ten23 health, a Swiss-based Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization (CDMO), has partnered with Copenhagen-based Neumirna Therapeutics to develop RNA therapies for neurological disorders, including epilepsy.
The companies plan to advance NMT.001, a microRNA–targeting antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) designed to treat drug-resistant epilepsy, towards clinical development. Through this alliance, ten23 health will leverage its expertise in formulation, manufacturing, and testing of oligonucleotide therapies to support Neumirna’s innovative RNA platform.
“We are honored to collaborate with Neumirna Therapeutics and support their mission to address critical medical needs through innovative healthcare solutions,” said Dr. Susanne Jörg, COO of ten23 health.
Echoing this sentiment, Dr. Ellen Donnelly, CEO of Neumirna Therapeutics, highlighted the importance of the collaboration: “Partnering with ten23 health strengthens our ability to accelerate our development pipeline while maintaining the highest standards of quality. Together, we are taking a decisive step forward in advancing healthcare innovation.”
Momentum in RNA and Oligonucleotide Therapies
The partnership comes amid a surge of global interest in RNA and oligonucleotide-based therapeutics. Major pharma companies are actively pursuing partnerships, acquisitions, and in-licensing arrangements to strengthen their RNA/oligonucleotide portfolios.
Earlier this month, Novartis announced the acquisition of Avidity Biosciences for approximately $12 billion in cash, gaining access to Avidity’s antibody-oligonucleotide conjugate (AOC) platform and late-stage RNA therapies for neuromuscular diseases. Meanwhile, an exclusive global license between Novartis and Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals for its experimental RNA-targeting therapy is valued at up to $2 billion.
Further highlighting the diversification of RNA-therapeutic targets and disease areas, GSK acquired Elsie Biotechnologies, a San Diego-based private biotechnology company, for up to $50 million to expand its oligonucleotide therapeutics portfolio in June. In May, Eli Lilly entered into a $1.3 billion valued collaboration with South Korean biotech Rznomics to co-develop a trans-splicing ribozyme platform for inherited hearing loss, underscoring the expansion of RNA modalities into less traditional therapeutic areas.
In June, German RNA biotech Ethris announced a strategic partnership with Thermo Fisher Scientific aimed at delivering fully integrated mRNA solutions to biopharmaceutical developers.
