Despite clinicians having a variety of therapeutic options for rheumatoid arthritis (RA), very few patients achieve long-term clinical remission, so the need for novel effective and safe therapeutic options remains.
Groundbreaking publications from GSK have identified that a drug’s clinical success can be increased 2.6-fold if there is a genetic basis for its mechanism in disease. The chance of success increases further when a causal gene is known. Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) are the main source of genetic information for chronic polygenic diseases, like RA.
However, GWAS have not yet delivered on their promise to revolutionise drug discovery. This may be because 90% of disease-associated variants are in the non-coding Dark Genome, making it difficult to prove their functional effects. Thus, GWAS remain an untapped resource, and potential clinically successful targets are being missed. Nucleome’s cutting edge and proprietary platform combines machine learning and lab-based 3D genome analysis tools to identify the causal variant and its linked gene, even from complex loci with multiple genes and variants.
The Nucleome platform identified a variant from an RA-associated locus and nominated NTP-464 as the affected gene. It predicted the disease-associated allele would close chromatin at the locus and that an agonist therapeutic modality is required to restore the affected NTP-464’s function. We validated the platform’s prediction in the wet lab using genomic, in vitro and in vivo tools.
For genetic target validation (GTV), we found the NTP-464 variant sits in an enhancer region specific to B cells. Next, we recruited donors heterozygous for NTP-464’s variant and measured chromatin openness and RNA expression across numerous primary human immune cell types. This analysis revealed that the presence of the disease-associated allele resulted in closed chromatin and decreased RNA expression of NTP-464 in B cells and mature monocyte-derived dendritic cells, but not T cells or NK cells. We hypothesised that this disease-associated variant destroys the link between an enhancer and the NTP-464 promoter by closing chromatin, and that this genetic mechanism happens in a cell-type specific manner.
We collaborated with the Oxford BioBank to recruit donors of known genotype and measure NTP-464 protein expression on the surface of immune cells. Like the chromatin and RNA data, we observed a decrease in NTP-464 protein expression in the presence of the disease-associated variant in B cells but not T cells. Although this genetic mechanism of locus control appears mostly restricted to B cells, we observe target expression in T cells, including Tregs. These data validate both the GTV data and the platform’s prediction of loss of functional activity in B cells.
To validate the platform’s prediction of an agonist modality, we applied a tool agonist antibody to a suite of in vitro assays in primary cells. Treatment with the tool agonist impaired B cell activation (as measured by CD69 protein expression), B cell IL-6 secretion and B cell proliferation. Additionally, agonism of NTP-464 expressed on Tregs enhances their suppression of other CD4+ T cells. Early analysis of how agonism of NTP-464 may mediate its anti-inflammatory effects point to the generation of the enzyme, IDO1. IDO1 converts tryptophan to kynurenine, with subsequent anti-inflammatory effects. In vivo treatment in a murine collagen-induced arthritis model with the tool agonist antibody reduced disease severity, inflammation and bone damage compared to controls.
While NTP-464 represents the story of a single genetic locus, Nucleome’s platform can also map key pathological mechanisms through an integrative network analysis of multiple loci. Indeed, using the NuML and 3D genome mapping capabilities, we have created gene clusters to identify 17 molecular mechanisms genetically associated with RA. One such molecular mechanism is the tryptophan metabolism pathway, offering convergent lines of evidence for targeting this pathway in RA.
Nucleome’s platform correctly predicted the functional effects of an RA-associated variant and its linked gene. Comprehensive in vitro and in vivo analysis with a tool molecule further recommend this target for the management of RA.
Chantal Hargreaves
Principal Scientist, Nucleome Therapeutics
Nucleome Therapeutics (‘Nucleome’ or ‘the Company’), a biotechnology company using 3D genomics to discover precision medicines for complex diseases, announces today it has entered a research collaboration with Johnson & Johnson*.
Nucleome will use its proprietary machine learning and high-resolution 3D genomics technologies to unambiguously define the specific DNA changes that make patients more susceptible to certain autoimmune diseases and identify the pathological mechanisms underlying those diseases.
