by Quotient’s Somatic Genomics platform reveals new approaches to treating diseases based on the vast genetic variation present in the body’s trillions of cells
The company emerges from secrecy after two years of platform development with an initial commitment to US$50 million of the pioneer pioneer
CAMBRIDGE, Mass., November 21, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — Flagship Pioneering, the bioplatform innovation company, today unveiled Quotient Therapeutics, a company pioneering somatic genomics, the study of genetic variation at the cellular level, to discover therapeutics informed by new links between genes and diseases. Flagship made an initial commitment to US$50 million advance the development of the company’s platform after two years of development at Flagship Labs and pursue a pipeline of medicines across a broad range of therapeutic areas and modalities.
Geoffrey von Maltzahn
Quotient
Jacob Rubens
“The assumption that each of us has a single genome turns out to be a trillion times wrong,” he said. Geoffrey von Maltzahn, Ph.D., co-founder and CEO of Quotient Therapeutics and general partner of Flagship Pioneering. “All cells accumulate random genetic changes in their DNA, resulting in trillions of unique genomes in the body. Some genetic changes make a cell resistant or vulnerable to disease, while others can cause disease. We started Quotient to study the library of natural genetics within of each tissue, discover genetic variants that are beneficial, neutral or disease-causing, and leverage this knowledge to develop the medicines of tomorrow.”
Quotient’s Somatic Genomics platform utilizes proprietary single-molecule genome sequencing technology to reveal the extensive variation encoded in the somatic genome at unprecedented resolution. Created by Flagship scientists in partnership with leading geneticists at the Wellcome Sanger Institute and the University of Texas Southwestern, this platform is capable of studying natural selection at the cellular level through four steps: phenotyping cells from clinical tissue samples, isolation, single cell genotyping, and computation. As a result, naturally selected genes, proteins and pathways are identified as prospective targets for the development of transformative therapies designed to cure, prevent or reverse disease. Quotient’s approach will enable the development of first-in-class medicines across a broad range of modalities and therapeutic areas, including immunological diseases, cardiometabolic diseases, infectious diseases, oncology, neurodegenerative diseases, rare diseases and aging.
Jacob Rubens, Ph.D., Co-Founder and President of Quotient Therapeutics and Origination Partner, Flagship Pioneering added, “At Quotient, we are inspired by the maxim that ‘Nothing in biology makes sense except in the light of evolution.'” Our Somatic Genomics platform measures the genetic changes underlying the evolution of the body’s cells to make sense of disease, illuminating the path to a wide range of potentially curative medicines. We have already created the world’s largest somatic genome dataset, demonstrated the applicability of our platform to multiple therapeutic areas, and translated our genetic discoveries into drug discoveries.”
Noubar AfeyanPh.D., Founder and CEO, Flagship Pioneering and Co-Founder and Chairman of the Strategic Oversight Board of Quotient Therapeutics, noted: “One of the defining features of the modern era of genetics has been the systematic comparison of people’s genomes. Today, we are in the the precipice of a new era, made possible by comparing the trillions of genomes within each of us. Genetics has already created enormous advances in human health, and Quotient is pioneering the next great leap forward.”
Quotient’s academic co-founders include Professor Sir Mike StrattonMD, PhD, Inigo Martincorena, PhD, and Peter CampbellPhD, from the Wellcome Sanger Institute, and Hao Zhu, MD, from University of Texas South-west. In addition to von Maltzahn and Rubens, Quotient is led by Scott HaytonPh.D., Interim Chief Operating Officer, Caroline Fox, MD, MPH, senior vice president, head of genetics and target discovery, and Simon Brunner, Ph.D., co-founder and head of platform. Quotient is co-located in Cambridge, Massachusetts It is Cambridge, United Kingdom with research facilities in both cities.
To learn more about Quotient Therapeutics, visit www.quotient-tx.com.
About Therapeutic Quotient
Quotient Therapeutics is the first company to systematically study the genetic variation and evolution of the trillions of cells within the human body. The company’s Somatic Genomics platform reveals new links between genes and diseases across a wide range of therapeutic areas, enabling the discovery of transformative medicines aimed at curing, preventing or reversing disease. Founded by Flagship Pioneering in 2022, Quotient is supported by experts in the field of somatic genetics.
About Pioneer Pioneer
Flagship Pioneering is a biotechnology company that invents and builds platform companies, each with the potential for multiple products that transform human health or sustainability. Since its launch in 2000, the Flagship has originated and fostered more than 100 scientific ventures, resulting in more than US$90 billion in added value. To date, Flagship has been deployed in US$3.4 billion in capital for the founding and growth of its pioneering companies alongside more than US$26 billion of subsequent investments from other institutions. The current Flagship ecosystem comprises 41 companies, including Denali Therapeutics (NASDAQ: DNLI), Foghorn Therapeutics (NASDAQ: FHTX), Generate:Biomedicines, Inari, Indigo Agriculture, Moderna (NASDAQ: MRNA), Omega Therapeutics (NASDAQ: OMGA), Sana Biotechnology (NASDAQ: SANA), Seres Therapeutics (NASDAQ: MCRB) and Tessera Therapeutics.
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