Secarna Pharmaceuticals GmbH & Co. KG announced today the signing of a research and option agreement with an undisclosed portfolio company of Curie.Bio. The scientific and strategic collaboration will leverage Secarna's AI-empowered OligoCreator® platform to accelerate the development of novel oligonucleotide therapeutics.
Under the terms of the agreement, Secarna will design and develop oligonucleotide candidates targeting an undisclosed disease pathway. In exchange, the Munich-based company will receive a technology access fee, research funding, and warrants to purchase shares in the portfolio company upon reaching predefined success milestones.
Advancing Oligonucleotide Therapeutics Through AI-Driven Technology
Secarna's OligoCreator® platform represents a significant advancement in oligonucleotide therapeutic discovery. The AI-empowered system integrates diverse delivery technologies with proprietary safety and efficacy testing systems to rapidly identify and characterize therapeutic candidates.
"Our AI-empowered OligoCreator® platform is designed to deliver highly specific, safe, and effective oligonucleotide therapeutics rapidly and reliably," said Konstantin Petropoulos, PhD, Chief Executive Officer of Secarna Pharmaceuticals. "We are excited to collaborate with Curie.Bio, and their portfolio company who share our vision for transforming scientific innovation into life-changing therapies."
The platform's capabilities are particularly valuable for addressing conditions that have proven resistant to conventional treatment approaches. By enabling targeted delivery of therapeutics to specific cells, organs, or tissues, the technology opens new possibilities for treating previously intractable diseases.
Complementary Expertise Driving Innovation
This collaboration highlights a growing trend in biotechnology partnerships that combine specialized expertise from different organizations. While startup companies often possess deep knowledge of specific disease targets, they frequently lack the platform technology or infrastructure needed to efficiently develop drug candidates.
"Start-up companies often have exceptional target or disease expertise but lack the platform technology or infrastructure to quickly discover and develop best-in-class drug products," Petropoulos noted. "Together – by combining the best of both worlds with tailored approaches and leveraging Curie.Bio's expertise in drug discovery and development – we aim to unlock new possibilities for patients suffering from diseases that are difficult to treat with conventional approaches."
Strategic Significance in the Oligonucleotide Landscape
This partnership comes at a time of increasing interest in oligonucleotide therapeutics across the pharmaceutical industry. These synthetic strands of DNA or RNA can be designed to interact with specific genetic targets, offering potential treatments for genetic disorders, infectious diseases, and certain cancers.
The collaboration also represents a strategic approach by Curie.Bio, which has raised $1.25 billion across two investment funds. The organization combines investment capabilities with hands-on drug development expertise, supporting portfolio companies with a team of over 90 drug discovery and development professionals.
Potential Impact on Treatment Landscape
While specific disease targets remain undisclosed, the partnership aims to address conditions that have proven difficult to treat with existing modalities. Oligonucleotide therapeutics offer several potential advantages, including high specificity, the ability to target previously "undruggable" pathways, and the potential for reduced off-target effects.
The collaboration between Secarna and the Curie.Bio portfolio company exemplifies how strategic partnerships can accelerate therapeutic development by combining complementary technologies and expertise. As the field of oligonucleotide therapeutics continues to evolve, such collaborations may play an increasingly important role in bringing novel treatments to patients with high unmet medical needs.
