The Broad Institute, Inc.

Dr. William Sellers is a leading cancer researcher who currently serves as a Core Institute member and Director of the cancer program at the Broad Institute and a professor of medicine at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical SchoolHe brings deep expertise and experience in cancer biology and cancer therapeutics to Atavistik Bio as the company advances its pipeline of precision allosteric small molecule therapeutics CAMBRIDGE, Mass., March 31, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Atavistik Bio, a biotechnology company discovering the next generation of precision allosteric therapeutics inspired by the body’s natural regulators, today announced that it has appointed renowned cancer scientist William Sellers, M.D. to its Scientific Advisory Board. Dr. Sellers joins Atavistik Bio as the company rapidly advances a pipeline of next generation allosteric small molecules for high-value clinically validated targets that have the potential to address significant unmet needs. “We’re thrilled to welcome Dr. Bill Sellers to our SAB at this pivotal moment for the company as we advance our pipeline and transition to the clinic with ATV-1601, a selective inhibitor targeting AKT1 E17K driven cancers,” said Marion Dorsch, Ph.D., President and Chief Scientific Officer, Atavistik Bio. “As an accomplished industry and academic leader, Bill’s many contributions have led to a deeper understanding of cancer biology and cancer genomics that, in turn, has yielded transformative therapeutic advancements for patients. With his extensive experience in oncology, Bill will provide invaluable guidance as we work to develop innovative therapies and advance our pipeline of next-generation precision allosteric therapeutics for patients.” “Precision small molecule medicines have transformed the cancer treatment landscape, resulting in better outcomes for many patients. Despite this notable progress, as we continually unfold the relentless intricacies of cancer biology, we have only scratched the surface of what’s possible,” said Dr. Sellers. “I am impressed with Atavistik Bio’s pipeline and novel approach to discover next-generation precision small molecule medicines that leverage the power of allostery, and I look forward to helping further the team’s pursuit of high-value targets aimed at addressing serious unmet needs.” Dr. Sellers currently serves as a core institute member and director of the cancer program at the Broad Institute and a professor of medicine at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School. At the Broad Institute, Dr. Sellers directs a research group focused on translating genomic discoveries into new therapeutics. Previously, Dr. Sellers directed cancer drug discovery and early cancer clinical development at the Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research. Prior to joining Novartis, Dr. Sellers was an associate professor of medicine at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School and an associate member of the Broad Institute. Dr. Sellers has spent his academic career at the intersection of cancer biology and cancer genomics, investigating the basic mechanisms of tumor development. He collaborated with his Dana-Farber and Broad colleague Matthew Meyerson to lead the Broad’s first major foray into cancer genome sequencing. Their work, as well as work by other groups including investigators at Massachusetts General Hospital, led to the identification of EGFR mutations in lung cancer – work that paved the way for EGFR-inhibiting drugs becoming standard-of-care for patients. Among other achievements in his career, Dr. Sellers was the founder of Civetta Therapeutics, a co-founder of Delphia Therapeutics and currently serves on the Scientific Advisory Boards of Ideaya Bioscience and Epidarex Capital. Additionally, Dr. Sellers was a previous member of the National Cancer Advisory Board. About Atavistik BioAtavistik Bio is a biotechnology company accelerating the discovery and development of transformative precision allosteric therapeutics to address serious unmet patient needs. Since its inception, Atavistik Bio has rapidly established an emerging pipeline of allosteric therapeutics with the potential to achieve superior efficacy and tolerability profiles by leveraging the power of allostery. ATV-1601, a selective allosteric inhibitor for solid tumors, is anticipated to enter the clinic in early 2025. Atavistik Bio is led by an experienced team of drug hunters with a proven track record of developing marketed small molecule therapies and supported by top-tier investors, including The Column Group, Nextech Invest, and Lux Capital. To learn more, visit us at atavistikbio.com and follow us on LinkedIn. Media Contact:Liz MeloneMelone Communications, LLCliz@melonecomm.com

SAN DIEGO — At the headquarters of Illumina last week, CEO Jacob Thaysen bounded up a coiled staircase that mimics a DNA strand. The architectural flourish at the company’s campus is a representation of just how fundamental DNA sequencing has been to Illumina since it was founded in 1999. It has become a fixture in labs that use its gene-reading machines to discover drugs and diagnose patients. Thaysen took the CEO job 18 months ago with a mandate to make major changes. And in an overlook atop the building’s DNA-shaped staircase, he spoke with Endpoints News about his plans for Illumina beyond just genetics. While DNA is still core to Illumina’s business, Thaysen has bet that the company needs to expand further into what’s known as multiomics — a buzzy field that includes decoding proteins, RNA and other elements of biology. “Illumina has over the last 20 years really been driving the genomics revolution. The company is super proud about that,” Thaysen, 49, told Endpoints. “But what we’ve also seen is that biology is, of course, much more complicated.” It’s an urgent problem not just for science, but for Illumina. Thaysen joined the company in September 2023. The previous CEO was pushed out by an activist investor, after antitrust regulators blocked Illumina’s $8 billion acquisition of the cancer-testing firm Grail. In his first year and a half, Thaysen steadied