Using Nucleome’s technology, and in combination with Johnson & Johnson’s immunology and data sciences capabilities, the collaboration aims to discover new target genes and the cell types that drive autoimmune disease. Ultimately this information could facilitate the classification of patients most likely to respond to therapy.
Dr Stephen Harrison, CSO of the Nucleome, said:
We are delighted to be working with J&J to identify new targets and develop strategies for patient stratification in autoimmune disease. Nucleome’s unique technology will be used to identify how genetic differences affect gene function and how this drives disease, specifically by defining the relevant genes and cell types.
Facilitated by Johnson & Johnson Innovation
Notes to Editors
Nucleome was founded in 2019. The precision of its 3D genomics technology has the potential to improve drug discovery success rates both by discovering genetically-validated medicines, and by more accurately identifying patients who are likely to benefit from treatments. Nucleome’s platform can be applied to multiple disease indications and cell types, with an initial focus on inflammatory conditions. In addition to building its own pipeline, the company is forging external collaborations in target discovery, target validation, and patient stratification.
Nucleome was founded by leading experts in gene regulation from the University of Oxford. The Company is backed by a world-class syndicate of investors that includes M Ventures, the strategic corporate venture capital arm of Merck KGaA; Johnson and Johnson Innovation-JJDC, Inc. (“JJDC”), the strategic venture capital arm of Johnson & Johnson; Pfizer Ventures, the venture group of Pfizer; British Patient Capital; and founding investor Oxford Science Enterprises.
Nucleome Therapeutics (‘Nucleome’ or ‘the Company’), a biotechnology company using 3D genomics to discover precision medicines for complex diseases, announces today that it has appointed Dr. Mark Bodmer as Chief Executive Officer with effect from 24 July.
Mark joins from Evelo Biosciences, where since 2016 he served as Chief Scientific Officer and President of R&D. Previously, Mark held senior pharmaceutical and biotech roles including VP of New Medicines Therapeutics at UCB S.A, Senior Vice President of Immunoinflammation at GSK, and CEO of Hexagen, Lorantis and Biotica. He has also served on the Board of Directors of the BioIndustry Association. Mark holds a PhD in Genetics from the University of Cambridge.
Commenting on the appointment, Mark said: “Nucleome has built a revolutionary technology platform which moves the field of genetics in medicine from its 1-Dimensional linear code to the interactions within its 3-Dimensional structure. This allows us to determine the regulatory wiring of gene function in health and disease in unprecedented detail. Variants in non-coding regions of the genome can be mapped to the genes they control, which are often far away in 1-D but are next-door neighbours in 3-D. Nucleome’s uniquely powerful technology fills a critical gap in the application of genetics to drug discovery and healthcare. The vast majority of genome sequence variants lie outside of protein-coding regions. Yet they play a critical role in shaping biological function and disease. Nucleome’s capability to bridge these sequence variants to biology brings genomics into an entirely new era of the application of genetics to drug target discovery and precision medicine. It is a privilege to be given the opportunity to lead this ground-breaking company into its next phase of growth.”
Dr Russell Greig, Non-Executive Chair of Nucleome, commented: “Our pioneering science and technology are the innovative foundation for the future of Nucleome. In addition to Mark’s R&D background resulting in many marketed medicines, he has broad experience in company-building, business development, financing and M&A. His unusual combination of R&D and commercial expertise in driving great science towards patient benefits will be crucial in delivering Nucleome’s continued development.”
About Nucleome: Nucleome was founded in 2019. The precision of its 3D genomics technology has the potential to improve drug discovery success rates both by discovering genetically-validated medicines, and by more accurately identifying patients who are likely to benefit from particular treatments. Nucleome’s platform can be applied to multiple disease indications and cell types, with an initial focus on inflammatory conditions. The company is also forging external collaborations both in target discovery and validation, and in patient stratification. Nucleome was founded by leading experts in gene regulation from the University of Oxford. The Company is backed by a world-class syndicate of investors that includes M Ventures, the strategic corporate venture capital arm of Merck KGaA; Johnson and Johnson Innovation-JJDC, Inc. (“JJDC”), the strategic venture capital arm of Johnson & Johnson; Pfizer Ventures, the venture group of Pfizer; British Patient Capital; and founding investor Oxford Science Enterprises.
