Sigilon Therapeutics, a biotechnology company developing functional cures for patients with chronic diseases through its Shielded Living Therapeutics platform, today announced that it has completed a $80.3 million Series B financing. The funding will support the first-in-human clinical trial of Sigilon's novel encapsulated cell therapy for hemophilia A, expected to begin in the first half of 2020, as well as continued advancement and expansion of Sigilon's programs in rare blood disorders, lysosomal diseases and endocrine and immune disorders.

Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPP Investments), Longevity Vision Fund and funds managed by BlackRock joined founding investor Flagship Pioneering and other existing investors, including Eli Lilly and Company, in the financing round, which brings Sigilon's total funding to more than $195 million.

"Sigilon is driven to liberate patients from the fear of living with serious chronic diseases, and from alternative therapeutic approaches," said Rogerio Vivaldi, M.D., President and CEO of Sigilon. "Our Shielded Living Therapeutics platform is designed to give patients who have chronic diseases a convenient, safe, long-term therapeutic benefit. We believe encapsulating engineered human cells in our proprietary matrix will enable us to deliver controlled doses of therapeutic proteins without the need for immunosuppression and without the risks associated with modifying patients' genomes. We are pleased to welcome an exceptional group of investors who share our vision of offering more hope and less fear to patients and their caregivers as we enter the clinic with our lead program and continue to advance our other programs toward the clinic."

"Sigilon's Shielded Living Therapeutics platform offers patients with chronic disease the prospect of relief without disrupting their lives," said Douglas Cole, M.D., Managing Partner at Flagship Pioneering and Chairman of the Board at Sigilon. "The near-term transition to clinical development and the platform's breadth and progress reflect the power and productivity of Sigilon's approach. Successful conclusion of this financing puts the company in a strong position to build further value."

Sigilon was founded to develop immune-protected, bio-engineered cells to restore normal physiology in a wide range of diseases without immune rejection, liberating patients from the challenges associated with existing treatments for serious chronic diseases. Treatments based on Sigilon's Shielded Living Therapeutics platform combine advanced cell engineering with cutting-edge innovations in biocompatible materials to pioneer a new class of medicines that have been designed to provide durable, redosable, controllable and safe potential treatment for chronic diseases.

Sigilon's lead investigational therapy for hemophilia A, SIG-001, has received an Orphan Drug Designation from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Sigilon expects to initiate a clinical trial of SIG-001 in the first half of 2020.

About Sigilon Therapeutics

Sigilon Therapeutics is developing functional cures for chronic diseases through its Shielded Living Therapeutics™ platform. Sigilon's therapeutics consist of novel human cells engineered to produce the crucial proteins, enzymes or factors needed by patients living with chronic diseases such as hemophilia, diabetes and lysosomal disorders. The engineered cells are protected by Sigilon's Afibromer™ biomaterials matrix, which shields them from immune rejection and fibrosis. Sigilon was founded by Flagship Pioneering in conjunction with Daniel Anderson, Ph.D., and Robert Langer, Sc.D., of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.