EnPlusOne Biosciences Welcomes New CEO, Clare Murray, Ph.D.
EnPlusOne Biosciences, Inc., a trailblazing biotechnology company pioneering enzyme-driven RNA synthesis technologies, announced today the appointment of Clare Murray, Ph.D., as its new Chief Executive Officer. The decision comes at a crucial turning point for the company as it seeks to scale its proprietary RNA synthesis platform—ezRNA™—to meet escalating industry demand for high-quality RNA products that support a rapidly evolving therapeutic landscape.
Dr. Murray, a seasoned biotech executive with a robust track record in corporate strategy, business development, and innovation leadership, assumes the helm of EnPlusOne with immediate effect. Her appointment signals a strategic shift toward commercialization and broader industry partnerships as the company expands its influence across the RNA therapeutics value chain.
Strategic Leadership to Drive Next Phase of Growth
“We are thrilled to attract an extraordinary executive like Clare as EnPlusOne reaches an inflection point in its growth trajectory,” said Steven Kasok, Chair of the EnPlusOne Board of Directors. “Clare’s track record in company building and strategic partnerships makes her the ideal leader to guide us through our next phase of development as we accelerate commercialization of our ezRNA™ synthesis platform.”
Dr. Murray’s leadership arrives at a time when EnPlusOne is experiencing heightened interest from the pharmaceutical and biotechnology sectors for its next-generation RNA manufacturing solutions. The company’s proprietary technology enables template-free, enzymatic synthesis of RNA molecules in an aqueous environment—a novel approach that addresses long-standing challenges in scale, sustainability, and nucleotide modification flexibility.
A Platform with Unmatched Potential
EnPlusOne’s ezRNA™ platform distinguishes itself in a field dominated by traditional phosphoramidite-based RNA synthesis methods. While conventional techniques rely on solid-phase chemistry and organic solvents, EnPlusOne’s aqueous-based enzymatic synthesis model reduces environmental impact and increases efficiency. Importantly, it opens new doors for customization, allowing the incorporation of nucleotide modifications that are often difficult or impossible to achieve using traditional systems.
The platform’s template-independent capabilities have already demonstrated significant potential in enabling scalable synthesis of small interfering RNAs (siRNAs), production of high-purity guide RNAs (gRNAs) essential for CRISPR-based applications, and the design of next-generation RNA therapeutics with improved pharmacological properties. These capabilities position EnPlusOne to be a key enabler of innovation across a range of therapeutic modalities, from gene editing to RNA interference and beyond.
Clare Murray: An Executive with a History of Building and Scaling
Dr. Murray brings more than two decades of leadership experience in biotech strategy, commercialization, and operations. Her resume includes foundational roles in both startup formation and mature company growth. Most recently, she served as Senior Vice President of Corporate Development and Operations at Life Edit Therapeutics, a gene editing company she co-founded and helped guide through its acquisition by ElevateBio, a leading cell and gene therapy technology company.
Following the acquisition, Dr. Murray took on the role of Head of Business Development and Strategy at ElevateBio, where she oversaw partnerships, licensing deals, and corporate growth initiatives. Her experience spans from early-stage innovation to late-stage partnering, with prior roles at global players such as AgBiome, Aptuit, SCYNEXIS, and Novartis. This diverse background gives her a holistic understanding of the biopharmaceutical ecosystem—from R&D and platform development to downstream commercialization and strategic alliances.
Dr. Murray holds a B.Sc. in Chemistry and a Ph.D. in Synthetic Organic Chemistry from the University of Liverpool, along with an MBA from the Fuqua School of Business at Duke University. She also conducted post-doctoral research at the Washington University School of Medicine, further enriching her scientific acumen and translational research expertise.
A Vision for Expansion and Commercialization
Commenting on her new role, Dr. Murray expressed enthusiasm about EnPlusOne’s future:
“I’m excited to lead EnPlusOne at a time when the demand for high-quality RNA is surging. The team has built a truly differentiated technology that solves long-standing barriers to scale in siRNA and CRISPR therapeutics manufacturing. I look forward to expanding our commercial reach and helping realize the full potential of EnPlusOne’s platform.”
Her arrival is expected to catalyze a new wave of growth at the company, especially as it positions itself to serve the increasing demand for customized RNA products with industrial scalability. EnPlusOne’s commitment to addressing bottlenecks in RNA synthesis—such as limited modification capabilities, scalability challenges, and purity issues—resonates with pharmaceutical developers seeking reliable manufacturing solutions for both clinical and commercial pipelines.
Backed by Strong Investor Confidence
EnPlusOne’s trajectory is further bolstered by strong investor confidence. The company recently closed a $10 million financing round co-led by Northpond Ventures and Breakout Ventures, designed to fund continued platform development, strategic hires, and partnership expansion.
Paxton Major, a member of EnPlusOne’s Board of Directors and Managing Director at Northpond Ventures, emphasized the importance of Dr. Murray’s leadership:
“Clare’s leadership is exactly what EnPlusOne needs at this stage of growth. With our recent financing, we are confident she will be instrumental in bringing the company’s next-generation RNA solutions to market.”
Advancing Industry Engagement: Upcoming Data at TIDES USA
EnPlusOne is also set to present new technical insights at the upcoming TIDES USA conference in San Diego this May, a premier industry event focused on oligonucleotide and peptide therapeutics. The company’s presentation—titled “Solving the Scale Problem: Template-independent Enzymatic Synthesis of siRNA Oligonucleotides”—will offer a deep dive into how its ezRNA™ platform addresses scalability and flexibility limitations faced by current RNA synthesis approaches.
The presentation aims to engage leading stakeholders in RNA therapeutics, including biopharma companies, academic researchers, and contract development and manufacturing organizations (CDMOs), as EnPlusOne explores strategic collaborations to broaden the impact of its platform.
A Growing Footprint in the RNA Ecosystem
With this strategic leadership transition, a differentiated and scalable technology platform, and fresh capital to fuel expansion, EnPlusOne is well positioned to solidify its role as a foundational enabler in the RNA therapeutics space. The company is actively engaging with partners across the ecosystem to bring new capabilities to market—whether in gene editing, RNA interference, or emerging therapeutic modalities that depend on novel RNA constructs.
As the biotech industry continues its shift toward RNA-based medicines, the need for robust, reliable, and flexible RNA manufacturing platforms will only intensify. EnPlusOne’s technology addresses these needs head-on, and with Dr. Murray now at the helm, the company appears poised for a breakout phase of innovation and commercial success.
