Quotient Sciences, a global drug development and manufacturing accelerator, and UK technology innovation centre CPI have signed a memorandum of understanding to form a joint venture aimed at accelerating RNA-based therapy development. The collaboration promises to deliver clinical batches from plasmid to clinical dose in as little as two months, offering a streamlined pathway for mRNA drug candidates entering early-phase clinical trials.
Integrated Platform Addresses Industry Demand
The joint venture will combine Quotient Sciences' Translational Pharmaceutics® platform with CPI's expertise in small-scale RNA manufacture and lipid nanoparticle (LNP) encapsulation. This integration creates what the companies describe as a first-of-its-kind offering for mRNA drug product development, addressing growing industry demand for agile solutions that bring RNA therapeutics to patients with greater speed and confidence.
"This is a pivotal moment for RNA drug development," said Thierry Van Nieuwenhove, CEO at Quotient Sciences. "The combined innovation and deep technical expertise of Quotient and CPI will enable developers to benefit from a vastly accelerated supply chain, with clinical batches going from plasmid to clinical dose in as little as two months."
Comprehensive Development Framework
The joint venture will integrate multiple critical components under one collaborative framework: mRNA synthesis, LNP formulation development, clinical manufacturing, and early-phase clinical testing. This comprehensive approach enables rapid transition from DNA to RNA and into clinical trials, potentially shortening development timelines while increasing the probability of clinical success.
The platform allows drug developers to adjust dose and formulation parameters based on real-time clinical data from healthy human volunteers. According to the companies, this approach offers clear advantages in modalities where drug delivery is key to efficacy.
Frank Millar, CEO at CPI, emphasized the collaboration's broader impact: "We're proud to be partnering with Quotient Sciences on this initiative which represents a bold step forward for the RNA ecosystem. Our shared vision is to enable scalable and sustainable development pathways for mRNA therapies that meet global health challenges head-on."
Proven Platform Extension
Quotient Sciences' Translational Pharmaceutics® platform has been utilized globally by biotech and large pharmaceutical companies on over 500 programs involving small molecule and peptide drug candidates. The joint venture represents an extension of this proven approach into mRNA-based therapeutics, leveraging established methodologies in a new therapeutic modality.
The companies indicated that details of the joint venture, including name, branding, and operational roadmap, will be announced as the collaboration progresses. CPI, an independent technology innovation centre and founding member of the UK Government's High Value Manufacturing Catapult, has supported organizations in bringing innovative ideas to market since 2004 by reducing R&D risks and costs.
