, October 4, 2022 – Chroma Medicine, Inc., (Chroma) a genomic medicine company pioneering single-dose epigenetic editing therapeutics, today announced the addition of Jeff Marrazzo, co-founder and former founding CEO of Spark Therapeutics, to its Board of Directors.

“Jeff’s leadership at Spark yielded the first-ever approved gene therapy, and we are thrilled to bring his expertise to the Chroma Board,” said Catherine Stehman-Breen, M.D., CEO of Chroma. “He is a proven company builder who has successfully led the advancement of novel genomic medicines to patients. His unique perspective as a gene therapy pioneer will be instrumental as we reimagine the future of genomic medicine.”

After co-founding Spark Therapeutics in 2013, Marrazzo built the company into the world’s first fully integrated, commercial gene therapy company, including securing regulatory approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and launching the first gene therapy for a genetic disease in the United States. As CEO, Marrazzo shepherded multiple gene therapies into the clinic for patients with conditions ranging from inherited retinal diseases to rare bleeding and neuromuscular disorders. During his tenure, Spark raised more than $1 billion in capital, established major partnerships with multiple pharmaceutical companies, grew to 850 employees, and created novel reimbursement models to ensure patient access to genetic medicines. In 2019, Marrazzo successfully orchestrated Spark’s $4.8 billion sale to Roche.  Currently, Marrazzo serves on the Board of the Life Science Cares Philadelphia and the Rendell Center for Civics and Civic Engagement. Marrazzo holds a dual M.B.A. and M.P.A. from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and Harvard University.

“By leveraging nature’s highly evolved mechanism to regulate gene expression, Chroma’s unique epigenetic editing platform holds the exciting promise of precise, programmable one-and-done therapeutics that preserve genomic integrity. This approach is a step change in genomic medicine and holds tremendous potential to revolutionize the treatment of complex, polygenic diseases,” said Marrazzo. “I’m eager to work with Catherine and her leadership team to help bring breakthrough therapeutics and hope to patients living with serious illnesses.”    

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About Chroma Medicine

Chroma Medicine is a biotechnology company pioneering a new class of genomic medicines that harness epigenetics, nature’s innate mechanism for gene regulation, to deliver precise, programmable single-dose therapeutics while preserving genomic integrity. The company was founded by the world’s foremost experts in genomic research and is led by a veteran team of industry leaders and scientists with deep experience in genomic medicine, drug discovery, and development. For more information, please visit chromamedicine.com or follow the company on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Media Contact

Lia Dangelico
Verge Scientific Communications
540.303.0180
ldangelico@vergescientific.com

Cambridge, MA, September 20, 2022 – Chroma Medicine, Inc., (Chroma) a genomic medicine company pioneering single-dose epigenetic editing therapeutics, today announced the formation of a Scientific Advisory Board (SAB) comprising renowned leaders in epigenetics, cell and gene therapy, and synthetic biology: Bradley Bernstein, M.D., Ph.D., Paula Cannon, Ph.D., Howard Chang, M.D., Ph.D., and Ahmad (Mo) Khalil, Ph.D. The SAB members will provide key input to Chroma as the company advances its programs addressing a wide range of diseases.

“Each of these distinguished experts will be instrumental as we unlock the potential of epigenetic editing therapeutics,” said Catherine Stehman-Breen, M.D., Chief Executive Officer of Chroma Medicine. “We are honored to welcome them to the Chroma team and eager to leverage their expertise as we build the future of genomic medicine.”

“The SAB is composed of scientific leaders whose seminal research has significantly advanced the fields of genome editing and cell and gene therapy,” said Vic Myer, Ph.D., President and Chief Scientific Officer of Chroma. “They bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to Chroma as we continue to advance our platform with the goal of bringing novel single-dose genomic therapeutics to patients.”

Members of the Chroma Scientific Advisory Board include:

