Plus Google shares their plans for their Arsenal Site.
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64 Pleasant Street: Watertown Square Lab & Flex Lease Options
Before reading on, consider sharing this newsletter with a friend and subscribing to support our work. Also consider joining the Watertown Business Coalition at their Anniversary & Community Awards Dinner on 11/16.
Before reading on, consider sharing this newsletter with a friend and subscribing to support our work. Also consider joining the Watertown Business Coalition at their Anniversary & Community Awards Dinner on 11/16.
23 Elm Street lab building Lands its first tenant
This past week Kano Therapeutics filed for a biotech permit for a lab in the 23 Elm Street building. The company, which was spun out of MIT in 2024, is developing a gene therapy platform based on circular, single stranded DNA (“KanoDNA”), which they claim reduces the toxicity associated with other gene therapy platforms such as viral vectors or standard double-stranded DNA products. Kano joins Watertowns’ diverse gene therapy delivery space which includes companies like Dyno Therapeutics (using AI to develop targeted AAV delivery systems), Averna Therapeutics (using RNA retrotransposons for specific gene insertion), Portal Bio (mechanical delivery of DNA cargo to cells), and Prime Medicine (using prime editors to correct DNA mutations).
The last year has seen a rebound in the Watertown life science sector, with the vacancy rate dropping 10 points year over year and fundraising breaking Q1&Q2 records. Amidst the recovery, two buildings: 705 Mount Auburn Street and 23 Elm Street had remained vacant until last week. 23 Elm Street was built by The Triad Group and was purchased by the VC firm Shannon Life Sciences in 2024. According to their permit application, Kano is planning to move into the space by December of this yea
23 Elm Street offers 66,634 SF of cutting -edge, fully furnished spec lab space, engineered to support scientific innovations and empower research with best-in-class facilities.
Souffle Therapeutics raises $135 million in Series B funding
Soufflé Therapeutics, headquartered at 250 Arsenal Place, announced the closing of an upsized $135 million Series B funding round, led by Juvia Group. The funding comes near the firm’s first anniversary after launching from stealth last year with $200 million on hand. The company is using its “REMEDY” platform to develop gene therapies coupling siRNA and other oligonucleotide therapeutics to monoclonal antibodies or other ligands to target therapeutic uptake to specific tissues. The company has three programs: a lead program targeting Facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD), a second program targeting phospholamban for the treatment of heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF), and a third undisclosed target for muscle and metabolic disorders. The proceeds from the Series B are expected to advance these three program into clinical studies. Soufflé represents one of Watertown’s home grown companies, having started in incubator space at Cambridge Scientific before moving to the their own space at the Genesis building.
Disc Medicine’s Positive Phase 3 APOLLO trial sets up Bitopertin for FDA re-submission, while Eyepoint’s LUCIA study miss leads to significant layoffs.
Watertown’s biotech scene is still maturing relative to the 7-10 year therapy development timeline. Only four drugs started the year with Phase 3 clinical trial readouts. Two of those drugs (Lyra Therapeutics’ LYR-210, and Neumora Therapeutics’ navacaprant) have been discontinued. The other two had their Phase 3 trial results reported out this week :
Disc Medicine’s Bitopertin APOLLO Phase 3 Trial: On October 19th Disc announced that its Phase 3 APOLLO trial of bitopertin met every primary and secondary endpoint in erythropoietic protoporphyria (EPP), a rare disease that causes severe, painful reactions to sunlight. With the success of the trial, the company announced that they aim to resubmit their new drug application (NDA) for biotopertin to the FDA by the end of the year, with an FDA response expected by the middle of next year.
The FDA declined to approve their initial bitopertin NDA in February, due to concerns about the clinical benefit of bitopertin based on the available data at the time. The initial NDA had been submitted before the completion of the Phase 3 Apollo trial, using a Commissioner’s National Priority Voucher (CNPV). In its letter responding to bitopertin’s NDA, the FDA indicated that the results of the Apollo study could serve as evidence to support traditional approval of bitopertin.
Disc wasted no time taking advantage of their clinical trial success, announcing an upsized $450 million public offering that closed on 10/22.
Eyepoint, Inc’s DURAVYU LUCIA Phase 3 Study: Also on October 19th,Eyepoint announced that its second pivotal Phase 3 trial, LUCIA, failed to show that DURAVYU was non-inferior to the standard injection at improving vision in wet age-related macular degeneration, following similar data from their earlier LUGANO trial. EyePoint responded to these data by ending the wet AMD trials early and refocusing on diabetic macular edema, where data from a separate set of Phase 3 trials are expected in late 2027. As part of their strategic refocusing, Eyepoint announced that they are cutting about 53% of its workforce. The company did not share how the cuts will be spread between their Watertown headquarters and their Northbridge manufacturing facility.
Quick Hits
Leasing
In a LinkedIn post, Google engineers shared that their Watertown site will become a hub for their DeepMind AI robotics lab. More in the Boston Globe
Cellular Intelligence applied for a biotechnology permit to open a lab at 99 Coolidge Ave. According to their website, the company aims to use AI to build a platform for modeling and manipulating cellular signals to build new therapeutics. They recently acquired STEM-PD a cell therapy in Phase 1/2 trials for Parkinson’s Disease. They are the second company (after Oryon Cell Therapies, at Labshares), developing a cell therapy for Parkinson’s Disease to move to Watertown this year.
Monimoi Therapeutics applied for biotech registration in Cambridge Scientific’s shared lab space. According to their website, they are developing covalent medicines for cancer. They move down the road from Matchpoint Therapeutics, who just raised $150 million to develop covalent medicines for immunology diseases.
GapScore inc applied for biotech registration in Cambridge Scientific’s shared lab space. According to their website, the company is developing diagnostic technology to screen tumors for single stranded DNA breaks, which they claim will predict a tumor’s response to certain treatments, improving patient care.
Science/Clinical News
Enanta Pharmaceuticals announced the first patient was dosed in their RESOLVE Phase 2b/3 sudy of Zelicapavir in adults at high risk for complications of RSV infection.
Acrivon Therapeutics advanced ACR-7280 an oral CDK11 inhibitor in development for acute myeloid leukemia as its next development candidate.
Business News
Sai Life Sciences announced their Fall Biotech Pitch Day.
People
Abiologics appointed Per Jr. Greisen as Chief Artificial Intelligence Officer.
Media
Cultivarium was featured on the Economist’s The Intelligence podcast.
ALS TDI shared an update on their lab expansion at Arsenal Yards.
Addgene Vice President of Global Commercial Strategy and Partnerships appeared on the BioHub podcast.
That’s all for this week!
