Researchers from UW ExploRNA Therapeutics spin-off were granted over $813,000 from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to further develop mRNA technology. This unique technology can be used in treating viral infections and cancer.
The UW spin-off ExploRNA Theraputics received $813,578 for developing and verifying its mRNA technology. Designed by researchers the 5′ cap mRNA modification will help to treat cancer and viral infections.
“The funding of our project proves that, as a Polish corporate spin-off, we have been noticed by a global organisation and our current achievements have been appreciated. This will hopefully facilitate our technology to be used as part of future mRNA therapies,” Professor Jacek Jemielity, a researcher from the UW Centre of New Technologies and the CEO of ExploRNA Therapeutics, says.
The implementation of the project will take 14 months. During this time Polish researchers will collaborate with a Canadian company Acuitas Therapeutics, which specialises in the development of delivery systems for nucleic acid therapeutics based on lipid nanoparticles. Thanks to the latter, vaccines are able to penetrate the body’s cells.
The winning project of ExploRNA Therapeutics was selected by the Gates Foundation’s experts after a detailed assessment of the spin-off’s activity.
ExploRNA Theraputics was established in 2019 by scientists from the University of Warsaw and the Medical University of Warsaw. The main activity of the spin-off concerns delivering mRNA technology innovations to revolutionise future therapies and prevention of many diseases. The mRNA modification technology developed by the researchers makes it possible to reduce the dose of mRNA in a vaccine, thus reducing side effects of therapy and lowering the vaccine production cost.
More information is available on ExploRNA Therapeutics’ website >>
The Gates Foundation’s activities and the details of the grant can be found on the Foundation’s website >>