STAT+: Tome founders launch next venture, an RNA contract research startup
Terrain Biosciences, backed by high-profile players in biotech, will design and supply RNA molecules for new therapies.
Omar Abudayyeh, Jonathan Gootenberg, and Patrick Hsu know the pains of starting biotech companies firsthand.
The trio crossed paths a decade ago in CRISPR pioneer Feng Zhang’s lab before going on to found organizations like the Arc Institute, Stylus Medicine, and Tome Biosciences. Over the years, they’ve commiserated about their respective struggles making the best RNA molecules in-house or facing lengthy wait times when ordering raw materials. Now, the trio have come together to start a contract research and manufacturing firm to, as Hsu put it, “build something that we wish we had when we were building our other companies.”
That company, Terrain Biosciences, has raised $9 million from Magnetic Ventures, Bruker Corporation, and industry veterans Hans Bishop, John Evans, and John Maraganore. The plan is to raise a Series A round later this year, CEO Chetan Tadvalkar told STAT exclusively.
