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Ryan Cross

@scienceboss.bsky.social

50 followers 20 following 68 posts

Senior Science Correspondent at Endpoints News. Reach out privately on Signal: RyanCross.25

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Ryan Cross @scienceboss.bsky.social · 2d

Arbor Biotechnologies has partnered with Chiesi Group in #CRISPR gene editing deal worth up to $2 billion, just 10 weeks after announcing it had dosed the first patient in its PH1 trial. Next up for Arbor: a trio of ALS therapies. Read more in @endpts.com - endpoints.news/arbor-partne...

Arbor partners with Chiesi Group in gene editing deal with potential $2B future payments

Chiesi Group partners with Arbor Biotechnologies in CRISPR deal worth up to $2B for PH1 therapy and rare liver diseases, following first patient dosing in clinical trial.

Ryan Cross @scienceboss.bsky.social · 6d

I am heading to Spain next week to cover the #ESGCT2025 meeting for @endpts.com. If you're presenting new cell therapy, gene therapy, gene editing or RNA therapy research at the meeting, or just want to meet, reach out!

Ryan Cross @scienceboss.bsky.social · 7d

The French biotech EG 427 has made a gene therpay based on a herpesvirus vector that delivers a botulinum toxin to sensory neurons to reduce urinary incontinence by 88% in spinal cord injury patients. More details on the data and science in my exclusive for @endpts - endpoints.news/exclusive-fr...

Exclusive: French startup's gene therapy dramatically reduces urinary incontinence in spinal cord injury patients

EG 427's gene therapy shows 88% reduction in urinary incontinence for spinal cord injury patients at 12 weeks, using herpesvirus vector to deliver botulinum toxin F to bladder.

Ryan Cross @scienceboss.bsky.social · 13d

In 2023, Biogen said it would deprioritize its early stage gene therapy research, but a small team of scientists continued working on next-gen AAV capsids. Now Biogen has cut its remaining AAV work. Read more in my exclusive for @endpts.com - endpoints.news/biogen-calls...

Exclusive: Biogen calls it quits on AAV gene therapy, again

Biogen is ending its gene therapy work that relies on adeno-associated viruses, or AAVs, the company confirmed to Endpoints News, making it the latest pharma to walk away from the viral-based delivery...

Ryan Cross @scienceboss.bsky.social · 15d

Feng Zhang's startup Aera Therapeutics has announced an in vivo CAR-T therapy for autoimmune disease as its lead program, and plans to be in clinical trials in mid-2026. Read more about that program, and two more at Aera, in my exclusive for @endpts.com - endpoints.news/aera-therape...

Exclusive: Aera Therapeutics jumps into in vivo CAR-T race with trial planned for 2026

Aera Therapeutics is the latest company hoping that a simple infusion can reprogram the immune system to wipe out errant cells responsible for autoimmune disease. It's planning on testing the in vivo ...

Ryan Cross @scienceboss.bsky.social · 19d

We chose these companies because the potential applications of their technologies are disruptive and vast. Imagine lipid nanoparticle infusions replacing viral vector gene therapy and ex vivo cell therapy. It won't be easy to pull off, but if it works, it would be huge.

Ryan Cross @scienceboss.bsky.social · 19d

The founders, funders, leadership and science of Averna and Stylus are strong, yes, that's a prerequisite for Endpoints 11.

Ryan Cross @scienceboss.bsky.social · 19d

This is a tough time for the gene editing field. Two "older" gene insertion startups shut down in the past year. And many CRISPR companies trimmed pipelines and cut staff. So why did we choose to highlight not one, but two, new gene editing companies? endpoints.news/biotech-is-s...

Will CRISPR matter?

On a sunny September day in 2023, scientists at CRISPR Therapeutics invited me to peer through their microscopes. Through the lens were liver cells, part of the company’s work to gear up for a clinica...

Ryan Cross @scienceboss.bsky.social · 19d

Stylus Medicine, led by Emile Nuwaysir, is using viral recombinases to stitch genes into precise parts of the genome. It is also solving co-delivery of mRNA and DNA in a single lipid nanoparticle to make affordable and durable in vivo CAR-T cell therapies. endpoints.news/endpoints-11...

