Coenzyme A company Comet debuts with $28.5M series A

Led by former Syntimmune CEO David de Graaf, Comet launched Wednesday with $28.5 million in series A funding to develop precursors of coenzyme A to treat metabolic, immune and neurological disorders that involve dysregulated coenzyme A metabolism.

Comet Therapeutics Inc. (Cambridge, Mass.) has its roots in Dutch start-up TM3 Therapeutics B.V., which was founded by Comet co-founder and CTO Enej Kuscer. TM3 was developing a metabolite in the coenzyme A biosynthesis pathway to overcome pantothenate kinase 2 (PANK2) enzyme deficiency, and de Graaf, who joined the team last fall, said Comet plans to expand beyond TM3’s focus to target many coenzyme A species. The company’s board decided to move the company to the U.S. in 2018 to take advantage of Cambridge’s “unparalleled talent pool,” Chairman Peter Van Vlasselaer told BioCentury. ...