NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / May 15, 2023 / Manhattan BioSolutions, Inc. (“Manhattan Bio”), an emerging biotechnology company developing new classes of precision biologics for the treatment of advanced cancers, today announced that it has entered into an exclusive option agreement with the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (WARF) for the innovative pan-RNA degrader technologies (pRNAD) in oncology. The exclusive option agreement involves the intellectual property rights to technology developed in the laboratory of Ronald T. Raines at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Ronald T. Raines, Ph.D., is currently the Roger and Georges Firmenich Professor of Natural Products Chemistry at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), an Extramural Member of the Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research at MIT, and an Associate Member of the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard. Professor Raines has also joined Manhattan Bio’s Board of Directors.
The pRNAD technology is based on an engineered derivative of a naturally occurring nuclease protein involved in host defense to selectively degrade RNA in both tumors and their microenvironment. In preclinical studies, pRNAD has shown a favorable tolerability profile and potent single agent activity against a variety of cancer models such as ovarian, prostate, non-small cell lung and colon cancers. The lead drug candidate has been previously evaluated in a Phase 1 human clinical trial conducted in patients with advanced refractory solid tumors, showing promising results.
Dr Borys Shor, Chairman and CEO, Manhattan Bio, commented: “We are excited to announce this agreement and associated data acquisition, which adds potentially first-in-class clinic-ready program to our pipeline of differentiated biologics. This agent was designed to specifically target and disrupt key vulnerabilities in tumors, including their dependence on extracellular RNA and hyperactive RNA metabolic pathways. Our strategy has been to build a portfolio of world-class development candidates through a combination of in-licensing or in-house discovery. The RNAD transaction is in line with this vision.”
Pending completion of the investigational new drug (IND) application process and subsequent regulatory activation of the IND, Manhattan Bio plans to initiate a phase 1b clinical trial in selected tumor indications. The company is also advancing innovative technologies capable of potentially generating multiple Investigational New Drug Applications (INDs), including novel linker/payload technologies for antibody-drug conjugates.
About Manhattan BioSolutions
Manhattan BioSolutions, Inc. is a privately held biotechnology company focused on the development of biologic immunotherapies that target host defense pathways for the treatment of age-related diseases. The company has established partnerships with the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Stony Brook University, Binghamton University, The University at Buffalo, INSERM, EVQLV and has been awarded grants by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the National Science Foundation (NSF), the New Jersey Commission on Science, Innovation and Technology (CSIT) and the University at Buffalo Center for Advanced Technology in Big Data and Health Sciences (UBCAT).
About WARF
The Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (WARF) patents and licenses discoveries from UW-Madison research, manages an investment portfolio generated from licensing and investment proceeds, and provides annual grants to the campus to support further scientific investigation and research. By driving collaborations between researchers, investors, industry and entrepreneurs, WARF commercializes innovations from campus through various initiatives. WARF Accelerator improves the commercialization potential of university intellectual property through industry engagement and investment in proof-of-concept milestones to validate market potential, demonstrate commercial value, and de-risk technology. WARF Therapeutics partners with UW-Madison and Morgridge Institute researchers employing an industry-focused approach to improve value propositions of drug candidates. WARF Ventures is an early-stage venture fund that invests in startups based on UW/WARF technologies. Learn more at warf.org.
Contact for investor inquiries:
Jordana Lovett, PhD
Director of Investor Relations
(917) 740-2111
ir@manhattanbiosolutions.com