Illumina by unwinding the Grail deal and pushing to simplify the DNA analysis business. But he’s now facing a fresh series of challenges. Drug giant Roche is entering Illumina’s main market for DNA sequencing. China has banned sales of Illumina’s DNA sequencers, in retaliation for President Donald Trump’s tariffs. The administration is also threatening billions of dollars of NIH funding that’s critical for many of Illumina’s academic customers. And some of Illumina’s former employees have left for their own startups dedicated to multiomics. “You can sit on the sideline and eat the popcorn, or you can go in and be a part of the solution,” Thaysen said. When scientists finished a rough draft of the human genome in 2001, researchers predicted that the genetic basis for all diseases would soon be unraveled, leading to an explosion in cures. Illumina helped turn that vision into reality, slashing the cost of sequencing and enabling breakthroughs in cancer diagnostics, rare disease treatments and other fields. And the company thrived: Since its 2000 IPO, Illumina has grown from revenue of $1.3 million to $4.3 billion in sales last year. Yet the vast majority of genetically-driven conditions still don’t have effective therapies. Many diseases, such as Huntington’s and certain cancers, involve intricate biological interactions that DNA alone cannot fully explain. “There’s many things that we’ve discovered from genetics, but it can be very challenging to figure out what a genetic variant means and which variant is having a clinical impact,” said Heidi Rehm, the chief genomics officer at Massachusetts General Hospital and a researcher at the Broad Institute. That’s where multiomics comes in. One of those so-called ‘omics, transcriptomics, helps parse how genes are turned on or off, giving a look at how gene expression patterns might cause disease, or help target it. Another layer is proteomics. Typically, scientists break down proteins into small chunks, identify them using a machine called a mass spectrometer, and then analyze how the proteins interact. Improvements in proteomic instruments — and artificial intelligence — have made it possible to monitor the vast number of proteins in the body in real time, versus the relatively static look that DNA offers. Another field called spatial omics visualizes molecular landscapes in their native environment. Researchers can see not just what genes or other molecular elements are active, but where they are active, to track how diseases like cancer progress. In combination, these and other ‘omics promise to untangle the cascading biological effects driving many diseases. “Illumina changed our understanding through our customers, of course, of genomics and DNA. We’re going to see that over the next 10 years on epigenetics, proteomics and many other things,” Thaysen said. Originally trained as a physicist, Thaysen ended up in life sciences, eventually as a senior vice president at the diagnostics company Agilent. There, he oversaw a division responsible for analytical instruments, informatic solutions and cell analysis products. The experience made him adept at spotting commercial opportunities. At Illumina, he refocused the company on selling DNA sequencers to labs and hospitals. He also quietly made multiomics more of a priority, despite his admission that he’s “not an expert in biology.” That included several multiomics acquisitions: In late 2023, Illumina acquired the data firm Partek for an undisclosed amount; seven months later, Illumina bought the cell analysis company Fluent BioSciences for $85 million. In February, Illumina detailed a series of multiomics technologies. Next year, the company is slated to release a product that maps the spatial proximity of millions of cells and their individual functions. Jasmine Plummer, director of the Center for Spatial Omics at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, got early access to that product to take a granular look at how prostate cancer resists treatments. Further experiments could help stratify patients according to which are likely to benefit from certain medicines. Plummer said the research wouldn’t be possible with just DNA sequencing. “We could previously give a picture of the world. Now we can zoom in on a house of interest and tell you who’s inside it,” Plummer said. Illumina will sell kits and instruments that add multiomic functions to its DNA sequencers, and allow data from elsewhere. The company’s thinking is that researchers would rather have an integrated source for multiomic data, and not have to switch from one company’s platform to another. “It makes sense to plant your flag now,” Canaccord Genuity analyst Kyle Mikson said of the nascent market. It’s not alone, however. After years of being the leading player in sequencing, some of Illumina’s alumni are now running their own companies that are focused on multiomics. Among them: Illumina’s legendary former CEO Jay Flatley, who now chairs the board of the Bay Area-based company Cellanome. (The company’s CEO is also a former Illumina employee.) “Multiomics is something that everyone aspires to,” said Flatley, who ran Illumina from 1999 to 2016. Founded in 2020, Cellanome is developing an automated platform that measures cell behaviors, interactions and functions. Flatley said the company will complement Illumina’s offerings. “If we’re successful, it will cause Illumina to sell a lot more sequencers,” Flatley said. Others are competing. Element Biosciences is based less than 10 minutes from Illumina’s headquarters, across the 805 freeway and a canyon. CEO Molly He, a former Illumina employee, said Element initially focused on DNA sequencing, what she called a “trojan horse” for plans to catalogue a wider set of biological data. Last year, Element released a machine that generates multiomic data via a relatively seamless process — which the company says saves time, money and cuts down on biological noise from stitching together so many data sources. “Element is the only company with a fully integrated workflow coming from the same sample, from the same machine,” He said from a conference room at the 380-person company. Another competitor, Newark, CA-based