Maze Therapeutics
NASDAQ: MAZESouth San Francisco, US Β· Founded 2019 Β· Incorporated in Delaware Β· Public Β· 14 known investors
Maze Therapeutics develops precision medicines for kidney disease and other conditions with large unmet medical needs, using a genetic variant-based approach through its Compass platform. The company designs therapeutics that mimic protective genetic variants to halt disease progression.
Also known as Maze Β· MAZE
Founders & leadership
Investors Β· 14
Also in the syndicate Β· 7
Funding
SEC filings, press & company announcements- Undisclosed amountprivate placementSep 2025
Deep Track Capital, Driehaus Capital Management, Frazier Life Sciences, Janus Henderson Investors, Logos Capital, TCGX, Venrock Healthcare Capital Partners
Source β
Source: company announcements and press reports β follow each round's link for the claim.
Company profile
researched Aug 2026Maze Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company that applies human genetics to the discovery of small-molecule precision medicines for renal, cardiovascular and metabolic diseases. Its research approach centers on identifying genetic modifiers β genes that influence how other genes are expressed β and functionalizing genetic variants to select drug targets with quantitatively important disease effects. This work is organized under what the company calls its Compass Platform.
The company's two lead clinical programs are MZE829, an oral APOL1 inhibitor being developed for APOL1 kidney disease (AKD) including patients with focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS), and MZE782, an oral SCL6A19 inhibitor under evaluation in a Phase 1 healthy volunteer trial with potential indications in chronic kidney disease (CKD) and phenylketonuria (PKU). As of the December 2024 Series D announcement, a Phase 2 trial of MZE829 was expected to begin by the first quarter of 2025 and Phase 1 data for MZE782 was expected in the second half of 2025.
At launch the company described a strategy of combining functional genomics tools such as CRISPR with population-scale genetic datasets including Finland's FinnGen and the UK Biobank to identify and validate drug targets. Its scientific founders included population geneticist Mark Daly, Sekar Kathiresan, functional genomics researchers Aaron Gitler and Jonathan Weissman, and Stephen Elledge.
Founding story
One secondary source states the company was founded in 2017 by Mark Daly, Aaron D. Gitler, Stephen Elledge, Sekar Kathiresan, Jonathan S. Weissman and Charles Homcy. Homcy, a Third Rock Ventures partner who had previously been interim CEO of MyoKardia, described the concept as emerging from one of Third Rock's multi-day 'mash-up' brainstorming sessions, building on an idea he had considered since his time as a medical student at Johns Hopkins University: creating a structured approach to identifying the genetic modifiers underlying Mendelian diseases as a platform for finding validated drug targets. The company launched publicly in February 2019 with Homcy as interim CEO.
Business model
Maze Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company that discovers and develops its own small-molecule drug candidates rather than selling a product or service. It funds research and clinical development through venture financing and, since January 2025, public equity markets, with value tied to advancing wholly owned programs such as MZE829 and MZE782 through clinical trials.
The sources do not describe product revenue; as a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company its programs are pre-commercial and it has been financed through venture rounds and a public offering.
Traction
By the December 2024 Series D, Maze had two clinical-stage lead programs: MZE829, with a Phase 2 trial in APOL1 kidney disease expected to begin by Q1 2025, and MZE782, in a Phase 1 healthy volunteer trial with data expected in the second half of 2025. The company raised $496 million in private financing before its January 2025 Nasdaq IPO.
Latest developments
In December 2024 the company closed a $115 million Series D and stated it would use the proceeds to optimize the planned Phase 2 trial of MZE829 and further develop MZE782. On January 31, 2025 it completed an IPO on the Nasdaq Global Market under the ticker 'MAZE' at $16.00 per share for approximately $140 million in gross proceeds. As of July 2, 2025, institutional shareholders held 91.42% of the company and its reported valuation was $519.43 million.
βΈFull profile β market position, technology, go-to-market, geography, history, risks & controversies
Market position
Maze is described as a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company in the human-genetics-driven precision medicine field, with programs positioned as potential disease-modifying therapies in kidney disease areas (CKD, AKD, FSGS) where, according to an investor quoted at the Series D, treatment has relied on disease management rather than altering disease course. No market share or comparative ranking data is available in the sources.
