# Chris Varma

> Chris Varma, Ph.D., is Co-Founder, Chairman, and CEO of Frontier Medicines, a clinical-stage biotech attacking cancer's 'undruggable' proteins using chemoproteomics, covalent chemistry, and machine learning. A serial biotech founder with 20+ years in life sciences, he previously co-founded Blueprint Medicines (acquired by Sanofi for $9B+ in 2025) and Warp Drive Bio (acquired by Revolution Medicines in 2018), and held investor roles at Third Rock Ventures, Flagship Pioneering, and MPM Capital. His career spans the FDA, Novartis, and three successful company builds - with Frontier Medicines now advancing FMC-376, a first-in-class dual KRAS G12C inhibitor, through Phase 1/2 clinical trials.

- **Role:** Co-Founder, Chairman & CEO at Frontier Medicines
- **Organizations:** Frontier Medicines, Blueprint Medicines, Warp Drive Bio, MPM Capital, Third Rock Ventures, Flagship Pioneering, Novartis AG, Harvard Medical School Discovery Council, International Vaccine Institute
- **Nationality:** American
- **Education:** Ph.D. (Course 6 EECS at MIT; Genetics at Harvard Medical School) - emphasis in machine learning applied to biomedical sciences, Harvard-MIT Program in Health Sciences & Technology (HST), M.S. in Management, Stanford University, M.S. in Computer Science, Stanford University, B.S. in Computer Science, Stanford University
- **Known for:** Co-founded Blueprint Medicines (2010), led it to Nasdaq IPO (2015); company acquired by Sanofi for $9B+ in 2025, Co-founded Warp Drive Bio; company acquired by Revolution Medicines in 2018; executed $125M Sanofi strategic partnership, Co-founded Frontier Medicines (2018); raised $315.5M total to clinical stage

## Career timeline

- **~Late 1990s** — U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Office of Combination Products - early career regulatory role
- **~Early 2000s** — Millennium Pharmaceuticals - consultant, Personalized Medicine Group
- **~Mid 2000s** — Novartis AG - senior roles in business development, strategy, and sales & marketing
- **~2007-2010** — Flagship Pioneering (Flagship Ventures) - Partner; also served as President/CEO of portfolio company Selventa
- **2010** — Co-founded Blueprint Medicines at Third Rock Ventures; raised $40M Series A from Third Rock and Fidelity Bio
- **~2012** — Co-founded Warp Drive Bio while at Third Rock Ventures
- **2015** — Blueprint Medicines IPO on Nasdaq (BPMC)
- **~2016-2018** — Venture Partner at MPM Capital
- **2018** — Warp Drive Bio acquired by Revolution Medicines; co-founded Frontier Medicines (March 2018)
- **2019** — Frontier Medicines launched publicly with $67M Series A led by Deerfield, Droia, and MPM Capital
- **2021** — Frontier Medicines raises $88.5M Series B, co-led by Woodline Partners and RA Capital
- **2024** — Frontier Medicines closes $80M Series C; first patient dosed in PROSPER Phase 1/2 trial with FMC-376
- **2025** — Blueprint Medicines acquired by Sanofi for over $9 billion

## Achievements

- Co-founded Blueprint Medicines (2010), led it to Nasdaq IPO (2015); company acquired by Sanofi for $9B+ in 2025
- Co-founded Warp Drive Bio; company acquired by Revolution Medicines in 2018; executed $125M Sanofi strategic partnership
- Co-founded Frontier Medicines (2018); raised $315.5M total to clinical stage
- Oversaw first patient dosing in PROSPER Phase 1/2 trial evaluating FMC-376 - a first-in-class dual ON/OFF KRAS G12C inhibitor
- Built Frontier's Druggability Atlas: >150,000 proteome hotspots covering >90% of the human proteome
- Secured AbbVie strategic partnership for undruggable transcription factor targets
- Member, Harvard Medical School Discovery Council
- Board of Trustees, International Vaccine Institute
- 20+ years of executive leadership, entrepreneurship, and venture investing in life sciences

## Latest updates

- **2025-06** — Blueprint Medicines (which Varma co-founded) acquired by Sanofi for over $9 billion
- **2024-02** — Frontier Medicines closes oversubscribed $80M Series C; first patient dosed in PROSPER Phase 1/2 trial with FMC-376
- **2024-04** — Frontier Medicines presents KRAS G12C dual inhibitor data at AACR Annual Meeting
- **2023** — Frontier Medicines achieves milestone payment from AbbVie partnership targeting undruggable transcription factor

## Links

- Website: https://frontiermeds.com
- LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-varma-59828a4
- Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/frontiermeds

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/chris-varma
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-05-13