Genetic medicine outfit Ensoma is halving its workforce, with most of the impacted roles related to platform research functions.
The workforce reduction will affect 37 employees at the Boston biotech, Ensoma CEO Jim Burns, Ph.D., said in a written statement to Fierce.
The changes reflect the company’s “shift from platform optimization toward clinical development and expanding our immuno-oncology programs,” Burns explained.
The company isn’t discontinuing any programs, with the focus still on Ensoma’s lead and sole clinical candidate, coded EN-374. The asset takes aim at X-linked chronic granulomatous disease, a genetic condition that disrupts the immune system.
The biotech is running a phase 1/2 trial for EN-374 that’s currently recruiting patients. The company is also planning on announcing development candidate nominations in both solid tumors and sickle cell disease around the first quarter of 2026.
“The shift is less about removing programs and more about directing resources toward the areas with the greatest strategic impact—particularly oncology,” Burns added.
For the past few years, Ensoma has been focused on building out its in vivo, HSC-derived CAR-M, NK and T-cell platform. Now, the biotech plans to apply the platform across multiple programs to become a product-focused company, Burns explained.
“This means concentrating investment in clinical development and immuno-oncology, while scaling back certain research activities that were essential during the earlier platform-building phase,” he said.
“These were very difficult decisions, and we’re deeply grateful for the contributions of every team member who helped bring Ensoma to this point,” the CEO added.
The layoffs come on the heels of a $53 million fundraise this September that is being used to support the recently launched phase 1/2 study.
The off-the-shelf genomic medicine biotech debuted in 2021 with $70 million and a partnership with Takeda to work on up to five targets in the rare disease space.