Dr. Gaspar brings invaluable expertise to gene-editing pioneering company Eligo as it prepares for clinical trials with world’s first topical CRISPR treatment
Eligo also strengthens its investor network with new strategic investors, including VIVES Partners and CRISPR pioneer Rodolphe Barrangou
Paris, France, October 1, 2024 – Eligo Bioscience, a biotech company expanding the scope of gene-editing targets by focusing on the delivery of genetic medicines to the microbiome, today announces the appointment of Dr. Bobby Gaspar, CEO of Orchard Therapeutics, as chair of its board of directors. This announcement follows the publication in the prestigious Nature journal, highlighting its novel approach to using gene editing to target the microbiome.
“I am thrilled to welcome Bobby as chair of Eligo. His exceptional ability to translate breakthrough innovations from concept to commercialization at Orchard Therapeutics is impressive. As a co-founder and CEO of a pioneering genetic medicines company, his expertise will be invaluable as Eligo advances toward clinical trials and expands its therapeutic pipeline,” said Xavier Duportet, CEO and co-founder of Eligo.
With three decades of experience spearheading the development of cutting-edge gene therapies, Dr. Bobby Gaspar is a recognized pioneer in genetic medicine. As the co-founder and CEO of Orchard Therapeutics, his leadership guided the company from early development stages through regulatory approvals and commercialization in Europe and the US, as well as a notable $477M acquisition in 2023. An honorary professor of pediatrics and immunology at University College London, Dr. Gaspar was named on the inaugural TIME100 Health List, recognizing him as one of the world’s most influential individuals in health. His extensive expertise in both private and public fundraising, along with a proven track record of taking therapies from lab to market, will greatly benefit Eligo as it enters this critical next phase.
“In my early career as a pediatrician caring for children with devastating genetic diseases, I developed a passion and commitment for transforming the way medicine is practiced through the delivery of paradigm-shifting therapies,” said Dr. Gaspar. “At Eligo, there is an unprecedented opportunity to utilize gene editing technology to make specific and targeted genetic changes to patients’ microbiome and address a wide range of severe diseases. What the company has achieved since its inception is impressive, and I look forward to partnering with Xavier and the broader team to help translate this powerful platform into new scientific breakthroughs and innovative treatments.”
Eligo Expands Investor Syndicate with Key Strategic Additions
Eligo is pleased to welcome new investors, VIVES Partners, which is supported by the European Union under the InvestEU Fund, and Prof. Rodolphe Barrangou, a CRISPR pioneer and co-founder of Intellia Therapeutics. The continued interest from these strategic investors, following the company’s successful $30M fundraising round last year, underscores the strong potential of Eligo’s first-in-class gene-editing platform.
“This is a very exciting time for translational pursuits of CRISPR-based effectors into the clinic and I am delighted to support Eligo’s journey as it gets to the clinical stage of in vivo editing of the microbiome and disrupts the field with a radically game-changing and innovative approach,” said Rodolphe Barrangou.
Leveraging its proprietary platform, Eligo is developing first-in-class modalities that deliver CRISPR and therapeutic genetic circuits directly to the microbiome, enabling precise editing of both its genetic composition and function. Eligo is progressing toward a key milestone: advancing its lead program into clinical trials for moderate to severe acne with the world’s first topical CRISPR treatment.
Moderate to severe acne affects approximately 120 million patients globally, with a quality-of-life impact comparable to conditions like asthma, diabetes and epilepsy. Despite the significant unmet need, innovation in acne treatment has been almost stagnant for the past three decades. Eligo’s novel mechanism of action, targeting microbiome dysbiosis through the CRISPR-based precise elimination of pro-inflammatory C. acnes strains within hair follicles, offers a groundbreaking and targeted solution. This represents a significant opportunity for safe, effective treatment in a $10 billion market ripe for disruption.
“In addressing the pressing medical need for effective solutions to severe acne, we recognize that current treatments fall short, often accompanied by significant adverse effects and limited efficacy. This large unmet medical need profoundly impacts a young population, struggling with not only physical skin defects but also psychological challenges. That’s why we are committed to investing in Eligo and collaborating with a strong consortium of investors, as we believe its pioneering approach holds the potential to truly tackle this critical issue,” said Philippe Durieux, CEO of VIVES Partners.
About Eligo Bioscience
Eligo Bioscience is the world leader in microbiome in vivo gene editing and is advancing a highly differentiated pipeline of precision medicines to address unmet medical needs in immunoinflammation, oncology and infectious diseases driven by the expression of deleterious bacterial genes.
Eligo was founded by Luciano Marraffini (Professor at The Rockefeller University and co-founder of Intellia Therapeutics), Timothy Lu (Professor at MIT, and CEO at Senti Biosciences), Dr. David Bikard (Professor at Institut Pasteur) and Xavier Duportet (MIT TR35, Young Global Leader, and Termeer Fellow).
Eligo was named a Technology Pioneer by the World Economic Forum and received venture capital funding from Sanofi Ventures, Khosla Ventures, Bpifrance, Seventure Partners and VIVES Partners.
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