Nucleome Therapeutics (‘Nucleome’ or ‘the Company’), a biotechnology company using 3D genomics to discover precision medicines for complex diseases, announces today that it has appointed Dr. Mark Bodmer as Chief Executive Officer with effect from 24 July.
Mark’s appointment follows the stepping down of Dr Danuta Jeziorska, Nucleome’s Founding CEO and Scientific Co-Founder. Dr Jeziorska led the spin-out of Nucleome as the first female scientific founder from the Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine at Oxford University in 2019, bringing $55m and a top-tier investment syndicate into the business. Since then, she has led the Company in developing a highly productive innovative platform that has enabled the discovery of a portfolio of first-in-class targets through dark genome’s genetics with the most advanced candidate now in drug discovery.
Dr Jeziorska said: “It has been a privilege to lead and work with such an incredible team at Nucleome. We have achieved so much together, and I could not be more proud. I founded Nucleome through passion and ambition to bring curative treatments to patients. I am incredibly proud that we have now discovered a portfolio of targets and have entered drug discovery to fulfil this vision. The business is in a very strong position and set for future success. I am grateful for the support of the investors and the team.”
Dr Russell Greig, Chair of the Board, added: “Danuta’s vision, combined with strong ambition, strategic foresight and steadfast guidance have led the company to the strong position it enjoys today. On behalf of the Board and the Executive team, I want to thank Danuta for her unwavering dedication and leadership in building Nucleome.”
Further Information
James Chandler: james.chandler@nucleome.com
Newly founded SAB comprised of experts across dark genome genetics and drug discovery.
Dr John Davis brings direct clinical expertise as Nucleome advances from translational science to development of medicines.
Nucleome Therapeutics (‘Nucleome’ or ‘the Company’), a biotechnology company decoding the dark matter of the human genome for translational medicine, today announces the foundation of its Scientific Advisory Board (SAB), comprised of world-renowned experts across dark genome genetics and drug discovery, and the appointment of John Davis, M.D., MPH, as a Non-Executive Director of the Board.
The members of the SAB, including Gerd A. Blobel M.D., PhD, Craig Fox, PhD, Steve Holmes, PhD, Iain Kilty, PhD, Christopher Miller, and PhD, Sonia Quaratino, M.D., PhD, will advise Nucleome on its strategic direction as it works towards advancing drug targets, discovered through dark genome genetics, into pre-clinical and ultimately clinical development. The SAB is chaired by Prof. Jim Hughes, Scientific Founder and Non-Executive Director of Nucleome Therapeutics.
Dr Russell Greig, Non-Executive Chair of the Nucleome’s Board, said: “We are delighted to have appointed such esteemed experts to the Nucleome team. Their knowledge and expertise will be invaluable and will help ensure Nucleome continues to utilise and develop its drug discovery platform to its full potential, particularly as we progress towards the preclinical, and ultimately, clinical stages of Nucleome’s growth.”
New Non-Executive Director of the Board, John Davis M.D., MPH, brings extensive and varied experience as a physician-scientist, drug developer and biotechnology executive. John was previously interim Chief Medical Officer at Sonama Bio, before which he served as Head of Research and Development and Chief Medical Officer at Magenta Therapeutics in Cambridge, MA, where he was pivotal in progressing the company towards its IPO and emergence to the clinical stage. Previous to this, he was Senior Vice President and Head of Early Clinical Development at Pfizer Inc. where he oversaw multiple functional groups across global sites. Other prior roles include Vice President and Global Therapeutic Area Head of Immunology at Baxalta (acquired by Shire in 2016) and Head of the Inflammation and Cardiovascular/Metabolism Group in the Early Clinical Development Group at Genentech.
