Epizyme - Top 20 Biotech VC Deals of 2009

Company: Epizyme
Based: Cambridge, MA
Amount: $40 million

Investors: New Enterprise Associates, Bay City Capital, Amgen Ventures, Astellas Venture, MPM Capital and Kleiner Perkins Caufield and Byers.

Scoop: Founded in 2007, Epizyme is developing drugs that target gene-regulating enzymes that are responsible for triggering diseases. Much as Merck's Kolinza targets histone deacetylases, Epizyme is focused on histone methyltransferases, which play a role in spurring cancer as well as inflammation, metabolic diseases, neurodegenerative ailments and other conditions.

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