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Every project supported by Gebert Rüf Stiftung is made accessible with a web presentation that informs about the core data of the project. With this public presentation, the foundation publishes the funding results achieved and contributes to the communication of science to society.

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Procavea Biotech – Revolutionizing RNA Therapies: Beyond the Liver

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The project management is responsible for the content of the information provided.

Project data

  • Project no: GRS-064/23 
  • Amount of funding: CHF 150'000 
  • Approved: 31.10.2023 
  • Duration: 12.2023 - 06.2025 
  • Area of activity:  InnoBooster, seit 2018

Project management

Project description

dRNA-based therapies have transformative potential in medicine. However, the limited delivery technologies available to turn these molecules into effective drugs holds back their true power. Procavea Biotech has developed an innovative solution to this problem: a unique RNA delivery platform based on nonviral protein cages. When compared to approved delivery methods and those in development, our technology has distinct advantages in its stability, engineerability, and manufacturing. Although a handful of RNA-based therapies have been approved, getting these molecules to organs other than the liver poses a significant challenge. At Procavea, our goal is to leverage the modularity of our delivery system and the programmability of genetic medicine to address currently intractable disease targets with new RNA-based drugs. Our proprietary technology puts us in a unique position to directly address the major barrier in RNA drug.

Status/Results

We have established the ‘OP’ delivery system, which is the first non-viral protein cage specifically designed for the delivery of oligonucleotides to cells. So far, we have demonstrated proof-of-concept in vitro for the delivery of small molecule drugs, DNA and RNA. Our current focus is in vivo translation of the technology platform for RNA delivery and determination of the disease indication that could benefit the most from a combination of our unique delivery technology with an RNA therapeutic.

Links

Persons involved in the project

Dr. Tom Edwardson, Project Leader
Dr. Michael Wetter, Senior Scientist
The project is supported by the supervision of Prof. Em. Donald Hilvert, Prof. Peter Kast and Prof. Markus Stoffel.

Last update to this project presentation  22.02.2024