Nerai Bioscience: The Venture Leader Biotech redefining genetic medicine

02.06.2025 10:00, Rita Longobardi

Meet Sasha Melkonyan, Co-Founder of Nerai. The biotech startup develops new, highly personalized gene-editing tools designed to provide lasting treatments for diseases that current technologies cannot address. In late June, Sasha will join nine other Biotech innovators on a business development and investor roadshow in Boston.

Name: Sasha Melkonyan
Location: Zurich
Nationality: Ukraine
Graduated from: ETH Zurich
Job title: Co-Founder & Head of Robotics and AI
Number of employees: 8 
Money raised: USD 4.5M


Can you tell us who your product or solution helps, and how?
Over 400 million people worldwide are affected by rare genetic diseases caused by mutations in their DNA. Fewer than 5% of these conditions have approved treatments— and those that exist often only manage symptoms rather than targeting the underlying genetic cause. The Nobel Prize-winning discovery of CRISPR offered a solution: a programmable tool that can locate and correct specific mutations in the genome, curing genetic diseases at their source. Yet today, technical challenges restrict CRISPR’s reach to just 20% of patients. Nerai's mission is to overcome these limitations and develop curative genetic medicines accessible to everyone.

What market are you addressing and what is the potential of your startup in that market?
We focus on rare genetic diseases that currently lack effective treatment options. Our initial pipeline consists of multiple indications with blockbuster potential. We’re part of a global gene editing market that is projected to reach USD 27B by 2030, growing by over 17% each year. The field is also very receptive to partnerships, with over USD 25B in deals signed between innovative biotech startups and large pharma companies over the past five years, highlighting a strong appetite for innovation.

How and where did you come up with the idea for your startup?
Nerai is a natural evolution of the academic research projects my co-founders and I have been working on over the past decade. At some point, we decided that the time had come to turn our scientific papers into disease cures. 

What do you expect from the Venture Leaders roadshow, and how do you think it will help you achieve your vision?
We are actively fundraising and seeking strategic partnerships, so the Venture Leaders roadshow is a great opportunity to build our network in the US, gain exposure, and explore collaborations with investors and pharma companies who share our vision. 

What are your team’s key achievements to date? 
We've built a factory for novel CRISPR editors. Our platform integrates recent advances in protein engineering, robotics, next-generation sequencing and AI to discover and supercharge genome editing tools. It is based on over 10 years of academic R&D, with results published in high-profile journals. Thanks to this platform, we generated a library of CRISPR editors that unlock previously inaccessible mutations and diseases. 

Is there a key principle or value that guides you as you build your company?
At Nerai, everything starts and ends with the patient. We are driven by the urgency to turn innovative science into medicines that are safe, effective, and accessible. As pioneers in genome editing, we are also conscious of the ethical responsibility that comes with developing such powerful technologies. We believe innovation must be guided by integrity, ensuring that CRISPR remains a force for good, with its benefits reaching the right hands, for the right reasons.

What is the most important lesson you have learned as a founder?
To not rely too much on lessons learned by others, and to learn our own instead.  

What was your dream job when you were a child?
As far as I can remember, I wanted to become a football player and start a company. So, I guess, I’m halfway there.