Boston biotech Ensoma is doubling down on its lead gene therapy for a rare immune disease, laying off another round of employees after previously halving its workforce last November.
“Ensoma has undertaken an organizational restructuring to align our company and resources behind the continued development of EN-374 for X-CGD and clinical validation of its platform for additional therapeutic areas,” a company spokesperson told Fierce.
EN-374 is Ensoma’s only clinical candidate and is currently being tested in a phase 1/2 trial for X-linked chronic granulomatous disease (X-CGD), a rare condition where a mutation in the CYBB gene causes white blood cells to be unable to combat certain bacterial and fungal infections.
The therapy is designed to deliver a functional copy of CYBB to patients’ stem cells using a virus-like vector, restoring the immune system to a healthy state.
The company did not respond to questions from Fierce about how many employees were affected by the new layoffs.
Last November, Ensoma laid off 37 employees in an effort to prioritize EN-374’s development. At the time, CEO Jim Burns, Ph.D., told Fierce the goal was to “shift from platform optimization toward clinical development and expanding our immuno-oncology programs.”
But now the company’s preclinical programs, including a solid tumor immuno-oncology candidate, have been temporarily paused, the spokesperson told Fierce. Once the company raises more money, the spokesperson added, it will prioritize pushing that solid tumor therapy into the clinic.
Ensoma debuted in 2021 with $70 million and a pact with Takeda to collaborate on up to five targets in the rare disease space. Just before last fall’s layoffs, the biotech raised $53 million to fund EN-374’s clinical venture.