Wacker Biotech, a leading contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) wholly owned by Wacker Chemie AG (Munich, Germany), announced a strategic collaboration with RNAV8 Bio, a Boston-based pioneer in mRNA engineering. The collaboration is aimed at progressing the development and production of mRNA-based advanced therapies for the biopharma industry.
Wacker Biotech US Inc. operates microbial fermentation lines with a capacity of up to 650 L for production and purification of pDNA, as well as pharmaceutical proteins (Photo: WACKER).
This new partnership combines Wacker Biotech’s expertise in pDNA/mRNA manufacturing and lipid nano-particle (LNP) formulation with RNAV8 Bio’s innovative mRNA engineering toolkit, which enhances the non-coding sequences of mRNA strands, known as untranslated regions (UTRs). UTRs are crucial for mRNA processing, transport, stability, and translation, and their optimization can significantly improve the efficacy of mRNA-based drug products.
The collaboration positions Wacker Biotech and RNAV8 Bio as premium providers in the mRNA space, offering a unique end-to-end service. The companies aim to provide a comprehensive solution that meets the growing demand for advanced mRNA therapeutics.
“As the therapeutic potential of mRNA rapidly expands into high-value applications across genetic and common diseases, more predictive control over mRNA function becomes critical. RNAV8’s approach represents a major advance, enabling highly efficient and/or more durable mRNA expression at potentially lower doses.” said Devan Shah, CEO of RNAV8 Bio. “With its impressive manufacturing capabilities and clear track record in mRNA/LNP GMP production for scale-up, Wacker Biotech is an ideal partner for RNAV8 and its therapeutics collaborators.”
Philippe Cronet, General Manager of Wacker Biotech US Inc., added, “We are thrilled to collaborate with RNAV8 Bio. In combination with WACKER’s nucleic acids R&D team, this partnership enables us to offer clients a top-of-the-line, market-leading solution for mRNA therapeutics optimization and manufacturing. On clients’ behalf, we will work with RNAV8 to optimize UTR non-coding sequences to maximize the expression of mRNA in the target cells. Drug developers will have enhanced abilities to rapidly prototype, test, iterate, and scale up their mRNA therapeutics. Ultimately, this holds the promise of improving drug efficacy and accelerating the development process.”