The Endpoints 11: Stylus Medicine wants to usurp viral proteins and bring CAR-T to the masses

Why we chose Stylus Medicine for the 2025 Endpoints 11 awards

Ryan Cross @scienceboss.bsky.social · 19d

Averna Therapeutics, led by former Intellia chief scientist Tom Barnes, is using retrotransposons, aka 'jumping genes', to insert genes with an "all RNA" approach. No DNA. No viral vectors. It could be the cheapest and simplest form of gene insertion. endpoints.news/endpoints-11...

The Endpoints 11: Harnessing jumping genes for a simple ‘all RNA’ gene therapy at Averna Therapeutics

Why we picked Averna Therapeutics as a 2025 Endpoints 11 winner.

Ryan Cross @scienceboss.bsky.social · 19d

This year I profiled two companies that are developing next-generation gene editing therapies that go beyond CRISPR and use other molecular machines to precisely insert full genes into safe harbors in the genome.

Ryan Cross @scienceboss.bsky.social · 19d

One of my favorite rituals at @endpts is picking our annual list of the most promising startups pushing science and medicine forward. Hundreds are nominated, we seriously debate 40-50 of them, and we whittle it down to the Endpoints 11. The list is out! endpoints.news/the-2025-win...

The Endpoints 11 list: Meet the most exciting biotech startups of 2025

Announcing the 2025 Endpoints 11 winners — the most exciting, high-risk, high-reward biotech startups of the year.

Ryan Cross @scienceboss.bsky.social · 27d

I spoke with #LaskerAward winner Michael Welsh from the University of Iowa about how he helped unravel the molecular mechanisms of #CysticFibrosis that laid the foundation for Vertex's life-saving drugs for the once fatal disease. Read the interview on @endpts.com: endpoints.news/a-conversati...

Q&A: Lasker Award winner Michael Welsh on the science that led to life-saving cystic fibrosis drugs

Scientists Welsh, González, and Negulescu win Lasker Award for cystic fibrosis research, including Welsh's molecular insights and Vertex's Trikafta drug development.

Ryan Cross @scienceboss.bsky.social · 28d

Chinese #CRISPR company YolTech Therapeutics has raised a $45M series B as it plans for its first Phase 3 study in ATTR, the same genetic disease that US-based Intellia recently began a pair of Phase 3 studies in. Read more in my exclusive for
@endpts.com: endpoints.news/chinese-cris...

Exclusive: Chinese CRISPR company YolTech raises $45M as it plans for first Phase 3 study

YolTech Therapeutics raises $44.5M Series B for CRISPR therapies, led by AstraZeneca-CICC fund. Company has 4 therapies in clinical trials, plans Phase 3 for ATTR treatment.

Ryan Cross @scienceboss.bsky.social · Sep 8

China biotech Epigenic Therapeutics raises $60M to test #CRISPR #epigenetic therapies for HBV in Phase 1/2 trial, competing with US startups nChroma and Tune. Read more from my exclusive interview with Epigenic CEO Bob Zhang in my story for @endpts.com endpoints.news/china-biotec...

China biotech Epigenic raises $60M to test CRISPR epigenetic therapies

Epigenic Therapeutics raises $60M Series B for CRISPR-based hepatitis B therapy, with CEO Bob Zhang leading clinical trials in New Zealand, China and US through 2027.

Ryan Cross @scienceboss.bsky.social · Aug 19

Neuropsych startup Sensorium, founded by Mass General and Harvard scientists, has raised $25M for a Phase 1 study of a new plant-derived drug for anxiety. CEO Jacob Hooker told me about the drug's mechanism for the first time in my exclusive story for @endpts.com: endpoints.news/sensorium-ra...

Exclusive: Sensorium raises $25M to test succulent-derived drug for anxiety

Sensorium, a startup founded by scientists from Mass General and Harvard in 2021 to look for new brain drugs from plants and fungi, has raised a $25 million series A extension, the company told Endpoi...

Ryan Cross @scienceboss.bsky.social · Aug 12

Gameto, a startup looking to disrupt the in vitro fertilization industry with stem cell technology from George Church's lab, has raised $44 million in Series C financing for its Phase 3 study. My story for @endpts.com has the details: endpoints.news/fertility-st...

Fertility startup Gameto raises $44M to fund Phase 3 study of stem cell IVF therapy

The new funding will allow Gameto to finish a Phase 3 study of its therapy in 500 people looking to conceive via in vitro fertilization.

Ryan Cross @scienceboss.bsky.social · Aug 7

After promising proof of concept data from a Phase 1 study earlier this year, Strand Therapeutics has raised $153 million series B funding to test its #mRNA cancer therapies encoding the potent immune-stimulating protein IL-12.

