Epizyme Builds A Cancer Company At Mach Speed

On April 26, 2012, Celgene Corp. announced a partnership with Epizyme Inc., a Cambridge, MA-based start-up specializing in a class of DNA-modifying drug targets called histone methyltransferases (HMT). [See Deal] HMTs are one of three families of so-called epigenetic modifiers, drugs that block the aberrant action of specific epigenetic enzymes. The announcement capped a hectic year of dealmaking in which Epizyme struck up licensing and collaborative agreements with GlaxoSmithKline PLC, Eisai Co. Ltd., and two hematologic cancer research foundations. It also marked an inflection point in the rapidly maturing epigenetic space: the diversion of money and interest away from well-known but problematic epigenetic drug targets toward the more biologically selective and considerably larger target class of HMTs.

As is often the case, the dealscape lagged the science by about 4 years, explains Harvard University oncologist George...