Queen’s spin out pHion Therapeutics, in partnership with the Centre for Process Innovation and Reach Regulatory, secure Sustainable Innovation Funding Award from Innovate UK
Collaboration builds on exciting pre–clinical work at pHion Therapeutics to develop an innovative RALA/RNAi therapy for COVID–19 patients
This award will accelerate the development of pHion Therapeutics’ nanoparticle technologies in partnership with the Centre for Process Innovation and Reach Regulatory.
This £300k award will enable pHion Therapeutics to realise the transformative potential of an ongoing project, which was also supported by Innovate UK’s COVID–19 Fast–Track Competition, to develop a RALA/RNAi Therapy for the transient knockdown of a key receptor for COVID–19 patients.
The Sustainable Innovation Award will accelerate and optimise the scale–up of the RALA/RNAi therapy to patient doses and develop the regulatory framework for the RALA technology.
The 9–month project will enable pHion to take this therapy onwards to the clinic and position RALA as the go–to delivery system for RNAi therapeutics to the lung.
Commenting on the collaboration, Professor Helen McCarthy, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of pHion Therapeutics, said:
“The potential of RALA technology as an innovative RNAi therapy for COVID–19, as well as other lung targeted therapies, is significant. We are excited to work with the Centre for Process Innovation on the scale–up of RALA/RNAi nanoparticles and with Reach Regulatory to develop the requirements for clinic.”
Dr Graham Worrall, Chief Technologist at CPI added:
“CPI is delighted to be involved in the development of such an exciting and ground breaking technology. Working with such an innovative group of partners to improve the manufacturing process and corresponding scale up we look forward to helping bring this to patients as soon as possible.”
Dr Stephen Liggett, CEO at Reach Regulatory commented:
“This award provides a great opportunity to expedite the innovative RALA technology platform towards the clinic and provide significant patient benefits. I am delighted to be working on such an exciting project with pHion and CPI.”
Innovate UK Executive Chair Dr Ian Campbell said:
“In these difficult times we have seen the best of British business innovation. The pandemic is not just a health emergency but one that impacts society and the economy.
This project led by pHion Therapeutics, along with every initiative Innovate UK has supported through this fund, is an important step forward in driving sustainable economic development. Each one is also helping to realise the ambitions of hard–working people.”