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news.Flagship Pioneering has made an initial capital commitment of $50m into Foghorn Therapeutics, a developer of therapies for cancer and other serious diseases.
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Foghorn initially commenced operations in 2016, and developed a Gene Traffic Control product platform to discover and develop drugs based on insights into the chromatin regulatory system that directs gene expression in cells.
The company has also created six programs, as well as built a discovery engine that is generating multiple additional targets.
In addition, Foghorn is exploring applications of Gene Traffic Control in neurology and immunology. It has already validated several targets, and is in the process of developing drug candidates in various types of cancer and explore other diseases.
Cigall Kadoch from Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School and Broad Institute, Douglas Cole from Flagship Pioneering and Gerald Crabtree from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute and Stanford University established Foghorn, which is currently developing drug candidates across a range of cancers.
Biogen former senior vice president and neurodegeneration therapeutic area head Adrian Gottschalk is serving as the CEO of Foghorn.
Foghorn's board of directors chairman and Flagship Pioneering managing partner Douglas Cole said: "Cells rely on the chromatin regulatory system to direct which genes are expressed and when, where, and in what order they are expressed.
“The chromatin regulatory system represents a pivotal, unexploited area on which to build effective new therapeutic strategies. Foghorn Therapeutics has been founded and is uniquely positioned to do this."
Gottschalk said: "At Foghorn, we envision a world where patients can regain control of their genes to battle cancer and other serious diseases.”
Flagship Pioneering is engaged in the creation, resourcing and development of first-in-category life sciences companies.
The company is currently supporting Denali Therapeutics, Editas Medicine, Seres Therapeutics and Syros Pharmaceuticals, as well as private companies such as velo Biosciences, Kaleido Biosciences, Indigo Agriculture, CiBO Technologies, Rubius Therapeutics, Torque Therapeutics, and Moderna Therapeutics.