Nucleome’s new Scientific Advisory Board (SAB):
Gerd A. Blobel M.D., PhD, is the co-director of the Epigenetics Institute at the University of Pennsylvania and co-director of the Spatial and Functional Genomics Program at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. He was elected to the American Society for Clinical Investigation (2004) and the Association of American Physicians (2008). With extensive in gene regulation and clinical experience, Gerd’s expertise aligns seamlessly with Nucleome’s innovative endeavors.
Gerd earned his MD degree summa cum laude from the University of Heidelberg, Germany, and a PhD from Rockefeller University in New York. He carried out his postdoctoral work at Boston Children’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School.
Craig Fox, PhD, is currently Operating Partner in Lifesciences at Oxford Science Enterprises, having joined from C4X Discovery where he was Chief Scientific Officer and an Executive Board Member for more than six years, guiding its transition from a technology-based company to a therapeutics business. Craig has also worked at a number of biotechnology companies supporting multiple financings, strategic collaborations and licensing deals with pharma.
Craig holds a PhD in Respiratory Medicine from Birmingham University and a first-class Biochemistry degree from the University of Surrey. Craig’s background and expertise in drug discovery, genetics and immunology will prove important for advising cutting-edge research and development at Nucleome.
Steve Holmes, PhD, has over 35 years’ experience of working in both biotech and large pharma. He was previously CEO at Capella Bioscience, and prior to that Senior Director at Kymab and Domantis. This follows a career in academia including as Associate Professor at Baylor College of Medicine where he received three NIH grants before moving to industry. Steve’s multifaceted background, spanning academia, industry and leadership roles, positions him as a key contributor to Nucleome’s Scientific Advisory Board.
Steve graduated with a first-class honours in Physiology and Chemistry from the University of Sheffield and then completed a PhD at the University of Sheffield
Iain Kilty, PhD, is CSO at Sitryx Therapeutics and a venture partner at SV Health Investors. He has 25 years’ global biopharmaceutical industry experience, including a 22-year tenure at Pfizer, where he ultimately served as Vice President Preclinical Sciences in the Inflammation and Immunology Research Unit. While at Pfizer, Iain worked across the drug discovery paradigm, and will provide invaluable insights to the development of Nucleome’s strategic direction. He later joined Atlas Venture in 2018 where he was the Chief Scientific Officer of Quench Bio, responsible for the company’s scientific strategy and execution, whilst also working as an Entrepreneur in Residence across the Atlas portfolio.
Iain graduated with a BA and MA Cantab in Biochemistry from the University of Cambridge before completing his PhD at the University of Liverpool, UK.
Christopher Miller, PhD, is an advisor to companies developing technologies related to functional genomics, target identification, target validation and early drug discovery. Christopher does this through Genomics Innovation Consulting LLC, which he created in February 2023. Previously, he spent 23 years as an R&D scientist, team leader and executive in biotech and pharma. Christopher held leadership roles Genetic Institute, Wyeth (pre-Pfizer acquisition), Bristol-Myers Squibb, AbbVie and GlaxoSmithKline, most recently as Vice President of Functional Genomics at GSK.
Christopher graduated with a PhD in Pharmacology from Michigan State University.
Sonia Quaratino, M.D., PhD, is an R&D executive with over 25 years’ experience, having worked in academia, global large pharma and biotech. Currently she is EVP and Chief Medical Officer at Innate Pharma (INNTY:US), prior to which she was the first CMO at Georgiamune Inc, which she continues to support as Clinical Advisor. Sonia was also the CMO at Kymab until its acquisition by Sanofi in 2021, Global Program Lead in Oncology at Novartis in Basel, and Senior Medical Director Oncology and Advisor in Immunology at Merck Serono, Germany. Sonia’s clinical and commercial experience, together with her scientific and translational expertise, is highly relevant as Nucleome progresses drug targets towards the preclinical stage.
