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Terremoto Biosciences develops precision small molecule therapies by harnessing lysine-based covalency, a novel chemical approach to drug discovery. The company’s platform employs innovative chemistry, advanced fragment-mapping, and iterative structure-based design to create highly targeted medicines. This technology allows for the pursuit of both best-in-class therapies against established drug targets and first-in-class solutions for previously undruggable indications, utilizing a broad array of protein targets.
The company launched in May 2022, co-founded by Peter Thompson, M.D., Matt Jacobson, Ph.D., and Jack Taunton, Ph.D. These pioneers in the field recognized that while traditional covalent drugs relied on scarce cysteine residues, targeting ubiquitous lysine could dramatically expand the scope of treatable diseases. Their combined expertise, stemming from significant contributions to other successful biotechnology ventures, laid the foundation for Terremoto’s unique scientific endeavor.
Terremoto Biosciences focuses on patients with devastating, highly complex diseases, including cancer and genetic conditions. The company’s vision is to deliver optimized medicines with superior therapeutic benefit, enhancing efficacy and patient outcomes. By broadening the landscape of druggable targets through their advanced platform, Terremoto aims to quickly translate scientific breakthroughs into life-changing treatments, establishing a new paradigm in small molecule drug development.
Terremoto Biosciences has raised $255.0M across 2 funding rounds.
Terremoto Biosciences has raised $255.0M in total across 2 funding rounds.
Terremoto Biosciences has raised $255.0M across 2 funding rounds. Most recently, it raised $180.0M Series B in November 2023.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 1, 2023 | $180M Series B | — | Bioluminescence Ventures, MPM Capital, OrbiMed, Pfizer Venture Investments, RA Capital, Samsara BioCapital, Third Rock Ventures, Vida Ventures, Scott Platshon, Novo Holdings | Announced |
| May 1, 2022 | $75M Series A | OrbiMed, Third Rock Ventures | Bioluminescence Ventures, MPM Capital, Pfizer Venture Investments, RA Capital, Samsara BioCapital, Vida Ventures | Announced |
Terremoto Biosciences is a clinical-stage biotechnology company founded in 2021 and headquartered in San Francisco, California, specializing in covalent drug discovery and development.[1][2][3] It creates highly targeted small-molecule medicines using lysine-based covalency to achieve unmatched selectivity, potency, and efficacy against known drug targets and previously undruggable ones in oncology and genetic diseases.[1][2][4] The company serves the healthcare industry by developing best-in-class and first-in-class precision therapies, backed by $250M in funding from investors like OrbiMed, Third Rock Ventures, EcoR1 Capital, Cormorant Capital, and Novo Holdings, with its Series B round of $175M raised about 8 months ago as of mid-2025.[3] With 41 employees and a leadership team experienced in drug discovery and regulatory approval, Terremoto has advanced to clinical stages, including a next-generation PARP1 inhibitor showing clinical benefits in homologous recombination repair-deficient breast cancer patients.[2][3]
Terremoto Biosciences was established in 2021 by pioneers in covalent chemistry who helped pioneer lysine-based targeting, aiming to expand tractable drug targets beyond the rare cysteine amino acid to more abundant ones like lysine found in nearly all proteins.[1][4] Key leadership includes CEO Paul Baum, previously involved in cancer drug development at Pfizer and Schering-Plough, bringing deep expertise to translate science into therapies.[4] The idea emerged from recognizing limitations in existing covalent drugs, which mostly target cysteine, prompting a shift to lysine for broader applicability against undruggable diseases; early momentum came via a $75M Series A in 2022, followed by the oversized $175M Series B in 2023/2024, fueling clinical progress.[3][4]
Terremoto rides the wave of precision oncology and targeted protein degradation, where covalent chemistry unlocks "undruggable" targets amid rising demand for therapies beyond immunotherapy and ADCs.[1][4] Timing aligns with post-2020 biotech funding resurgence and advances in medicinal chemistry, amplified by needs for better PARP inhibitors amid resistance in HRD cancers.[3] Market forces like aging populations, genetic disease prevalence, and investor appetite for platform biotechs (evidenced by $250M raised) favor it, while its lysine innovation influences the ecosystem by broadening small-molecule potential, potentially accelerating first-in-class approvals and partnerships.[2][3][4]
Terremoto is poised for milestone readouts and potential partnerships, with its PARP1 program and pipeline expansions targeting oncology/genetic diseases likely driving Phase 2 data in 2026.[3] Trends like AI-aided chemistry and combo therapies will amplify its platform, evolving its influence from pioneer to category leader in covalent drugs. As a seismic shift in targeting, Terremoto's lysine engine promises to redefine undruggable targets, delivering the superior medicines its founders envisioned.[1][5]
Terremoto Biosciences has raised $255.0M in total across 2 funding rounds.
Terremoto Biosciences's investors include Bioluminescence Ventures, MPM Capital, OrbiMed, Pfizer Venture Investments, RA Capital, Samsara BioCapital, Third Rock Ventures, Vida Ventures, Scott Platshon, Novo Holdings.
