
Flagship startup Empress Therapeutics launches to search for small molecule drug leads in microbial DNA
Flagship’s latest startup is betting that a treasure trove of small molecule drugs is waiting to be discovered right inside our bodies — or rather, inside the many microbial denizens that call humans home.
Empress Therapeutics emerged from stealth Wednesday morning with $50 million from Flagship Pioneering, the life science investment firm behind Moderna and dozens of smaller biotech companies. Empress, based in Cambridge, MA, was quietly founded in 2020 and has since grown to nearly 30 employees.
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