Sonia was previously Professor of Immunology at the University of Southampton (UK), and serves as director/board member at Engitix, and as advisor for Pureos Bioventures, Giorgiamune Inc and Anaveon AG.
Sonia received her MD and a PhD in Hematology and Oncology from the University of Palermo, Italy, and a PhD in Immunology from Imperial College London.
• Key appointment bringing 30 years of drug discovery and development expertise as the Company continues to build a portfolio of first-in-class targets
• Leadership experience across multiple product-driven research organisations
• Instrumental in progressing numerous programmes through to clinic
Nucleome Therapeutics (‘Nucleome’ or ‘the Company’), a biotechnology company decoding the dark matter of the human genome for translational medicine, today announces the appointment of Dr Stephen Harrison as Chief Scientific Officer, effective immediately.
Dr Harrison has three decades of experience in the biotechnology sector, with leadership experience at product-driven research organisations at all stages, from target identification to new drug registration and clinical development in multiple therapeutic areas including immunotherapeutics, oncology, rare diseases and pain management.
Prior to joining Nucleome, Dr Harrison held executive leadership positions at several biotechnology companies in the San Francisco Bay Area. Most recently, he served as Chief Scientific Officer at Engine Biosciences, building and leading a team focused on functional genomics and machine learning-led target and drug discovery. Previous roles include Chief Scientific Officer and Senior Vice President at Relypsa (divested to Galencia for $1.53 billion in 2016); Vice President, Research Biology at Nektar Therapeutics; and Senior Vice President of Research at KAI Pharmaceuticals (acquired by Amgen in 2012). Earlier in his career, Dr Harrison held senior research positions at Chiron Corporation and Thios Pharmaceuticals.
Dr Danuta Jeziorska, Chief Executive Officer and Founder of Nucleome, commented: “Steve has an outstanding track record in accelerated drug discovery and development across multiple therapeutic areas and innovative technologies. We are thrilled to welcome him to our leadership team as Chief Scientific Officer, and look forward to working with him as we enter a new stage in Nucleome’s growth, progressing our portfolio of first-in-class targets discovered by decoding the dark matter of the human genome into the clinic.”
Dr Stephen Harrison, Chief Scientific Officer at Nucleome, said: “I am excited to join Nucleome and lead a team of expert scientists advancing a game-changing technology that will shift the entire paradigm of how genetics are utilised in drug discovery. I look forward to working with Danuta and the team at Nucleome and advancing truly differentiated targets to the clinic.”
Dr Harrison holds a PhD in Molecular Biology and MA in Natural Sciences, both from the University of Cambridge, UK. He performed post-doctoral research at the University of California at Berkeley.
About Nucleome Therapeutics: Nucleome Therapeutics is decoding the dark matter of the human genome to uncover novel ways to treat disease. The dark genome holds more than 90% of disease-linked genetic variants whose value remains untapped, representing a significant opportunity for drug discovery and development. The Company has the unique ability to link these variants to gene function and precisely map disease pathways. Nucleome’s cell type-specific platform creates high resolution 3D genome structure maps and enables variant functional validation at scale in primary cell types, enabling the discovery and development of novel, better and safer drugs. The initial focus of the Company is on lymphocytes and related autoimmune disease. Nucleome’s ambition is to build a robust pipeline of drug assets, with corresponding biomarkers. Nucleome Therapeutics was founded by leading experts in gene regulation from the University of Oxford. For more information, please visit www.nucleome.com.
• Event brings together leading academics, industry representatives and investors to share progress and discuss future directions in dark genome research
• Meeting aims to achieve a better understanding of how recent breakthroughs might be applied to the development of new therapeutic approaches
Enara Bio, ROME Therapeutics and Nucleome Therapeutics, three leading biotechnology companies focused on developing novel medicines driven by insights into the dark genome, today announced that they will host the 2nd Annual Dark Genome Symposium on November 13-14, 2023 at the Francis Crick Institute in London. This event brings together leaders from academia, biotech, pharma and venture capital to continue to build and connect the growing and diverse dark genome community. The overall goal of the symposium, now in its second year, is to deepen our understanding of the dark genome and unlock its potential to enable transformational new therapies for patients.