Ultima Genomics, is prioritizing low-cost sequencing, and unlike others, readily looking for multiomics partnerships. “We’ve taken an open-platform, best-of-breed approach,” Ultima Genomics CEO Gilad Almogy said. “We’re not saying, ‘Come to us and get everything from us.’” In January, Ultima secured a key role in the UK Biobank Pharma Proteomics Project, a major initiative that could reshape drug discovery by uncovering new leads for drug targets and diagnostics. In the first half of this year, Illumina is slated to release its own protein-measuring product, as part of a deal with the company Standard BioTools. The partnership is an acknowledgment that Illumina can’t do everything itself in multiomics. As much as Illumina wants to be an all-in-one provider, the company is incorporating others’ technologies where it makes sense. “We need to better embrace the ecosystem,” Thaysen said. To some, Illumina’s recent deals in multiomics look like an attempt to reengineer the moves that made the company the dominant DNA player. In 2007, Illumina acquired the company Solexa, a company that developed “sequencing by synthesis” — an ingenious method that uses fluorescent tags that emit a specific color that correspond to key DNA elements. Illumina has continuously improved on the technology, a winning formula. “Every time another technology-platform maker sneaks up and you finally think, ‘OK, there’s true competition with Illumina,’ turns out Illumina has been working on the next thing for 18 months, and they leapfrog again,” said Stephen Kingsmore, the CEO of Rady Children’s Hospital in San Diego. That said, multiomics is much more scientifically complex than DNA sequencing, encompassing a range of fields with a range of competitors. Wall Street analysts had credited Thaysen with steadying Illumina after a difficult period. But he hasn’t won them over entirely. Illumina’s stock price now trades at about $85 per share, or a 35% drop from this year’s start. Last month, Doug Schenkel, an analyst at Wolfe Research, expressed frustration during an earnings call that Illumina wasn’t doing a better job responding to competition and actions from the Chinese government to restrict the company. “I recognize you inherited a lot of problems from the previous leadership team, but once you buy the house, you own it. This is your company,” Schenkel said. “It seems like every quarter, there’s something new.” He’s not wrong. In February, Roche detailed plans for a DNA sequencer with multiomic capabilities. Unlike other startup competitors, Roche has deep pockets and even deeper experience in healthcare. Thaysen doesn’t believe Roche will be able to match Illumina’s comprehensive solutions. “Competitors coming in with a large commercial organization have an advantage there, but fundamentally, you need first and foremost to be able to provide the solution that the customer wants,” Thaysen said. Through a spokesperson, Roche declined to comment. Then this month, China — which makes up 7% of Illumina’s sales — banned imports of Illumina’s sequencers. The move was widely viewed as retribution for Trump’s tariffs, along with Illumina’s lobbying last year on failed US legislation that would have banned its Chinese competitor MGI . Asked if China’s ban could be reversed, Thaysen said the company is part of a “broader situation.” After China’s announcement, Illumina announced plans to cut $100 million in spending, and said multiomics would play a key part in plans to grow revenue by high-single digits in 2027. Asked about these challenges during the interview, Thaysen responded that “no transformation is a straight line. There’s ups and downs.” All of which seem like a potential distraction to the company’s new strategy. How can the company reduce expenses, push into multiomics and all the while stay focused on DNA sequencing? “It’s a good problem to have a resource allocation issue — that you have more opportunities than you have resources. The alternative would be worse,” Thaysen said. And as for whether Illumina will one day build an architectural feature at its headquarters as a tribute to multiomics? “We’ll see,” Thaysen said.

PISCATAWAY, N.J., March 19, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- GenScript Biotech Corp., a global biotechnology leader in life science, biologics manufacturing, synthetic biology, and cell therapies, announced an exciting investment in gene editing technology. GenScript has signed a licensing agreement with the Broad Institute of MIT to access Broad's Prime Editing technology. "This partnership with the Broad Institute marks an exhilarating new chapter for GenScript Life Science. For years, we have been deeply passionate about the extraordinary strides and transformative potential of gene editing. We see great potential for prime editing, and we're excited to contribute to the scientific community's evaluation of this technology." said Dr. Ray Chen, President of the Life Science Group at GenScript. This agreement permits GenScript to manufacture and commercialize prime editing components, including nucleases and customized synthetic guides, for other biopharma companies engaged in preclinical therapeutic R&D. This license will offer these companies a stable IP path when assessing prime editing technology. These companies will also benefit from GenScript's extensive experience in long (>250 bases) RNA synthesis, dedicated design tools, and, initially, 15 off-the-shelf nucleases and guides ready for testing. Prime Editing, a more precise alternative to CRISPR/Cas9 that avoids DNA double-stranded breaks, has been rapidly advancing, fueled by research and therapeutic innovations. Prime Medicine announced yesterday a pre-clinical program for alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency using this technology, complementing other initiatives like their Ex vivo CAR-T program with Bristol Myers Squibb. For more information, please visit: Media Contact: Michelle Simayi Phone: 7324272987 Email: [email protected] SOURCE GenScript Biotech Corporation WANT YOUR COMPANY'S NEWS FEATURED ON PRNEWSWIRE.COM? 440k+ Newsrooms & Influencers 9k+ Digital Media Outlets 270k+ Journalists Opted In GET STARTED