Epizyme

Epizyme, Inc. operates as a biopharmaceutical firm focused on developing and commercializing epigenetic medicines for cancer and other serious diseases. Founded in 2007, the company is centered on creating orally administered, targeted therapies based on a deep understanding of the patient populations that can benefit from them. The company's scientific foundation is in epigenetics, a field that studies how gene activity can be altered without changing the DNA sequence itself, which has significant implications for cancer development.

The company's lead product is TAZVERIK® (tazemetostat), a first-in-class, oral inhibitor of the EZH2 enzyme. Dysregulation of EZH2, a type of histone methyltransferase, is implicated in the proliferation of various cancer cells. By inhibiting EZH2, TAZVERIK aims to alter gene expression, thereby reducing the growth of tumor cells. In 2020, TAZVERIK received Accelerated Approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for two distinct indications. It is approved for adult and pediatric patients aged 16 and older with metastatic or locally advanced epithelioid sarcoma who are not eligible for complete surgical resection. It is also indicated for adult patients with relapsed or refractory follicular lymphoma (FL), both for those with a specific EZH2 mutation after at least two prior therapies and for those who have no satisfactory alternative treatment options.

Robert Gould, Ph.D., served as President and CEO from 2010 to 2015, having joined from the Broad Institute and after a 23-year career at Merck where he was instrumental in advancing numerous compounds into clinical development. His expertise in drug development and licensing was critical during the company's transition from a venture-backed startup to a publicly-traded entity. The company went public in 2013. A significant milestone was the acquisition of Epizyme by Ipsen, a global biopharmaceutical group, which was finalized in August 2022 for an estimated aggregate consideration of $247 million, plus a contingent value right. This acquisition integrated Epizyme into Ipsen's growing oncology portfolio, providing additional resources to accelerate the growth of TAZVERIK. The transaction also included Epizyme's pipeline, featuring EZM0414, an oral SETD2 inhibitor candidate for multiple myeloma and diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, and other preclinical programs.

Keywords: epigenetics, oncology, EZH2 inhibitor, tazemetostat, follicular lymphoma, epithelioid sarcoma, cancer therapy, biopharmaceutical, clinical-stage, SETD2 inhibitor