Sources describe the company's distinguishing feature as a variant-functionalization approach to precision medicine: systematically interrogating genetic modifiers using functional genomics (including CRISPR) combined with large population genetics databases such as FinnGen and the UK Biobank, in order to select drug targets that human genetics indicates have quantitatively important disease effects. An investor quoted at the Series D characterized the company's productivity from this platform-based, variant-functionalization approach as a differentiator.
Technology
The company's Compass Platform combines functional genomics techniques such as CRISPR with population-scale human genetic datasets (for example FinnGen and the UK Biobank) to identify genetic modifiers and functionalize genetic variants, informing selection of drug targets for orally administered small-molecule inhibitors such as the APOL1 inhibitor MZE829 and the SCL6A19 inhibitor MZE782.
Go-to-market
Patients with renal, cardiovascular and metabolic diseases, including APOL1 kidney disease, focal segmental glomerulosclerosis, chronic kidney disease and phenylketonuria.
Geography
The company is based in South San Francisco, California.
History
According to one secondary source, the company was founded in 2017 by Mark Daly, Aaron D. Gitler, Stephen Elledge, Sekar Kathiresan, Jonathan S. Weissman and Charles Homcy, and formally launched in February 2019 with $191 million in financing led by Third Rock Ventures and ARCH Venture Partners (the same source elsewhere labels a $191 million round in March 2019 as a Series C, an internal inconsistency). A $190 million venture round was reported in January 2022. On December 4, 2024 the company completed a $115 million Series D co-led by Frazier Life Sciences and Deep Track Capital, which included conversion of previously issued convertible notes. Total pre-IPO funding is reported at $496 million. The company listed on the Nasdaq Global Market on January 31, 2025 under the ticker 'MAZE' at $16.00 per share, raising roughly $140 million in gross proceeds.
Risks & controversies
No controversies are reported in the sources. Standard clinical-stage development risk is implied by the pipeline stage: as of late 2024 the lead asset MZE829 had not yet begun its Phase 2 trial and MZE782 was in a Phase 1 healthy volunteer study. Sources also disagree on foundational facts β the founding year is given as 2017 by one secondary source while internal records list 2019, and the same source labels the $191 million financing both as a February 2019 Series A and a March 2019 Series C.
Compiled by commissioned research from 8 cited public sources β announcements, filings, and press listed under research sources below.
Key figures
latest reportedCompany-reported or press-reported figures, each dated to when it was claimed β not independently audited.
Founder mafia
3 people who came through Maze Therapeutics went on to found or lead other companies.
Competitors Β· 2
by search overlapCompanies competing with Maze Therapeutics for the same Google search keywords, organic and paid, via search-intersection analysis.
Timeline Β· 3
launches, deals, and filingsMaze Therapeutics went public on the Nasdaq Global Market under the symbol 'MAZE', pricing its IPO at $16.00 per share for approximately $140 million in gross proceeds.
$140M source β
Series D financing co-led by Frazier Life Sciences and Deep Track Capital, including conversion of previously issued convertible notes; proceeds directed to lead programs MZE829 and MZE782. J.P. Morgan acted as placement agent.
$115M source β
Maze Therapeutics launched publicly with $191 million raised in a multi-round financing led by Third Rock Ventures and ARCH Venture Partners, with Charles Homcy serving as interim CEO and a scientific founding team drawn from the Broad Institute, Stanford and Harvard. At launch the company had identified its first four disease targets, three of which were in active drug discovery.
$191M source β
Dated company events from announcements, filings, and press; legal rows summarize public dockets and regulator releases.
In the news
Maze Therapeutics (MAZE) Stock Looks Fully Priced After A 59% Gain## - Simply Wall St Newssimplywall.st Β· Jul 2026βΈResearch sources Β· 8
primary sources listed
- Maze Therapeuticsmazetx.com Β· web
8 public sources were cited for this profile; the first-party ones are listed here.
Frequently asked questions
- What does Maze Therapeutics do?
- Nasdaq-listed clinical-stage biopharma using human genetics to develop small-molecule precision medicines for kidney and metabolic disease.
- Who are Maze Therapeutics's investors?
- Maze Therapeutics's investors include Andreessen Horowitz, ARCH Venture Partners, Foresite Capital, Frazier Life Sciences, GV (Google Ventures), Janus Henderson Investors, Venrock Healthcare Capital Partners.
- Is Maze Therapeutics publicly traded?
- Yes β Maze Therapeutics trades on NASDAQ under the ticker MAZE.
- Where is Maze Therapeutics headquartered?
- Maze Therapeutics is headquartered in South San Francisco, US.