chimeron bio

Chimeron Bio, established in 2015, is a privately held, early-stage biotechnology firm headquartered in Philadelphia, operating within the drug discovery and life sciences sectors. The company is focused on developing next-generation RNA therapeutics and vaccines for challenging diseases, with an initial emphasis on oncology, infectious diseases, and rare genetic disorders. Chimeron Bio was co-founded by Dr. Jolly Mazumdar and Dr. Thimmaiah Chendrimada, who brought extensive experience from their previous roles at GlaxoSmithKline, combining expertise in clinical trials and bench science to form the company. Dr. Mazumdar, who previously served as CEO, has a background in personalized medicine, notably contributing to the market launch of two skin cancer drugs, while Dr. Chendrimada, the CSO, transitioned from agricultural science to medical science, specializing in drug development.

The company's business model is centered on the research and development of its preclinical drug pipeline, with a strategy of forming partnerships and securing funding to advance its candidates toward clinical trials and eventual commercialization. Chimeron Bio has successfully raised $18.1M through various funding rounds, including a Series A round, with support from investors like Dreavent, Monfort, and the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development. A significant milestone was achieved in April 2024, when the company received the National Institutes of Health's Small Business Innovation Research Innovative Concept Award to support the development of a cancer vaccine for an inherited form of colorectal cancer.

Chimeron Bio's core technology is its proprietary ChaESAR™ platform, which stands for Chimeric, Self-Amplifying RNA. This platform utilizes a patented multiplex nanoparticle to deliver self-amplifying RNA (saRNA), which enables the delivery of multiple genes in a single treatment. This “All-in-One” approach is designed to transform the complex tumor microenvironment more effectively than traditional therapies. The self-amplifying nature of the RNA allows for superior and longer-lasting protein expression from a smaller dose compared to conventional mRNA technologies. The development pipeline is concentrated on three main approaches in oncology: enhanced in-vivo CAR-T therapy administered directly into the patient, immuno-oncology treatments to activate the patient's immune system against cancer cells, and cancer vaccines.

In December 2022, Kevin Heyeck, a seasoned executive with over 25 years of experience in life sciences venture capital and corporate development, was appointed as the new CEO to guide the company through its next growth phase. The company has also strengthened its board with the appointment of Antonin de Fougerolles, a pioneer in RNA technology and the former founding CSO of Moderna, underscoring its commitment to advancing its RNA platform. Chimeron Bio collaborates with entities like FUJIFILM Diosynth Biotechnologies for manufacturing and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) for preclinical assessments, positioning itself to advance its high-impact therapeutic pipeline. Keywords: self-amplifying RNA, saRNA, ChaESAR platform, cancer therapeutics, immuno-oncology, in-vivo CAR-T, cancer vaccine, gene therapy, RNA drugs, Multiplex nanoparticle, oncology pipeline, drug discovery, genetic disorders, infectious disease treatment, colorectal cancer vaccine, preclinical biotech, RNA delivery, personalized medicine, tumor microenvironment, next-generation therapeutics