Kush Parmar, M.D., Ph.D.

GlycoEra is developing biologics to selectively target the root cause of many autoimmune diseases: a specific circulating protein (autoantibody). Our approach enables us to degrade targets rapidly, selectively, and deeply while avoiding broader dampening of the immune system. This offers many potential benefits over existing broad-spectrum immune-suppressing therapies, including an improved safety profile and the potential for earlier disease intervention – which could improve patient quality of life, limit long-term complications and lower overall healthcare costs. Our best-in-class, extracellular degrader BiND™ platform (Biologic Natural Degrader), allows us to target and rapidly, deeply degrade any circulating protein of interest regardless of therapeutic area – such as an autoantibody in autoimmune disease, a circulating factor inducing inflammation or a protein aggregate in neurological disease.

Ensoma /en’sōmə/ is derived from the Greek phrase “en soma,” meaning in the body. We develop one-time in vivo treatments that precisely engineer any or all blood and immune cells to cure diseases from within. We have a bigger, bolder vision for genomic medicine: treatments as versatile, precise, and far-reaching as the body’s own cells. Our team takes inspired action towards pushing beyond today’s possible with the goal of delivering a one-time, off-the-shelf treatment to patients everywhere.

Started with an initial $8 million financing in October 2009, Envoy Therapeutics used a proprietary technology called bacTRAP to identify target proteins expressed in the circuitry of neurological and psychiatric diseases and then discovered and optimized drug compounds that acted on those proteins. In November 2012, Takeda Pharmaceuticals purchased Envoy for $140 million.

GlycoEra is developing biologics to selectively target the root cause of many autoimmune diseases: a specific circulating protein (autoantibody). Our approach enables us to degrade targets rapidly, selectively, and deeply while avoiding broader dampening of the immune system. This offers many potential benefits over existing broad-spectrum immune-suppressing therapies, including an improved safety profile and the potential for earlier disease intervention – which could improve patient quality of life, limit long-term complications and lower overall healthcare costs. Our best-in-class, extracellular degrader BiND™ platform (Biologic Natural Degrader), allows us to target and rapidly, deeply degrade any circulating protein of interest regardless of therapeutic area – such as an autoantibody in autoimmune disease, a circulating factor inducing inflammation or a protein aggregate in neurological disease.

Ensoma /en’sōmə/ is derived from the Greek phrase “en soma,” meaning in the body. We develop one-time in vivo treatments that precisely engineer any or all blood and immune cells to cure diseases from within. We have a bigger, bolder vision for genomic medicine: treatments as versatile, precise, and far-reaching as the body’s own cells. Our team takes inspired action towards pushing beyond today’s possible with the goal of delivering a one-time, off-the-shelf treatment to patients everywhere.

Like many stories of hope, ours begins with struggle. In 2013, Grace Wilsey was diagnosed with a rare genetic disorder called NGLY1 Deficiency. Her parents, Matt and Kristen, quickly discovered the incredible challenges they faced. At the time, Grace was one of only 6 known patients worldwide. Diseases that rare weren’t on the radars of big labs or pharmaceutical companies. Funding for research was virtually nonexistent. The world wasn’t set up to save Grace. So Matt and Kristen did what any good parents would do —they set out to change the world. And so Grace Science Foundation was born. We are dedicated to pioneering approaches to scientific exploration that are faster, less expensive and more collaborative. Our advances aren’t just bringing us closer to a cure for NGLY1 Deficiency, they are being used to discover and treat countless other diseases. In this way, our work doesn’t just help the few — it impacts the lives of billions.