Tune Therapeutics, a genetic medicine startup, has secured $175 million in a Series B funding round to further develop its epigenetic editing therapies, with a primary focus on its lead candidate, Tune-401, for the treatment of chronic hepatitis B. This investment will support ongoing clinical trials and the expansion of the company's research into other gene, cell, and regenerative therapies.
Epigenetic Editing Approach
Tune Therapeutics is pioneering a unique approach to treating diseases by "tuning" genes rather than directly editing or replacing DNA. This method, known as epigenetic editing, aims to modify gene expression without causing DNA damage. Scientists suggest that epigenetic editing may offer a more efficient and less disruptive alternative to DNA-cutting technologies like CRISPR.
Akira Matsuno, co-founder and CFO of Tune Therapeutics, explained the company's strategy using an analogy: "It’s thinking about addressing a leak by trying to shut off the faucet." He contrasted this with existing therapies that "either try to slow down the pace or are really good at getting the water out of the tub," emphasizing the need to address the root cause of the disease.
Tune-401: Targeting Chronic Hepatitis B
Tune-401, the company's lead therapy, is designed to treat chronic hepatitis B by silencing the viral DNA integrated into infected cells' genomes and circulating within the cells. Chronic hepatitis B affects over 250 million people worldwide and can lead to liver failure and cancer. By altering gene expression, Tune-401 aims to block cells from producing more of the virus, offering a different mechanism of action from current antiviral drugs.
The Phase 1 clinical trial for Tune-401 has already begun in New Zealand and Hong Kong, supported by hepatologists Dr. Ed Gane and Dr. Man-Fung Yuen.
Investor Confidence and Future Directions
The Series B round was co-led by New Enterprise Associates, Yosemite, Regeneron Ventures, and Hevolution Foundation. William Greene, chief investment officer at Hevolution Foundation, stated, "Chronic diseases of aging are accelerating in incidence, prevalence, and severity, and current approaches are simply inadequate. It is our belief that epigenetic editing may prove to be the transformative modality we need to enable a new era of regenerative medicine."
Tune Therapeutics' technology builds upon research from genetic medicine pioneers Charles Gersbach at Duke University and Fyodor Urnov at the University of California, Berkeley. The company's approach has broad applications across various human diseases, including aging and other conditions influenced by epigenetic factors.
Charles Gersbach, co-founder of Tune, noted the potential of their approach: "Showing safety and efficacy with this first clinical trial would allow us to develop additional drugs that take advantage of this epigenome editing platform to do things that other types of therapeutic modalities aren't able to do."
