
Funding from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation will go toward understanding the benefits o novel cap analogs for therapeutic applications.
Warsaw, December 8, 2022. ExPLoRNA Therapeutics, a Polish biotech company revolutionizing mRNA vaccines and therapeutics with unprecedented translational efficiency, received funding from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to further develop its unique mRNA technology. ExPLoRNA specializes in novel cap analogs, the starting part of mRNA that is crucial for enabling the successful production of the encoded protein. ExPLoRNA’s technology increases protein production beyond the scale observable so far with other standard cap analogs.
The total funding received from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is $813,578 and will be used for a 14-month project. The project aims to better understand the benefits of ExPLoRNA’s cap analogs, especially in terms of reducing the mRNA dose needed for therapeutic effects in the settings of vaccination and monoclonal antibody production.
The planned experiments include the use of state-of-the-art, clinically validated lipid nanoparticle (LNP) formulations from Acuitas Therapeutics. Acuitas is known for its successful role in providing the LNP technology for one of the only two regulatory-approved mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccines.
ExPLoRNA Therapeutics is the first Polish biotech company to receive funding from Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Through this project, ExPLoRNA Therapeutics commits to its vision of making mRNA technology more accessible in low-income countries to help fight diseases threatening human lives and well-being.
“We are grateful for the foundation’s support to help us achieve our vision. With the help of this grant, we intend to speed up the development of future mRNA vaccines and therapies.” – comments Jacek Jemielity, CEO of ExPLoRNA Therapeutics, and professor at the University of Warsaw.
About ExPLoRNA Therapeutics:
With passion, ExPLoRNA Therapeutics (www.explorna.com) is harnessing over 20 years of cap analog research and developing ground-breaking innovations of mRNA as a therapeutic platform applies those solutions in unique therapeutic programs, and delivers technology, therapeutic platform, and therapies to pharmaceutical Partners.
About Acuitas Therapeutics:
Founded in February 2009, Vancouver-based Acuitas Therapeutics (www.acuitastx.com) is a private biotechnology company that specializes in the development of delivery systems for nucleic acid therapeutics based on lipid nanoparticles. The team works with partners to develop new therapies to address unmet clinical needs based on its internationally recognized capabilities in delivery technology.
Contact for Partners and Investors for ExPLoRNA Therapeutics:
Press release about a grant from BMGF:
Piotr Stępniak, Director of Business Development at ExPLoRNA Therapeutics
Mobile: +48727006558, e-mail: pstepniak@explorna.com
Contact for Media for ExPLoRNA Therapeutics:
Eliza Milewicz, Business Partner
Mobile: +48885067630, e-mail: emilewicz@explorna.com
Contact for Media for Acuitas Therapeutics:
Ruth Atherley Phone: +16048468461, e-mail: media@acuitastx.com
Development of experimental anti-cancer immunotherapy based on therapeutic mRNA modified with innovative next generation cap analogs
Project co-financed by the European Union from the European Regional Development Fund under the Smart Growth Operational Program.
Project implemented as part of the National Centre for Research and Development call: Fast Track 6/1.1.1/2019.

National Center for Research and Development (NCBR) funds ExploRNA Therapeutics a new research project on anticancer mRNA vaccines.
ExploRNA developed a technology to modify a cap structure at 5’ mRNA end. This modification stabilizes mRNA and significantly increases its translation efficiency. The uniqueness of mRNA for vaccine development results from the fact that in a single inoculation multiple different mRNAs encoding various tumor-associated antigens can be administered to stimulate development of adaptive immune response. This is a huge advantage over recombinant vaccines that consist of single antigens. With stable and effectively translated mRNA multiple antigens can be directly delivered to professional antigen-presenting cells that induce protective immunity. Translation of mRNA leads to production of antigens that will stimulate both T-cells and B-cells, thereby mimicking development of natural immunity. The Project undertakes the verification of the safety of this vaccination immunotherapy and its ability to induce antigen-specific T-cells in the group of patients with malignant melanoma.
ExploRNA Therapeutics will achieve the aim of the Project by completing the following five phases of the research and development program:
(i) synthesis and analyzis of physicochemical and biological properties of cap analogs and modified mRNA; (ii) synthesis optimization of the cap analogues on a larger scale and development of the mRNA synthesis methods; (iii) pre-clinical studies in advanced cellular and animal models; (iv) toxicology and pharmacokinetics in the GLP standard and selection of a candidate for clinical trials; (v) phase I clinical trial in patients with malignant melanoma.
Project co-financed by the European Union from the European Regional Development Fund under the Smart Growth Operational Program.
Project implemented as part of the National Centre for Research and Development call: Fast Track POIR.01.01.01-00-0920/19 Total value of the project: PLN 25 995 670,81 Total value of funding: PLN 19 408 810,05