The startup specializes in gene therapy research that utilizes nuclear microRNAs to up-regulate the endogenous VEGFA gene, targeting conditions like myocardial ischemia and peripheral artery disease. By streamlining the development of RNA activation drugs, the company aims to enhance therapeutic options for these vascular diseases.
Funding
$240K raised to dateRaised to date based on public sources. This may differ from the amount the company actually raised and is based only on what is publicly available on the internet.
Founders
Product
Problem
Current treatments for vascular diseases like myocardial ischemia and peripheral artery disease often fail to adequately promote neovascularization in affected tissues. Traditional gene therapies face challenges in achieving precise and sustained upregulation of specific therapeutic genes.
Solution
RNatives is developing a novel RNA-based gene therapy platform that utilizes nuclear microRNAs to selectively upregulate the expression of endogenous genes. Their lead program focuses on upregulating the VEGFA gene to stimulate angiogenesis in patients with cardiovascular diseases. The company's proprietary RNAIntel™ platform identifies small activating RNAs (saRNAs) that bind directly to gene promoters, modulating gene expression with high precision. This approach aims to enhance therapeutic efficacy while minimizing off-target effects. RNatives offers a co-development model, partnering with pharmaceutical companies to discover and test novel RNA therapeutics for various indications, leveraging their expertise in saRNA design and testing.
Target Audience
RNatives primarily targets pharmaceutical companies seeking novel RNA therapy approaches for their R&D pipelines, as well as patients suffering from myocardial ischemia, peripheral artery disease, and other vascular and neurological diseases.
Features
- RNAIntel™ platform for identifying small non-coding RNAs that regulate gene expression
- AI-assisted in-house software for in silico analysis to narrow down candidates for screening
- In vitro screening in cell culture models suitable for specific indications
- Development of formulations and testing of different delivery vehicles
- Capability to coordinate proof-of-principle experiments in animal models through established CRO connections
- Focus on epigenetic upregulation of endogenous VEGFA to promote neovascularization
- BSL-2 clean room for streamlined discovery and development of RNA activation drugs