There is an increasingly clear connection between the dark genome, that is the 98% of the genome that is not traditionally associated with protein-encoding genes, and a multitude of human diseases including cancer, autoimmune and neurodegenerative diseases. The rapid progress in dark genome science has catalyzed strong interest in the field and increasing involvement from academia, biotech and pharma companies, as well as life science investors.
During the meeting, future directions and new frontiers of dark genome research will be discussed, together with advancements in technologies and tools, progress in the field of gene regulation, and the latest insights into the dark genome’s genetics. The two-day event will feature keynote presentations by leading experts in the field, panel discussions on shared challenges and opportunities, networking events and a poster session representing the latest research.
Proceedings of the 1st Annual Dark Genome Symposium, held in November 2022 in Boston, Mass., have been submitted for publication.
Kevin Pojasek, Ph.D., President and Chief Executive Officer of Enara Bio, commented: “After the success of last year’s inaugural Dark Genome Symposium, we are delighted to be co-hosting this year’s event with ROME and Nucleome at the Francis Crick Institute in London. There have been important advances in the field in the last 12 months and growing interest from the biopharma industry. Our view is that a strong collaborative effort will provide the best way to fully exploit the potential of the dark genome and bring a new generation of therapies to patients. This symposium offers an ideal forum to establish and advance those collaborations amongst many of the leaders in the field.”
“We have seen significant and growing interest in the dark genome since our inaugural symposium last fall. Breakthroughs in data science and biological understanding have made these genetic regions accessible for drug discovery in ways not previously possible; investors and companies are increasingly attuned to the great therapeutic opportunity this area represents. We are looking forward to gathering all these perspectives at this year’s event, as we work in tandem to deepen our scientific understanding of the dark genome to expand its applications and therapeutic impact,” said Rosana Kapeller, M.D., Ph.D., President, Chief Executive Officer and Co-founder of ROME.
Danuta Jeziorska, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer & Co-founder of Nucleome, added: “We are delighted to be joining Enara Bio and ROME Therapeutics in co-hosting this year’s Dark Genome Symposium. It is tremendously valuable to have the biotech, pharma, academic and investment community coming together to learn about new progress and help shape this nascent but fast emerging and valuable field to accelerate translation of the science into actionable insights. We look forward to a lively meeting as we discuss our joint passion for bringing transformative medicines to patients.”
The symposium agenda includes presentations and panel discussions on the translational application of LINE-1 biology, the dark genome as the next frontier of precision medicine, and harnessing immunity to Dark Antigens® for therapeutic benefit. A list of confirmed speakers and the agenda for the event can be found by clicking here.
Those interested in attending the livestream may reach out to DarkGenome2023@enarabio.com for more details.
About Enara Bio: Enara Bio is shining a light on Dark Antigen® and T-cell biology to develop cancer immunotherapies designed to improve treatment outcomes for broad populations of cancer patients. Our pioneering EDAPT® platform enables us to discover novel cancer-specific antigens from previously uncharted genomic ‘dark matter’. The result is a growing database of Dark Antigens that can address the unmet need for cancer-specific targets that are homogenously expressed and highly prevalent in solid tumors. We are advancing multiple approaches to exploit these Dark Antigen targets, with an internal focus on TCR-directed immunotherapies, and additional therapeutic partnerships with Boehringer Ingelheim and another undisclosed global pharmaceutical company. Based in Oxford, UK, Enara Bio is backed by RA Capital, Samsara Biocapital and SV Health Investors. For more information, please visit: www.enarabio.com.
