Three Biotech Companies Secure International Funding for Next-Generation Genetic Medicine Platform
Key Insights
Chromatin Bioscience (search), Mediphage Bioceuticals (search), and Entos Pharmaceuticals (search) have secured funding from UKRI Innovate UK (search) and Canada's NRC IRAP for a collaborative genetic medicines project.
The partnership combines three complementary technologies: chromatinLENS (search) synthetic promoters, ministring DNA (search) platform, and Fusogenix PLV (search) delivery system to create cell-type selective gene therapies.
The collaboration aims to address key challenges in genetic medicine by providing safe, durable, and precise gene expression for treating genetic and rare diseases.
Chromatin Bioscience (search), Mediphage Bioceuticals (search), and Entos Pharmaceuticals (search) announced on January 6, 2026, that they have secured funding and advisory services from the competitive, transatlantic UKRI Innovate UK (search) and National Research Council of Canada (search) Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC IRAP) collaborative innovation program. The funding supports a strategic partnership to develop next-generation therapeutics by combining three complementary genetic medicine technologies.
Convergence of Three Platform Technologies
The collaboration integrates Chromatin Bio's chromatinLENS (search)™ platform for synthetic promoters, Mediphage's ministring DNA (search)™ (msDNA (search)™) platform technology, and Entos' Fusogenix PLV (search) delivery platform. Together, these technologies aim to provide cell-type selective, durable DNA-based gene expression cargo with safe and effective, intracellular fusion-based delivery.
"This collaboration brings together three complementary technologies to address one of the biggest challenges in genetic medicine: delivering safe, durable, and cell-type-selective gene expression," said Michael Roberts, Founder and CEO of Chromatin Bioscience (search). "By combining our chromatinLENS (search)™ platform for synthetic promoters with Mediphage's msDNA (search)™ technology and Entos' Fusogenix PLV (search) delivery system, we're taking a major step toward creating more precise and effective treatments for patients."
Technology Platform Specifications
Chromatin Bioscience (search)'s chromatinLENS (search)™ platform enables precise, cell-type-selective, and durable gene expression, which is key to advancing the next generation of genetic medicines. The company's synthetic promoters are currently being integrated into a range of collaborative programs across therapeutic areas.
Mediphage has developed a novel, linear, covalently closed, high-fidelity, and backbone-free DNA minivector, msDNA (search)™, that is produced using a proprietary and scalable E. coli-based manufacturing process. The msDNA™ technology can be used across a range of genetic medicine applications, including non-viral gene therapy, ex vivo cell therapy, and in vivo gene editing. It also serves as starting material for the production of viral vectors like rAAV and lentiviral vectors, mRNA therapeutics, and DNA vaccines.
Entos' Fusogenix PLV (search) drug delivery system is formulated with FAST proteins to enable the delivery of nucleic acid to target cells through direct fusion. The platform has been designed to be safe, effective, and re-dosable for nucleic acid delivery.
Addressing Genetic Medicine Challenges
"Gene therapy needs novel modalities that are safe, redosable, precise, and effective," said Dr. Nafiseh Nafissi, CTO of Mediphage. "By combining advanced AI-driven sequence design from Chromatin Bio with our immune-compatible and durable msDNA (search)™ platform, and next-generation targeted delivery systems from Entos Pharmaceuticals (search), we are establishing a strong foundation for the next generation of safe, precise, and scalable genetic medicines."
The combined innovative technology could be applied to treat an unlimited number of genetic diseases (search), with the potential impact of this three-way collaboration on the future of genetic medicines and the lives of rare disease patients described as transformative.
Therapeutic Applications and Market Impact
"We deeply appreciate this support from Innovate UK and NRC IRAP to advance the use of our Fusogenix PLV (search) platform in projects aimed to improve treatments for rare genetic disorders (search)," said John Lewis, CEO of Entos Pharmaceuticals (search). "There is a crucial need to address these disorders, and the potential for novel genetic medicine approaches that combine cutting-edge technologies like chromatinLENS (search), msDNA (search), and Fusogenix PLV to create life-changing treatments for patients and their families is huge."
Mediphage is currently engaged in collaborations with the world's largest pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies to further develop genetic medicine applications. Entos has previously partnered with global companies, such as Eli Lilly, to accelerate and expand the impact of their platform.
The companies expressed gratitude to Innovate UK and NRC IRAP for providing a framework to bring these three synergistic technologies together and for fostering international collaboration between the UK and Canada.