Spotlight Therapeutics

About Spotlight Therapeutics

Spotlight Therapeutics was a biotechnology firm established in mid-2018 focused on developing in vivo CRISPR gene editing therapies. The company was co-founded by scientists Alex Marson of UC San Francisco, Patrick Hsu of UC Berkeley, and Jacob Corn, formerly of Berkeley and now with ETH Zürich. The leadership team included President and CEO Mary Haak-Frendscho, an experienced biotechnology executive with a history at companies like Genentech, Takeda, and Versant Ventures.

The company's core technology was its proprietary TAGE (Targeted Active Gene Editors) platform. This platform was designed to deliver CRISPR ribonucleoproteins (RNPs) directly to specific cells within the body (in vivo), aiming to edit genes at their source. This approach was intended to bypass the complexities and potential toxicities associated with viral and nanoparticle delivery systems, which are more common methods for gene therapy delivery. The business model centered on advancing its pipeline of these modular and programmable CRISPR effectors through preclinical and eventually clinical studies. The company’s primary therapeutic areas of focus were immuno-oncology, ophthalmic diseases, and hemoglobinopathies.

Spotlight Therapeutics secured significant funding to advance its research. A Series A round in 2020, led by GV (formerly Google Ventures), raised $30 million. This was followed by a $36.5 million Series B financing in March 2022, co-led by GordonMD Global Investments and EPIQ Capital Group. Over its lifetime, the company raised a total of $66.5 million. However, despite its promising start, the company shut down in early 2025. The former CEO cited that results from an eye study fell short of the internal benchmarks required to continue the work, leading to the closure.