Epsilen Bio announces acquisition by Chroma Medicine forming transatlantic pioneer in epigenetic editing

• Milan based Epsilen Bio is acquired by Chroma Medicine, which launches today with $125M in financing
• Epsilen Bio, now a wholly owned subsidiary of Chroma Medicine, will continue to conduct groundbreaking epigenetic editing R&D in Milan in collaboration with SR-Tiget
• Epsilen Bio was founded in 2019 with seed financing from the Sofinnova Telethon Fund

Milan, Italy – November 17, 2021 – Epsilen Bio, a biotechnology company developing transformative therapies through targeted epigenetic silencing of genes, announced its acquisition by Chroma Medicine, Inc., which launches today with $125M in total financing. With this acquisition, Epsilen Bio will continue to operate as a wholly owned subsidiary of Chroma and conduct key epigenetic editing R&D in Milan. The transaction also bolsters the ongoing strategic collaboration with the San Raffaele Telethon Institute for Gene Therapy (SR-Tiget).

Epsilen Bio was founded in 2019 with the mission of developing transformative therapies for patients affected by serious medical conditions, through stable and long-lasting epigenetic silencing of genes involved in pathological processes. The company was formed with seed financing from the Sofinnova Telethon Fund, the largest fund in Italy dedicated to early-stage biotech startups, and via a strategic partnership with SR-Tiget, a joint institution between Fondazione Telethon and Ospedale San Raffaele. The company’s founders include renowned gene therapy scientific co-founders Angelo Lombardo, Ph.D., and Luigi Naldini, M.D., Ph.D.

Paola Pozzi, Partner at Sofinnova Partners and new board member of Chroma Medicine, said: “The acquisition of Epsilen Bio by Chroma Medicine creates a global leader in epigenetic editing. This milestone validates the innovative investment strategy pioneered by Sofinnova Partners and the Fondazione Telethon via the Sofinnova Telethon Fund. The success of early-stage companies like Epsilen Bio reinforces our mission to foster a thriving Italian biotech ecosystem and bring Italian scientific excellence to the global stage.”

Dr. Catherine Stehman-Breen, M.D., CEO of Chroma Medicine, said: “Epigenetic editing is the next frontier in genomic medicine. Angelo and Luigi are renowned experts in the field of epigenetic editing and gene therapy, respectively, and their research is highly complementary to Chroma Medicine’s approach and platform. With their expertise and that of our world-class founders, collaborators and team, Chroma is well positioned to deliver on the promise of epigenetic editing to transform the treatment of genetically driven disease.”

Dr. Angelo Lombardo, Ph.D., Epsilen Bio’s scientific co-founder, said:
“Together, we are establishing a transatlantic biotech company that has the potential to address a wide range of diseases and become the technology of choice for gene regulation. We look forward to continuing our pioneering work in epigenetic editing from Milan.”

About Chroma Medicine

Chroma Medicine is a biotechnology company pioneering a new class of genomic medicines that harness epigenetics, nature’s innate mechanism for gene regulation, to deliver new treatments for patients with genetically driven diseases. The company was founded by the world’s foremost experts in genomic research and is led by a veteran team of industry leaders and scientists with deep experience in genomic medicine, drug discovery, and development. For more information, please visit chromamedicine.com or follow the company on LinkedIn and Twitter.