Sigilon

About Sigilon

Sigilon Therapeutics, now a wholly owned subsidiary of Eli Lilly and Company, operates within the biotechnology sector, focusing on the development of novel cell-based therapies for chronic diseases. The company was co-founded in 2015 by Flagship Pioneering, with a scientific team led by pioneers in the field, Professor Daniel G. Anderson and Professor Robert S. Langer from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Their work centered on creating engineered cells that could be implanted into the body to produce therapeutic molecules, essentially turning the cells into 'drug factories'.

The core of Sigilon's approach was its Shielded Living Therapeutics™ platform, which utilized a proprietary biomaterial called Afibromer™. This technology involved encapsulating engineered human cells within porous spheres designed to protect them from the patient's immune system, thereby preventing rejection and the formation of fibrotic tissue around the implant. This encapsulation allows the engineered cells to survive and function, sensing the body's needs and releasing therapeutic proteins on demand, while simultaneously allowing nutrients and proteins to pass through. The primary goal was to treat conditions like Type 1 diabetes by implanting cells that could produce insulin, as well as addressing other chronic diseases such as hemophilia and lysosomal storage disorders.

From a financial perspective, Sigilon followed a typical biotech trajectory, securing venture capital funding before launching an Initial Public Offering (IPO) in December 2020, where it began trading on the Nasdaq. However, the company faced significant clinical setbacks. In 2021, the FDA placed a clinical hold on its Phase 1/2 study for hemophilia A after a patient developed a serious adverse event. Further challenges arose in its Type 1 diabetes program, which also experienced a clinical hold and ultimately led to the discontinuation of its lead candidate, SIG-001. These difficulties impacted its valuation and operational focus, leading to restructurings and a sharpened focus on its lysosomal disease program. Ultimately, in June 2023, Eli Lilly and Company, which had been a collaborator since 2018, announced its intention to acquire Sigilon, a transaction that was completed to integrate Sigilon's technology and expertise into Lilly's research and development efforts.