PartitionBio Wins ELRIG Innovation Award for Peptide-Based Cell Delivery Platform
核心洞察
PartitionBio (搜索) received the ELRIG (搜索) Drug Discovery 2025 Innovation Award for BubbleFect (搜索), a novel droplet-based cell delivery system that uses peptides instead of lipids or viruses.
The technology utilizes liquid-liquid phase separation principles to create self-organizing droplets that can deliver DNA, RNA, and proteins to cells through macropinocytosis (搜索).
BubbleFect (搜索) has demonstrated successful transfection of difficult-to-transfect cells including human pancreatic cells, induced pluripotent stem cells, and adipocytes in over 50 research programs.
PartitionBio (搜索), a biotechnology startup, has been awarded the prestigious ELRIG (搜索) Drug Discovery 2025 Innovation Award for its groundbreaking peptide-based cell delivery platform. The award was presented at the European Laboratory Research and Innovation Group event held in Liverpool, UK, recognizing the company's BubbleFect (搜索) technology as a significant advancement in genetic medicine delivery.
Revolutionary Approach to Cell Delivery
The BubbleFect (搜索) platform represents a paradigm shift in cellular transfection technology, utilizing the principles of liquid-liquid phase separation—a natural cellular process that forms membraneless organelles. "We've been working on a new kind of cell delivery technology that utilizes the principles of liquid-liquid phase separations," explained Dr. Zehra Nizami, principal scientist and head of business development at PartitionBio (搜索). "This is a process that happens naturally in cells to form membraneless organelles."
The technology employs libraries of short, synthetically scalable peptides that can separate into different phases in liquid solutions. These peptides can load biological cargos such as DNA, RNA, and proteins, creating a new class of delivery particles that are neither nanoparticles nor lipid-based systems.
Addressing Current Delivery Challenges
Current genetic medicine delivery methods rely primarily on viral vectors like adeno-associated virus or lipid-based systems such as lipid nanoparticles (LNPs), both of which present biosafety concerns and potential genetic side effects. Dr. Olaf Piepenburg, managing director at PartitionBio (搜索), emphasized the need for alternatives: "We hope that our delivery method, which is fundamentally different and based on peptides, rather than lipids or viruses, can overcome these challenges."
The BubbleFect (搜索) system enters cells through macropinocytosis (搜索), a cellular "drinking" mechanism that may enable higher payload delivery compared to existing methods. This unique entry mechanism potentially offers improved safety profiles and delivery efficiency.
Practical Advantages and Manufacturing Benefits
One of the most significant advantages of the BubbleFect (搜索) platform is its simplified manufacturing process. The droplets are self-organizing, requiring only the mixing of cargo with the reagent under appropriate salt conditions. "Basically, you take your cargo, for example RNA or protein, mix it with our reagent, and if there are the right salt conditions, the droplets spontaneously form," Piepenberg explained.
This contrasts sharply with nanoparticle production, which requires controlled mixing of lipids in organic solvents using microfluidics devices. Additionally, BubbleFect (搜索) reagents are room temperature stable, eliminating the need for cold chain distribution that is required for many current delivery systems.
Proven Performance Across Challenging Cell Types
Since launching its alpha program in June, PartitionBio (搜索) has engaged over 50 participants across nine countries, primarily in Europe and the US. The program has revealed the platform's capability to transfect notoriously difficult cell types, including human pancreatic cells, human induced pluripotent stem cells, and human adipocytes.
Researchers have successfully used the system to deliver various cargos and have demonstrated CRISPR (搜索) applications in high-throughput screening environments. "We learned that we could transfect human pancreatic cells, human induced pluripotent stem cells and human adipocytes, which can be notoriously difficult to transfect," Nizami noted.
CRISPR and Protein Delivery Applications
The platform shows particular promise for CRISPR (搜索)-based therapies, as it can effectively deliver ribonucleoproteins—the functional form of CRISPR complexes that are predominantly protein-based. "CRISPR can be delivered as an RNA and DNA, but as a final complex is functional as a ribonucleoprotein, which is predominantly protein. This is an application where our system could really excel," Nizami explained.
PartitionBio (搜索) has already established partnerships with prominent CRISPR (搜索) clinical laboratories in the US, positioning the technology to support the development of next-generation gene editing therapies.
Future Clinical Aspirations
While currently available as a research tool, PartitionBio (搜索)'s long-term vision extends to in vivo therapeutic applications. The company aims to contribute to making genetic medicines more affordable and accessible to patients through improved delivery technologies.
"We hope our technology could contribute to making genetic medicines cheaper and more accessible to patients," Piepenberg stated. "I believe one way to combat the cost of genetic medicines is through developing better delivery technologies, and we are tapping into this new field of non-viral and non-LNP based delivery vehicles."
The ELRIG (搜索) Innovation Award provides crucial recognition for the startup as it navigates a challenging investment climate while pursuing its ambitious in vivo therapeutic goals. The award will help build awareness of the technology's potential as the company transitions from its alpha to beta program phases.