Dana Foss and Ross Wilson are the cofounders of Editpep, a biotech startup focused on developing CRISPR-based therapeutics. They are using a proprietary peptide-based delivery platform that enables targeted delivery to specific cell types, particularly for hard-to-reach areas like the brain.

While Dana Foss is the CEO, Ross Wilson is also an Assistant Adjunct Professor of Molecular and Cell Biology and also the Director of Therapeutic Delivery at the Innovative Genomics Institute at the University of California, Berkeley. He is one of those very few academics that co-founded a startup and is very active in building Editpep. Ross explains how he does it all so well!

Dana was previously a postdoc in Ross Wilson's lab, where she developed the technology. Ross was a postdoc in Nobel Laureate Jennifer Doudna's lab. Now he has his own lab and collaborates with Jennifer Doudna at the Innovative Genomics Institute.

In this episode of lab to startup, we will explore their initial decisions that lead to launching the startup; existing CRISPR delivery technologies, their challenges, and then do a deep dive into their delivery technology. opportunities,; fundraising efforts, and their future goals.

Shownotes

https://www.editpep.bio/
CRISPR Delivery problem and current solutions
Existing solutions like AV, LNPs are mostly limited to mice
Ribonucleoprotein, a complex of RNA and protein (RNP): Technology deep dive
Outsiders bringing in fresh perspective
Dana transitioning out of academia: working on a shared goal
Hard to shepard the technology towards the patient by depending on a third party
Self motivation and gumption: Ways to move technologies out of the lab
Early stage co-founder chemistry
Ross's innovative role being an academic and entrepreneur
Fundraising journey
Open mindedness to non-traditional investors
Investors: Berkeley Skydeck, Lindonlight Collective
Filters for selecting investors
Getting to market: Parallels from other delivery companies like Alnylam
Counterintuitive decisions
Future goals
Connecting the dots

Solving the CRISPR delivery problem using a proprietary peptide-based platform