GenEdit’s nanoparticle delivery tech attracts Genentech partnership, new funding
Gene Therapy
A genetic medicine is only as good as its delivery mechanism, GenEdit demonstrated Tuesday, securing its second biotech deal and closing a $24 million series A1 round on the strength of its nanoparticle technology.
Dubbed NanoGalaxy, GenEdit’s platform features thousands of chemically distinct hydrophilic nanoparticles (HNPs) designed to overcome the capacity, targeting, immunogenicity and manufacturing challenges faced by traditional methods of delivering genetic payloads, such as viral vectors.
Solutions to delivery obstacles are top-of-mind for many in the industry. Last year, the majority of investors FirstWord spoke with in the first half listed delivery technologies as one of the key innovations they’re watching for both gene therapies and siRNAs.
“Our hydrophilic nanoparticles have a unique set of attributes that make them an ideal solution for delivering genetic medicines,” GenEdit CEO Kunwoo Lee told FirstWord. “They can be screened and optimised for tissue selectivity; they can carry the widest variety of payloads of any delivery system, including DNA, mRNA, siRNA and protein; they can be dosed multiple times and remain active; and they are simple to manufacture and scale up.”
Genentech makes its bet
The partners will use NanoGalaxy to discover and develop HNPs to deliver Genentech’s nucleic acid-based medicines for autoimmune diseases.
Andrew Chan, Genentech’s SVP of research biology, told FirstWord, “This collaboration will complement and leverage Genentech's biological, and drug discovery and development capabilities in our pursuit of novel therapies for autoimmune diseases."
The partnership is GenEdit’s second in as many years. In 2022, the company signed a deal with Sarepta Therapeutics to leverage NanoGalaxy for gene editing therapeutics to treat neuromuscular diseases.
Funding internal programmes
Simultaneously, GenEdit will put its fresh $24 million venture financing towards development of its own pipeline, as well as further work on NanoGalaxy. The company’s preclinical portfolio includes candidates that target the nervous system.
Tuesday’s round brings the company’s total raise to $58 million, Kunwoo said. Existing investors Eli Lilly, Sequoia Capital, Korea Investment Partners, Woori Venture Partners, DAYLI Partners, KB Investment, IMM Investment and TIMEFOLIO Asset Management participated in the round, along with new investors KDB Silicon Valley, Mirae Asset Venture Investment, ACVC, Pathway Partners, LoftyRock Investment, Terra VC, K2 Investment, Dong-A ST, KIMCO and Huons.
For more details,please visit the original website
The content of the article does not represent any opinions of Synapse and its affiliated companies. If there is any copyright infringement or error, please contact us, and we will deal with it within 24 hours.
Organizations
Indications
Targets
-Drugs
-Chat with Hiro
Hot reports
Get started for free today!
Accelerate Strategic R&D decision making with Synapse, PatSnap’s AI-powered Connected Innovation Intelligence Platform Built for Life Sciences Professionals.
Start your data trial now!
Synapse data is also accessible to external entities via APIs or data packages. Empower better decisions with the latest in pharmaceutical intelligence.