OSE Immunotherapeutics has formed a strategic collaboration with Inside Therapeutics and MiNT Laboratory to advance mRNA therapeutics and accelerate nanodrug development. The French biotech consortium has secured €1.3 million in non-dilutive funding from Bpifrance and the Région Pays de la Loire as part of the "France 2030" initiative.
The 36-month program, named "HexARN," will focus on addressing key challenges in RNA-based therapies, particularly those involving RNA molecules protected by lipid nanoparticles (LNP). While LNP technology has already transformed fields from infectious disease to oncology, significant improvements are still needed in therapy selectivity, safety, therapeutic target expansion, and manufacturing scalability.
The Consortium Partners
The collaboration brings together three organizations with complementary expertise:
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OSE Immunotherapeutics: A clinical-stage biotech company developing first-in-class therapies in immuno-oncology and immuno-inflammation, OSE will lead the consortium and focus on developing novel RNA therapeutics and delivery methods.
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Inside Therapeutics: Based in Angoulême/Bordeaux, this company offers unique and scalable RNA-Lipid formulation technology and will optimize formulation systems for the program.
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MiNT Laboratory: A research team from the University of Angers, supported by INSERM and CNRS, specializing in drug delivery systems, physicochemical characterization, and purification.
Advancing mRNA Therapeutics
Through HexARN, OSE Immunotherapeutics aims to develop innovative RNA therapeutics and delivery methods specifically designed to fine-tune immune responses in inflammatory disorders and autoimmune diseases. The company plans to leverage the advantages of RNA-based therapy over conventional antibody approaches.
Inside Therapeutics will focus on optimizing scalable and reproducible formulation systems, while MiNT Laboratory will ensure reliable quality control through innovative techniques for physicochemical characterization and purification of nano-formulations.
"We are incredibly grateful to Bpifrance and Région Pays de la Loire for their support and vision in recognizing the potential of this initiative," said Aurore Morello, Head of Research and Director of R&D Programs at OSE Immunotherapeutics. "HexARN is about the people and the innovation happening right here in the west of France. It's about bringing together brilliant minds from different fields."
Morello emphasized that the partnership extends beyond science and technology: "It's about creating solutions that have a tangible impact on people's lives. We believe that innovative mRNA therapeutics and delivery methods will be part of future transformative medicines and will offer new hope for patients and push the boundaries of medical research in the way we treat cancer and inflammatory diseases in modulating immune cell responses."
Partner Perspectives
Thomas Guérinier, CEO and Co-founder of Inside Therapeutics, highlighted the opportunity to demonstrate their technology's uniqueness "for the development of mRNA therapies from early development through to clinical trials and GMP production." He noted that the HexARN project aligns perfectly with their mission to accelerate patient access to nanotherapies.
Brice Calvignac, Full Professor in Chemical engineering at Angers University and Researcher at MiNT, added that the industrial-academic collaboration would benefit all partners. For MiNT and its SynNanoVect platform, "this new experience will help our teams to improve and value our expertise on the development of nano-formulations and the RNA innovative therapies."
Addressing Technological Challenges
The consortium's combined expertise aims to address major technological challenges in mRNA therapeutics and advance assets toward industrial and clinical milestones. The focus on lipid nanoparticle delivery systems is particularly significant, as this technology has proven crucial for the successful delivery of mRNA vaccines and therapeutics.
By improving the selectivity, safety, and manufacturing scalability of RNA-based therapies, the HexARN program could potentially overcome current limitations and expand the application of mRNA therapeutics beyond vaccines to treat a wider range of diseases, particularly in the areas of inflammatory disorders and autoimmune conditions.
Regional Innovation Support
The funding comes from the "I-Démo régionalisé" call for collaborative projects, part of the "France 2030" plan. This initiative reflects France's commitment to supporting innovation and regional development in biotechnology. The Pays de la Loire region has become a leading supporter of research and innovation, funding more than 1,400 innovative projects over the past five years and securing €300 million by 2028 to accelerate business competitiveness.
The HexARN program represents a significant step forward in France's efforts to establish itself as a leader in mRNA therapeutics and nanodrug development, building on the momentum generated by the success of mRNA vaccines during the COVID-19 pandemic.
