Acuitas Therapeutics announced it has acquired a majority stake in RNA Technologies & Therapeutics (RNA T&T), deepening a long-running collaboration and adding in-house scale for RNA construct design, optimization, and manufacturing to complement Acuitas’ lipid nanoparticle (LNP) delivery platform.
Acuitas said the investment will support RNA T&T’s growth, enabling it to expand operations, further develop its algorithmic platform for RNA sequence optimization, and increase small-batch GMP-grade production capabilities geared toward personalized and “n-of-few” therapies. The companies said they will continue to operate independently, while providing partners streamlined access to complementary expertise across RNA payload engineering and LNP delivery.
The companies framed the deal around the development demands of RNA therapeutics, where both the mRNA payload and the LNP carrier must be optimized to improve efficacy and safety. By aligning RNA optimization and manufacturing with clinically validated LNP delivery capabilities, the companies said partners can reduce development complexity, accelerate clinical timelines, and mitigate risk across multiple RNA-LNP programs.
RNA T&T, founded in 2022 in Montreal, specializes in collaborative RNA construct design and manufacturing and was established by RNA scientists and vaccinologists including Mohamad-Gabriel Alameh and Nobel Prize laureate Drew Weissman, according to the companies. Acuitas said its LNP technology has been used in multiple nucleic-acid medicines, including enabling the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine and Alnylam’s ONPATTRO, and it is developing next-generation LNP approaches for modalities such as targeted extrahepatic delivery, in vivo CAR T-cell therapies, epigenetic medicines, and multivalent and oncology vaccines.
KEY QUOTES:
“As genetic medicines expand into more complex areas such as personalized therapies, biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies are seeking efficient access to RNA and LNP design and engineering expertise. Having worked extensively with RNA T&T over the last number of years, we are impressed with their scientific approach and technical know-how, which brings a level of precision and consistency that is critical in RNA drug development. Ultimately, this investment gives our partners a coordinated way to engage experts from both companies as they develop next-generation RNA-LNP therapies.”
Dr. Thomas Madden, CEO, Acuitas Therapeutics
“The synergy between our organizations is a natural result of our shared commitment to scientific integrity and technical excellence. Acuitas is the ideal partner for our next phase of growth, as both companies are deeply rooted in science and equally committed to advance the next generation of RNA-LNP medicines. Acuitas has collaborated with RNA T&T since its inception, and together the two companies have collaborated at both the research and clinical level. This investment deepens the relationship between Acuitas and RNA T&T, while also allowing the latter to grow its operational footprint, further develop its proprietary algorithmic platform for RNA sequence optimization and expand its capabilities in small-batch GMP-grade production of personalized and n-of-few therapies.”
Pierrino Torbey, Board Member and Interim CEO, RNA T&T
“From the beginning, it was clear that both teams are aligned in scientific ethos and in their approach to advancing RNA-LNP therapeutics. This investment strengthens RNA T&T’s ability to support highly complex and personalized RNA programs, while allowing partners to benefit from seamless access to select the right LNP delivery vehicle from Acuitas’ extensive portfolio of clinically validated LNP.”
Mohamad-Gabriel Alameh, Ph.D., Co-Founder and Scientific Advisor, RNA T&T