• Bradley Bernstein, M.D., Ph.D.
  • Dr. Bradley Bernstein is the Chair of Cancer Biology at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Director of the Gene Regulation Observatory at the Broad Institute, Professor of Cell Biology and Pathology at Harvard Medical School, and an Investigator in Harvard’s Ludwig Institute. His research, focusing on epigenetic gene regulation, led to the discovery of “bivalent domains,” a signature chromatin state consisting of opposing histone modifications that poise master genes for alternate fates. Dr. Bernstein earned his M.D. and Ph.D. from the University of Washington.
• Paula Cannon, Ph.D.
  • Dr. Paula Cannon is a Distinguished Professor in the Department of Molecular Microbiology & Immunology at the University of Southern California’s Keck School of Medicine. She leads a research team that studies viruses, stem cells, and gene therapy. Her work has led to the development of a gene editing approach to treating HIV, which is currently in clinical trials. Her recent contributions are focused on using CRISPR/Cas9 to engineer hematopoietic stem cells and B cells, with a view to long-term control of viral infections. Dr. Cannon earned her Ph.D. in genetics from the University of Liverpool.
• Howard Chang, M.D., Ph.D.
  • Dr. Howard Chang is the Virginia and D. K. Ludwig Professor of Cancer Research and Professor of Dermatology and Genetics at Stanford University. His research has pioneered methods for epigenomic profiling and identifying key regulators of large-scale transcriptional programs. Dr. Chang earned his Ph.D. in biology from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and his M.D. from Harvard Medical School.
• Ahmad (Mo) Khalil, Ph.D.
  • Dr. Ahmad (Mo) Khalil is the Dorf-Ebner Distinguished Associate Professor of Biomedical Engineering and the Associate Director of the Biological Design Center at Boston University, and a Visiting Scholar at the Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University. His research has pioneered synthetic biology methods to dissect and engineer the molecular circuits that control gene regulation and epigenetic memory in eukaryotes. Dr. Khalil earned his Ph.D. in mechanical engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

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About Chroma Medicine

Chroma Medicine is a biotechnology company pioneering a new class of genomic medicines that harness epigenetics, nature’s innate mechanism for gene regulation, to deliver single-dose therapeutics for patients with genetically driven diseases. The company was founded by the world’s foremost experts in genomic research and is led by a veteran team of industry leaders and scientists with deep experience in genomic medicine, drug discovery, and development. For more information, please visit chromamedicine.com or follow the company on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Media Contact

Lia Dangelico
Verge Scientific Communications
540.303.0180
ldangelico@vergescientific.com

Cambridge, MA, May 24, 2022 – Chroma Medicine, Inc., (Chroma) a genomic medicine company pioneering epigenetic editing therapeutics, today announced the appointment of George Golumbeski, Ph.D., former Executive Vice President of Business Development at Celgene, as an Independent Director and John Maraganore, Ph.D., former CEO of Alnylam, as a Strategic Advisor.

“We are thrilled to welcome George and John to the Chroma team. They are both remarkable pioneers in building leading biotechnology companies that have brought important innovative treatments to patients,” said Catherine Stehman-Breen, M.D., Chief Executive Officer of Chroma. “Their deep experience will be invaluable to Chroma and the Board during this period of growth, and I look forward to working closely with George and John as we realize Chroma’s mission of delivering precision cures for patients suffering from serious disease.”

Dr. Golumbeski brings more than 25 years of business development experience to the Board and has a track record of forging groundbreaking collaborations between biotech companies focused on delivering state-of-the-art medicines to patients.

“Epigenetic editing holds the potential to be transformative in the treatment of disease,” said Dr. Golumbeski. “I am eager to work with the Chroma team to help bring breakthrough therapeutics to patients with critical illnesses.”

Dr. Maraganore, a veteran in the biotech industry, brings decades of experience and scientific and strategic insight to his role. During his tenure at Alnylam, he led the company’s pioneering work in RNA interference from inception through global approval and commercialization of the first four novel RNAi therapeutics. He was also responsible for the company’s value creation strategy, raising over $7.5 billion and forming over 20 major pharmaceutical alliances.

“Chroma is well positioned to advance its pipeline of industry-leading epigenetic editors to durably and precisely control gene expression,” said Dr. Maraganore. “I am excited to provide strategic guidance to the leadership team and support the company’s ongoing development.”

About George Golumbeski, Ph.D.

Dr. Golumbeski is currently a Partner at DROIA Ventures and serves on the on the Board of several life sciences companies. Prior to this role, he led business development at Celgene, where he was responsible for strategic collaborations and acquisitions, product in- and out-licensing, and relationship management. Previously, he was Vice President of Business Development, Licensing, and Strategy at Novartis, and held leadership positions at several biotech and pharmaceutical companies, including Elan Pharmaceuticals and Schwarz Pharma. Dr. Golumbeski earned his Ph.D. in genetics/molecular biology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and holds a B.A. in biology from the University of Virginia.

About John Maraganore, Ph.D.

At Alnylam, Dr. Maraganore guided the company’s strategy for pioneering RNA interference (RNAi) therapeutics, raising over $7.5 billion to support corporate growth and establishing strategic collaborations with leading global pharma companies—resulting in approval and commercialization of the world’s first RNAi medicines (ONPATTRO®, GIVLAARI®, OXLUMO®, and LEQVIO®). Previously, he served as Senior Vice President of Strategic Product Development at Millennium Pharmaceuticals, along with leadership roles at Biogen and Zymogenetics. Dr. Maraganore earned his Ph.D. in biochemistry and molecular biology from the University of Chicago, and serves on the Board of several professional organizations and biotech companies.

