Michael Ehlers teases plan to build the next 'signature' genetic medicine company with $75M from Apple Tree Partners
When Michael Ehlers jumped ship at Biogen to become a venture partner and CSO at Apple Tree, he also got a new job as CEO of a gene therapy startup named Limelight Bio. The stealthy biotech is now ready to shed some — though not much — of its veils.
As ATP managing partner Seth Harrison tells it, the new venture grew out of a strong relationship with the co-founders, Jean Bennett and Phil Johnson. Bennett, who steered the early research on the landmark gene therapy eventually known as Luxturna alongside Spark Therapeutics CSO Kathy High, now leads Penn’s Center for Advanced Retinal and Ocular Therapies. Meanwhile, Johnson left his role at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia to become Limelight’s CSO.
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