Enara Bio Media Contact:
Frazer Hall, Mark Swallow
MEDiSTRAVA Consulting: enarabio@medistrava.com
About ROME: ROME Therapeutics is developing novel therapies for a range of serious diseases, including autoimmune disease, cancer, and neurodegeneration, by illuminating the role of the dark genome — the vast genomic expanse beyond the traditional genes, which includes virus-like repetitive elements and non-coding sequences — in human health and disease. Leveraging the company’s unprecedented data sciences platform, ROME has built a deep pipeline of therapies targeting the dark genome. To lead this exploration, ROME has assembled a team of world-class leaders in drug discovery and development across immunology, oncology, chemistry, and machine learning. ROME is based in Boston, Mass. For more information, please visit www.rometx.com.
ROME Media Contact:
Lisa Raffensperger
Ten Bridge Communications: lisa@tenbridgecommunications.com
About Nucleome Therapeutics: Nucleome Therapeutics is decoding the dark matter of the human genome to uncover novel ways to treat disease. The dark genome holds more than 90% of disease-linked genetic variants whose value remains untapped, representing a significant opportunity for drug discovery and development. The Company has the unique ability to link these variants to gene function and precisely map disease pathways. Nucleome’s cell type-specific platform creates high resolution 3D genome structure maps and enables variant functional validation at scale in primary cell types, enabling the discovery and development of novel, better and safer drugs. The initial focus of the company is on lymphocytes and related autoimmune disease. Nucleome’s ambition is to build a robust pipeline of drug assets, with corresponding biomarkers. Nucleome Therapeutics was founded by leading experts in gene regulation from the University of Oxford. For more information, please visit www.nucleome.com.
Nucleome Media contact:
Mary-Jane Elliott/ Sukaina Virji/ Stella Lempidaki
ICR Consilium: Nucleome@consilium-comms.com
• Dr Greig brings more than 40 years of experience in the biopharmaceutical sector
• Experienced Chair who has led numerous companies through key value inflection points
Nucleome Therapeutics (‘Nucleome’ or ‘the Company’), a biotechnology company decoding the dark matter of the human genome for translational medicine, today announces the appointment of Dr Russell Greig as Non-Executive Chair of the Board of Directors, with immediate effect.
Dr Greig brings over four decades of experience in the biopharmaceutical industry, with strong expertise in research and development, business development, strategic transactions and commercial operations. He spent three decades at GSK where he held positions of increasing responsibility, including President of the International Pharmaceuticals Division, and was a member of GSK’s Corporate Executive Team. He was also President of SR One, GSK’s Corporate Venture Group between 2008 and 2010. Currently, Dr Greig is Chair of BiomX (Israel/USA), eTheRNA (Belgium) and Cardior (Germany). Previously, he was Chair of Sanifit (Spain; acquired by Vifor Pharma in 2021) and a Board Director and Chair at Ablynx (Belgium; acquired by Sanofi in 2018). Dr Greig holds a BSc and PhD in Biochemistry from The University of Manchester (UK), and held postdoctoral positions at The University of Oregon (USA) and The University of British Colombia (Canada).
This appointment comes at a pivotal time for Nucleome: the Company raised an oversubscribed £37.5 million Series A financing round in October 2022 and continues to advance its 3D genomics platform, translating ground-breaking science to a portfolio of first-in-class programmes for autoimmune diseases. With proprietary genomic data on the function of the dark genome, Nucleome is able to determine the role of disease-causing variants and link these to genes, allowing for the identification of first-in-class drug targets for next-generation genetics-based precision medicines.
“Russell’s wealth of expertise in the pharmaceutical and biotech sectors including his successful career as a leader across multiple disciplines at GSK, and his role as Chair at a myriad of biotech companies that have delivered transformative value to patients and outstanding financial outcomes for investors, will be invaluable during this exciting phase of growth for Nucleome,” commented Dr Danuta Jeziorska, Chief Executive Officer and Founder of Nucleome. “I am delighted to welcome Russell to our Board of Directors and look forward to working closely with him.”