Read more in Endpoints News: endpoints.news/strand-thera...

Strand Therapeutics nabs $153M to test mRNA cancer therapies

Strand Therapeutics, a startup based on research from MIT, has managed to pull off one of the largest raises for an mRNA-focused biotech in recent years.

Ryan Cross @scienceboss.bsky.social · Jul 28

The session at #AAIC25 on Roche's next-gen #Alzheimers drug #trontinemab was jam packed and despite one patient's death, the excitement for this drug was palpable. Read more about the dramatic amyloid reduction and surprisingly low ARIA in @endpts.com - endpoints.news/roche-double...

Roche doubles down on its Alzheimer's ambitions as next-gen amyloid-lowering drug excites scientists

Roche revealed the latest cut of data from its closely-watched Phase 1/2 study of trontinemab, an amyloid-targeting antibody designed to latch onto receptors that yank it across the protective blood-b...

Ryan Cross @scienceboss.bsky.social · Jul 22

Orbital Therapeutics, a circular RNA startup that raised $270M for nex-gen RNA drugs in 2023, revealed its first program and first preclinical data for an in vivo CAR-T cell therapy for autoimmune disease. More details in my story for @endpts.com - endpoints.news/circular-rna...

Exclusive: Circular RNA startup Orbital unveils first monkey data as it enters in vivo CAR-T cell therapy race

Orbital Therapeutics reveals first preclinical data for circular RNA-based in vivo CAR-T therapy for autoimmune diseases, showing B cell elimination in monkeys with two infusions.

Ryan Cross @scienceboss.bsky.social · Jul 21

David Baker’s lab @uwproteindesign.bsky.social uses AI to catch nature’s squirmiest proteins, the notoriously undruggable intrinsically disordered proteins. I covered the new methods, which could have implications in cancer, diabetes, pain and more for @endpts.com - endpoints.news/david-bakers...

David Baker’s lab uses AI to help catch nature’s squirmiest proteins

David Baker reveals AI strategies to develop proteins binding to intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs), enabling potential drug development for previously

Ryan Cross @scienceboss.bsky.social · Jul 18

Sail Bio, the Flagship company that combined the circular RNA startup Laronde and nanoparticle startup Senda, just cut its staff by 30%. The CEO and CMO left earlier this year. Now the CSO and heads of platform, legal and HR are gone too. Read more in @endpts.com endpoints.news/sail-bio-cut...

Flagship's circular RNA company Sail Bio cuts staff by 30% and trims leadership team

Sail Biomedicines cuts 29% of workforce (36 employees) and loses executives including CSO Trevor Hallam as it focuses on in vivo CAR-T therapy for autoimmune disease

Ryan Cross @scienceboss.bsky.social · Jul 9

The FDA approved a new dosing of Lilly’s #Alzheimers drug #Kisunla to lower brain swelling risks known as ARIA-E, based on a new Phase 3 study where modified dosing caused ARIA-E in 14% of patients compared to 24% on original dosing. More in my story for @endpts.com endpoints.news/fda-approves...

FDA approves new dosing of Lilly’s Alzheimer’s drug to lower brain swelling risks

Lilly's Alzheimer's drug Kisunla gets FDA approval for new dosing regimen reducing brain swelling risk by 41%.

Ryan Cross @scienceboss.bsky.social · Jul 9

A new CRISPR Cures center, fuded by $20M from @chanzuckerberg.bsky.social and led by @urnov.bsky.social, will create 8 custom therapies for patients in the next 3 years.
“Our goal is to aggressively walk the walk of CRISPR platformization,” Urnov told me. @endpts.com endpoints.news/crispr-cures...

'CRISPR Cures' center launches with $20M to make customized gene editing therapies

Scientists seeking to make personalized gene editing therapies a reality for more people have launched a new initiative to develop cures for the rarest of diseases left behind by drug companies.

Ryan Cross @scienceboss.bsky.social · Jul 8

It's a tough time to be a vaccine startup, but Centivax CEO Jacob Glanville has raised $45M for a universal flu shot made with 22 different mRNA strands encoding viral strains back to 1918. A clinical trial starts next year. My story for @endpts.com has all the details endpoints.news/startup-rais...

Exclusive: Startup raises $45M for universal flu vaccines made with mRNA

It’s not an easy time to raise money for vaccine development, especially shots that rely on mRNA technology. But against all odds, one startup has cinched $45 million to begin ...