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About Chroma Medicine

Chroma Medicine is a biotechnology company pioneering a new class of genomic medicines that harness epigenetics, nature’s innate mechanism for gene regulation, to deliver new treatments for patients with genetically driven diseases. The company was founded by the world’s foremost experts in genomic research and is led by a veteran team of industry leaders and scientists with deep experience in genomic medicine, drug discovery, and development. For more information, please visit chromamedicine.com or follow the company on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Media Contact

Lia Dangelico
Verge Scientific Communications
540.303.0180
ldangelico@vergescientific.com

Cambridge, MA, November 17, 2021 – Chroma Medicine, Inc., (Chroma) a new genomic medicine company pioneering epigenetic editing, launched today with $125M in financing. Atlas Venture and Newpath Partners seeded the company with participation from Sofinnova Partners. The Series A was led by Cormorant Asset Management with participation by Casdin Capital, Janus Henderson Investors, Omega Funds, funds and accounts advised by T. Rowe Price Associates, Inc., and Wellington Management in addition to all seed investors.The financing will support continued development of the company’s epigenetic editing platform and advancement of its pipeline of targeted therapeutics.

Chroma has assembled a highly experienced team led by industry veterans Catherine Stehman-Breen, M.D., CEO, Vic Myer Ph.D., President and CSO, and Brett Kaplan, M.D., CFO. The company builds upon breakthrough epigenetic editing technologies developed by its scientific founders, Luke Gilbert, Ph.D., Keith Joung, M.D., Ph.D., David Liu, Ph.D., Angelo Lombardo, Ph.D., Luigi Naldini, M.D., Ph.D., and Jonathan Weissman, Ph.D.

“Epigenetic editing is the next frontier in genomic medicine with the potential to transform the treatment of genetically driven diseases. By harnessing nature’s innate mechanism to modulate gene expression, we can durably and precisely control gene expression without fundamentally changing or cutting the underlying DNA sequence,” said Dr. Stehman-Breen. “Supported by world-class founders and investors, the Chroma team is committed to deliver on the promise of this exciting platform.”

Chroma’s modular epigenetic editors can be precisely programmed to durably turn genes on or off or alter the expression of several genes at once. This approach represents a step change advance in gene editing, enabling the company to seamlessly silence, activate, and multiplex genes in a single platform. Chroma’s epigenetic editors have the potential to address a wide range of diseases and to become the technology of choice for gene regulation.

“Epigenetic editing provides fundamental mechanistic advantages over other genomic medicine approaches,” said Vic Myer, Ph.D. “First, by mimicking cells’ existing mechanism for regulating gene expression, it enables complete control of the target without activating unpredictable DNA repair pathways. Second, epigenetic editing opens the possibility of pursuing targets in the genome that are difficult to access with other therapeutic approaches, offering hope to patients suffering from serious illnesses.”

Chroma launches with partnerships with world-renowned academic institutions. Its recent acquisition of Milan, Italy-based Epsilen Bio seeded by Sofinnova Partners and founded by Angelo Lombardo, Ph.D. and Luigi Naldini, M.D., Ph.D., adds complementary capabilities through a partnership with the San Raffaele Telethon Institute for Gene Therapy, a joint institute between Ospedale San Raffaele and Fondazione Telethon, a pioneer in cell and gene therapy. The company also launches with collaborations with Massachusetts General Hospital and the University of California, San Francisco, global leaders in scientific innovation and genetic disease research.

“Chroma is building a next-generation technology platform of epigenetic editing tools,” said Bihua Chen, CEO and Portfolio Manager at Cormorant Asset Management. “This novel approach has the potential to address not only monogenic disease, but also complex diseases involving multiple genes that have long been out of reach of genomic editing. We believe the company is well-positioned to realize the potential of this exciting new technology.”

Chroma’s Board of Directors includes CEO Catherine Stehman-Breen, M.D. and investors Kevin Bitterman, Ph.D., Partner, Atlas Venture, Thomas Cahill, M.D., Ph.D., Managing Partner, Newpath Partners, Bihua Chen, CEO and Portfolio Manager, Cormorant Asset Management, and Paola Pozzi, Partner, Sofinnova Partners.

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About Chroma Medicine

Chroma Medicine is a biotechnology company pioneering a new class of genomic medicines that harness epigenetics, nature’s innate mechanism for gene regulation, to deliver new treatments for patients with genetically driven diseases. The company was founded by the world’s foremost experts in genomic research and is led by a veteran team of industry leaders and scientists with deep experience in genomic medicine, drug discovery, and development. For more information, please visit chromamedicine.com or follow the company on LinkedIn and Twitter.