-- Company raised $25 million in seed financing led by Forbion and Wellington Partners --
-- Seamless to develop programmable recombinases focused on precise, large edits targeting diseases of significant unmet medical need --
DRESDEN, Germany & LEXINGTON, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Seamless Therapeutics today announced the appointments of Albert Seymour, Ph.D., as its new President and Chief Executive Officer and Adam Rosenberg as Independent Chairman of the company’s Board of Directors. Both bring longstanding track records of successfully leading trailblazing biotechnology companies with an emphasis on gene editing and novel technologies. In addition, their combined experience will be instrumental in establishing Seamless Therapeutics’ Research and Development (R&D) activities in the US. In conjunction with the leadership additions, Seamless Tx Inc. will be established in Lexington, MA to focus on the translation of the differentiated recombinase technology from early discovery into the clinic. Dr. Seymour will be based in this office and replace Acting CEO and Co-Founder, Dr. Anne-K. Heninger, who will remain at the company and continue to oversee operations at the Dresden site as Head of Operations.
Seamless is translating major breakthroughs in programming recombinases, a class of enzymes that have been widely used in scientific research for decades, to transform their accuracy and flexibility enabling therapeutic gene editing. The company’s unique technology platform allows for site specific programmable recombinases that are engineered for specificity and activity to precisely excise, exchange, invert or insert DNA fragments in any target gene sequence. Early in vivo preclinical evidence has shown that Seamless’ programmable recombinases can precisely edit a 138 kilobase fragment through inversion. Editing through this process is independent of the cell’s DNA repair pathway. This platform provides opportunities to address multiple disease-causing mutations with a single therapeutic as well as expand gene editing to non-dividing cell types.
The company has raised $25 million in seed financing to date led by Forbion and Wellington Partners to advance its proprietary technology. The team is currently focused on generating a pipeline of innovative product candidates that aim to treat human disease irrespective of the specific genetic alteration.
“Seamless Therapeutics is at the forefront of the next wave of innovation in gene editing with its unique platform and comprehensive toolbox capable of programming recombinases. The platform technology coupled with the growth of our R&D team in Lexington provides the tools and expertise to precisely correct a range of DNA mutations at specific sites in the genome. Our goal is to continue to innovate and bring novel therapeutics forward for a range of disorders thereby addressing significant unmet medical needs,” said Albert Seymour, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer of Seamless Therapeutics. “The potential of Seamless Therapeutics’ technology and its future growth is very exciting, and I look forward to working with Adam in his new role as Chairman of the Board of Directors, and our international team to bring a differentiated pipeline of gene editing candidates to the clinic.”
“The field of gene editing is witnessing a new era. Relative to current editing approaches, which have provided a critical step forward in the development of novel therapeutics for patients in areas of high unmet need, Seamless Therapeutics has a first-mover position with its recombinase-focused technology. Programmable recombinases have the potential to precisely repair genetic alterations that cause disease using large or small edits as required,” added Adam Rosenberg, Independent Chairman of the Board of Seamless Therapeutics. “Together with Albert, the Seamless team and the Board, we are in a great position to deliver the technology’s inherent potential to create a new class of potentially curative treatments for patients globally.”
Dr. Seymour has over 25 years of combined experience in the field of human genetics and pharmaceutical R&D and is responsible for advancing the development of multiple therapeutic programs. Prior to his role at Seamless Therapeutics, he served as Chief Scientific Officer and later President and Chief Executive Officer of Homology Medicines, a clinical-stage genetic medicines company developing treatments for rare diseases. Before joining Homology Medicines, he served in several senior leadership positions at Shire and Pfizer. Dr. Seymour is currently on the Board of Directors at Ensoma and Iris Medicines. He holds a Ph.D. in Human Genetics from the University of Pittsburgh in the U.S.
Mr. Rosenberg has over 20 years of experience in building and leading innovative life sciences companies, most recently as founding CEO of Aliada Therapeutics, Athenen Therapeutics (merged with Eliem Therapeutics: ELYM) and Sionna Therapeutics. Previously, he was President, CEO, and member of the Board of Directors of Rodin Therapeutics until its acquisition in 2019. He also served as CEO and Co-Founder of Link Medicine and Teleos Therapeutics. Adam is currently Chair of Ambagon Therapeutics, and serves as Director on the boards of other venture-backed and public companies.
About Seamless Therapeutics
Seamless Therapeutics is changing the paradigm of gene editing through a pioneering approach that has the potential to address unmet medical needs in patients with severe conditions. Our technology platform unlocks the reprogramming of recombinases, a highly versatile class of enzymes. We are applying our proprietary know-how to develop a pipeline of disease-modifying product candidates across a broad spectrum of indications to expand the therapeutic potential of gene editing.
