Beam Therapeutics

Beam Therapeutics Inc. is an American biotechnology company headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts, conducting research in gene therapy and genome editing. Its approach relies on CRISPR-derived base editing and prime editing, in which single nucleotides in a DNA sequence are enzymatically modified without producing double-strand breaks. The company's current base editor toolkit includes both a cytosine base editor and an adenine base editor, and its programs are designed to repair disease-causing point mutations, write in protective genetic variations, or modulate the expression or function of disease-causing genes without cutting DNA or RNA.

The company describes a pipeline of investigational precision genetic medicines paired with a delivery strategy spanning electroporation, nonviral and viral modalities. Lead programs focus on sickle cell disease and alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency, with additional programs in other genetic diseases, oncology and immunology; named programs include BEAM-101, BEAM-201, BEAM-301, BEAM-302 and the Engineered Stem Cell Antibody Paired Evasion (ESCAPE) approach. Beam operates a biotech hub at 238 Main Street, Cambridge, MA and a manufacturing facility at 10 Davis Drive, Durham, North Carolina, in Research Triangle Park.

Executive leadership includes CEO and board member John Evans (previously a leadership team member at Agios Pharmaceuticals), President Giuseppe Ciaramella, Ph.D. (identified elsewhere as CSO; previously CSO of Moderna's Infectious Diseases division), Chief Medical Officer Amy Simon, M.D. (previously Alnylam Pharmaceuticals), Chief Financial Officer Sravan Emany (previously CFO/COO of Ironwood) and Chief Human Resources Officer Susan O'Connor.

Founding story

The company was founded in 2017 by gene editing pioneers with the goal of creating precision genetic medicines using base editing, a technology discovered at Harvard University and the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard. Since founding, Beam states it has further developed and optimized the technology into a pipeline of investigational precision genetic medicines.

Business model

Beam is a clinical-stage biotechnology developer of investigational precision genetic medicines. It advances proprietary base editing and delivery technologies through internal pipeline programs, supported by in-house manufacturing in North Carolina, and enters research collaborations with pharmaceutical partners such as Pfizer. It also acquires early-stage life sciences companies to add capabilities, using stock plus milestone-based consideration.

Traction

Beam reported 341 employees as of December 31, 2021. It has advanced multiple clinical-stage programs (BEAM-101, BEAM-201, BEAM-301, BEAM-302 and ESCAPE), with 2026 publication in the New England Journal of Medicine of clinical trial results for ristoglogene autogetemcel in sickle cell disease. Coverage in 2025-2026 cited average trading volume of about 2.17 million shares and a market cap of $1.76 billion.

Latest developments

On July 1, 2025, Beam announced an Agreement and Plan of Merger under which it acquired an unnamed early-stage life sciences company, issuing 403,128 shares of common stock upfront plus up to $89 million in clinical, development and commercial milestone payments. In 2026, results from a clinical trial of ristoglogene autogetemcel for sickle cell disease were published in the New England Journal of Medicine (base editing of the HBG1 and HBG2 promoters). In April 2026, Beam was named a TIME100 Most Influential Company and TIME100 Industry Leader, and CEO John Evans was recognized on the TIME100 Health list.