Dr Russell Greig, Non-Executive Chair of the Board of Directors at Nucleome, said: “Nucleome’s transformative potential in reshaping how we discover and develop precision medicines is truly remarkable. The Company is unlocking the value of a largely unexplored territory of the genome that can lead to the identification of high-value differentiated drug targets underlying the pathology of multiple diseases for which no effective treatments are available. This breakthrough science together with a strong commercial strategy and an experienced management team led by CEO Danuta Jeziorska, has already attracted significant investment from high calibre life science investors and interest from Pharma. I am delighted to join Nucleome as Chair and to work closely with Danuta and the Board.”
About Nucleome: Nucleome was founded in 2019. The precision of its 3D genomics technology has the potential to improve drug discovery success rates both by discovering genetically-validated medicines, and by more accurately identifying patients who are likely to benefit from particular treatments. Nucleome’s platform can be applied to multiple disease indications and cell types, with an initial focus on inflammatory conditions. The company is also forging external collaborations both in target discovery and validation, and in patient stratification. Nucleome was founded by leading experts in gene regulation from the University of Oxford. The Company is backed by a world-class syndicate of investors that includes M Ventures, the strategic corporate venture capital arm of Merck KGaA; Johnson and Johnson Innovation-JJDC, Inc. (“JJDC”), the strategic venture capital arm of Johnson & Johnson; Pfizer Ventures, the venture group of Pfizer; British Patient Capital; and founding investor Oxford Science Enterprises.
Nucleome Therapeutics Limited, (‘Nucleome’ or ‘the Company’), a biotechnology company decoding the dark matter of the human genome to discover first-in-class precision medicines, today announces the appointment of Dr Jonny Wray as Senior Vice President of Data Science and Informatics, effective immediately.
Jonny is a highly skilled informatician with cross-domain expertise in drug discovery informatics, data science and computational biology. He brings more than 30 years of experience in devising and building computational, data-driven solutions to complex biological problems.
Prior to joining Nucleome Therapeutics, Jonny was the Chief Technology Officer of e-therapeutics plc where he was responsible for conceptualizing and building their computational drug discovery platform. Prior to this he held leadership roles in bioinformatics and software engineering at Five Prime Therapeutics and BD Clontech, both in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Dr Danuta Jeziorska, Chief Executive Officer and Co-founder of Nucleome Therapeutics, said: “Jonny’s experience will be invaluable as we advance our pioneering technology to decode the dark matter of the human genome. We look forward to working with him to further establish our robust 3D genomics platform to revolutionise drug target discovery.”
Dr Jonny Wray, Senior Vice President of Data Science and Informatics at Nucleome Therapeutics, added: “Nucleome’s platform has the potential to drive a paradigm shift in drug discovery. I am delighted to be joining the team at such a crucial point in the Company’s growth. I look forward to working with the computational scientists and applying my experience in building robust complex computational systems for drug discovery.”
Jonny holds a PhD from the University of Newcastle and has conducted post-doctoral work as a Fellow in Theoretical Neuroscience at The Neurosciences Institute (New York and San Diego) where his research was aimed at understanding how brain function arises from network structure.
For more information, please contact:
Nucleome Therapeutics
Dr Danuta Jeziorska, Chief Executive Officer & Founder: contact@nucleome.com
Consilium Strategic Communications
Mary-Jane Elliott/ Sukaina Virji/ Stella Lempidaki: Nucleome@consilium-comms.com
About Nucleome Therapeutics: Nucleome Therapeutics is decoding the dark matter of the human genome to uncover novel ways to treat disease. The dark genome holds more than 90% of disease-linked genetic variants whose value remains untapped, representing a significant opportunity for drug discovery and development. The Company has the unique ability to link these variants to gene function and precisely map disease pathways. Nucleome’s cell type-specific platform creates high resolution 3D genome structure maps and enables variant functional validation at scale in primary cell types, enabling the discovery and development of novel, better and safer drugs. The initial focus of the company is on lymphocytes and related autoimmune disease. Nucleome’s ambition is to build a robust pipeline of drug assets, with corresponding biomarkers. Nucleome Therapeutics was founded by leading experts in gene regulation from the University of Oxford. For more information, please visit www.nucleome.com.