Wacker Biotech and RNAV8 Bio Partner to Advance mRNA Therapeutics

• Wacker Biotech has entered a strategic collaboration with RNAV8 Bio to enhance the development and manufacturing of mRNA-based therapies.

• The partnership combines Wacker Biotech’s expertise in pDNA/mRNA manufacturing with RNAV8 Bio’s mRNA engineering toolkit to improve mRNA drug efficacy.

Wacker Biotech has announced a strategic collaboration with RNAV8 Bio, a Boston-based company specialising in mRNA engineering. The partnership aims to accelerate the development and production of advanced mRNA-based therapeutics for the biopharma industry.

The collaboration leverages Wacker Biotech’s capabilities in plasmid DNA (pDNA) and mRNA manufacturing, as well as lipid nanoparticle (LNP) formulation. RNAV8 Bio contributes its proprietary mRNA engineering toolkit, which optimises untranslated regions (UTRs) to enhance mRNA stability, transport, and translation. This optimisation can improve drug efficacy and reduce required dosages.

“As the therapeutic potential of mRNA rapidly expands into high-value applications across genetic and common diseases, more predictive control over mRNA function becomes critical,” said Devan Shah, CEO of RNAV8 Bio. “RNAV8’s approach represents a major advance, enabling highly efficient and/or more durable mRNA expression at potentially lower doses.”

The companies intend to provide an integrated end-to-end solution for drug developers, allowing rapid prototyping, testing, and scaling of mRNA therapeutics. Philippe Cronet, General Manager of Wacker Biotech US Inc., stated that the partnership enables Wacker Biotech to offer a “market-leading solution” for mRNA optimisation and manufacturing. The collaboration is expected to accelerate drug development and improve therapeutic efficacy in the growing mRNA sector.