Why genome-editing is getting all the biotech funding 🧬

Today's Daily Stack dives into deep sciences and specifically the world of genome editing/gene editing as well as genome analysis companies that have been a magnet for funding lately.

What is Genome Editing? 
Genome editing is essentially technology that gives scientists the ability to change an organism’s DNA by adding, removing, or altering the location of a particular genome. While there are many approaches, breakthroughs in the method known as CRISPER-Cas9 have allowed scientists to edit genomes in a faster, cheaper, more efficient, and more accurate manner than any previous methods. For humans, this method potentially can allow scientists to treat disease by removing the faulty DNA from a cell, or in other words, “editing it out.”

The Controversy
Genome editing does raise controversial questions and ethical concerns on how it can affect our biology that is then inherited in the next generation. This reason is why many companies focus their genome editing techniques on somatic (i.e., non-reproductive) body cells. Other companies play the safe route and focus on genome analysis in hopes that understanding the sequence and its variations that affect our health, diseases, or drug response will ultimately help interpret and prevent or cure diseases. The potential and these recent developments have led to the immense funding in this sector.

Four Successful Startups

• Freenome uses genome analysis to help detect mutations early on and help warn of cancer developments through blood tests. Its last Series C funding of $270MM, co-led by Bain Capital and Perceptive Advisors, was the cherry on top for its unicorn status.
• Inscripta provides an Onyx Digital Genome Engineering benchtop system that allows for large-scale genome-engineering experiments. It has also developed, and distributes royalty-free, a nuclease used in CRISPR genome editing. The company raised its Series E of $150MM, putting it in unicorn status in early April.
• Sema4 uses genome and clinical data to inform health decisions as well as care and treatment. The company announced in February that is merging with the SPAC CM Life Sciences, which is affiliated with Casdin Capital and Corvex Management.
• 23andMe is a consumer genetics and research company that provides DNA testing for ancestry, traits, and health predisposition to the general public. The company announced it is merging with a SPAC established by Richard Branson and his company Virgin Group in February.