Novel anti-asthma drug
LMU spin-off receives multi-million euro EU grant
LMU scientist Olivia Merkel researches nanocarriers for the targeted delivery of drugs to their site of action. Now the company she co-founded, RNhale, has been awarded a lucrative EU grant to bring a new anti-asthma therapy to clinical readiness. The company name describes the envisioned product in a nutshell: RNhale – that is, RNA therapeutics to inhale. Now the young Munich-based company has been awarded a Transition grant of 2.5 million euros by the European Innovation Council (EIC) to bring such a novel anti-asthma drug to clinical practice.
CEO Benjamin Winkeljann is part of the founder team.
© Joshua Winkeljann
The company RNhale is an LMU spin-off: Olivia Merkel, Chair Professor of Drug Delivery, and her team have built up the requisite know-how over many years. The pharmaceutical researcher investigates novel nanocarrier systems capable of delivering drugs to specific sites of action in the human body. Her main research focus is on the therapeutic application of short sections of RNA that can silence genes involved in pathogenesis in certain cell types.
On this basis, Merkel and her team developed approaches for new anti-asthma therapies, with funding from sources such as a multi-million euro Starting Grant from the European Research Council (ERC). The researchers packed specific so-called siRNA into nanocarriers that can be stabilized by means of spray drying and processed into an inhalable dry powder.
To enable Merkel to put such therapeutics to the test, she was awarded a Proof of Concept Grant by the ERC. Following the receipt of additional funding from LMU’s Knowledge Transfer Fund, the conditions were right to found the spin-off RNhale, for which Merkel acts as scientific advisor. The founder team includes various colleagues at LMU, including the CEO Benjamin Winkeljann.
Logical next link in Brussels funding chain
The new EIC grant is the logical next link in this funding chain from Brussels. RNhale will use the grant to prepare the technology for clinical studies and drive forward the development of the business for market release. This includes preparing the requisite preclinical trials.
As an initial application, the company plans to develop a drug to reduce expression of the cytokine TSLP in the respiratory tract, which occurs in patients with allergic asthma. Through this work, RNhale ultimately hopes not only to bring a highly effective anti-asthma therapeutic to market, but also to create a platform that can be used to develop drugs to treat other respiratory conditions.
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