SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Spotlight Therapeutics, Inc. (“Spotlight”), a biotechnology company applying new insights to develop cell-targeted in vivo CRISPR gene editing biologics, today announced a $36.5M Series B financing to fuel a drive toward the clinic.

The financing round was co-led by new investors GordonMD Global Investments and EPIQ Capital Group, with participation from Magnetic Ventures, as well as existing investors GV (formerly Google Ventures) and Emerson Collective and other investors. Craig Gordon, M.D., Founder, CEO and CIO of GordonMD Global Investments, joins the Company’s Board of Directors.

Spotlight’s proprietary technology platform, TAGE (Targeted Active Gene Editors), is a new class of biologics; highly engineered, modular programmable CRISPR effectors designed to target and edit selected cell types in vivo. This approach circumvents the complexity of packaged viral, viral-like, and nanoparticle delivery systems, opens the door to expanded applications, and holds the promise of increasing patient access.

“We are excited to help Spotlight advance its pioneering work, which shows promise for cell-targeted delivery of CRISPR effectors in vivo. Spotlight’s TAGE platform could enable significant expansion of CRISPR medicines to a wide range of diseases,” said Dr. Gordon.

“This Series B funding is a crucial milestone as we advance our lead first-in-class immuno-oncology (IO) program and progress our pipeline of programs in IO, ophthalmic diseases and hemoglobinopathies,” said Mary Haak-Frendscho, Ph.D., President and CEO of Spotlight Therapeutics. “It will enable us to execute our development plan, leveraging Spotlight’s unique cell-targeted in vivo delivery approach, as we aspire to unlock the full potential of gene editing and enable effective one-and-done medicines for patients.”

Also today, Spotlight announced the promotion of Mary Janatpour, Ph.D. to CSO and the appointments of Peter Cameron, Ph.D., Executive Director of Technology and Cynthia Li, PhD, VP, Corporate and Business Development. “Their combined breadth and depth of experience in building first-in-class pipelines, developing novel CRISPR technologies, and establishing strategic partnerships will be invaluable to our organization,” said Haak-Frendscho.

Spotlight has been selected to present at the following upcoming conferences.

• 2022 Keystone Symposia: Precision Genome Engineering, Keystone, Apr 27 - May 1, 2022
• The inaugural In Vivo Engineering of Therapeutic Cells Summit, Boston, July 12 - 14, 2022
• 2022 Boulder Peptide Symposium, Boulder, November 7 - 10, 2022

For abstracts and detailed meeting information, please visit https://www.spotlighttx.com/presentations-and-posters.

About Spotlight Therapeutics

Established in mid-2018, Spotlight Therapeutics is a privately held biotechnology company advancing a pipeline of cell-targeted in vivo CRISPR gene editing therapies. Spotlight’s proprietary technology platform TAGE (Targeted Active Gene Editors) is a new class of biologics, CRISPR effectors engineered for direct delivery in vivo, to achieve cell-selective therapeutic genome editing. Spotlight’s pipeline is advancing its modular programmable CRISPR effectors towards clinical studies in immuno-oncology, ophthalmic diseases and hemoglobinopathies. The company is headquartered in Hayward, California. For more information, please visit www.spotlighttx.com.

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