Versant & Novartis Launch Next-Gen RNA Medicines Co. Borealis Biosciences – $NVS $INDP $GOVX

By John F. Heerdink, Jr.

Borealis Biosciences, a new next generation RNA medicines company, has emerged with $150 million in funding from Versant Ventures and Novartis, aiming to revolutionize treatments for kidney diseases through innovative RNA therapeutics and targeted delivery methods.

Borealis Biosciences Launch

In a surprising twist that’s got the biotech world buzzing, a new player has entered the RNA therapeutics arena with a bang. Borealis Biosciences burst onto the scene on August 22, 2024, armed with a whopping $150 million in combined Series A financing and strategic research collaboration funding. This scientific newcomer, emerging from the shadows of stealth mode, is the brainchild of founding investor Versant Ventures and pharmaceutical giant Novartis AG. With its sights set on revolutionizing kidney disease treatments, Borealis is poised to make waves in the medical community, bringing hope to patients who’ve been waiting for a breakthrough.

Versant and Novartis Collaboration

The strategic partnership between Versant Ventures and Novartis goes beyond mere financial backing. Novartis has committed up to $100 million in upfront and near-term research funding as part of a collaboration that aligns with its priorities in renal medicine and xRNA technology platform innovation. This deal structure exemplifies creative, collaborative deal-making in the biotech industry, as noted by Fiona Marshall, President of Biomedical Research at Novartis. The collaboration also includes an option for Novartis to acquire two future development-ready programs from Borealis, with potential milestone payments that could reach $750 million.

Borealis’ Strategic Goals

Building on the success of Chinook Therapeutics, which I had invested in when it was funded and taken public via reverse merger on to the Nasdaq when at an approximately $200m market cap. and then was acquired by Novartis for up to $3.5 billion last year, now the Borealis team aims to address previously unreachable targets in kidney disease treatment. The company’s strategic goals include:

* Developing RNA therapeutics for highly prevalent kidney diseases that remain unaddressed
* Leveraging improved understanding of patient subpopulations and distinct underlying pathologies
* Focusing on genetically defined targets that have not been amenable to traditional small molecule or biologic modalities
* Utilizing advancements in RNA chemistry and delivery of therapeutic payloads to specific kidney cell types
* Addressing major unmet needs for patients with kidney diseases through a convergence of scientific and translational breakthroughs.

Innovative RNA Therapeutics

Harnessing the power of RNA, Borealis Biosciences is set to revolutionize kidney disease treatment with a dash of scientific wizardry. The company’s 25-person dream team, comprised of seasoned “drug hunters” with over a decade of experience in kidney research and RNA therapeutics, is ready to tackle previously elusive targets. Their 23,000 square foot facility in Vancouver, complete with state-of-the-art wet labs and a vivarium, serves as the perfect lair for these biotech superheroes to concoct their RNA potions. With a focus on patient stratification and genetically defined targets, Borealis aims to deliver therapeutic payloads to specific kidney cell types, potentially making traditional treatments as outdated as a flip phone in a 5G world…..Let’s stay tuned and we will see how this stellar project turns out…

Further Afield – Pioneering Innovative Cancer & Viral Infection Treatments

Indaptus Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: INDP) a clinical stage biotechnology company dedicated to pioneering innovative cancer and viral infection treatments, announced for August 12 their financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2024, and provided a corporate update.

Jeffrey Meckler, CEO, Indaptus Therapuetics, Inc. (NASDAQ: INDP)

Jeffrey Meckler, Indaptus Therapeutics’ Chief Executive Officer, commented, “During the second quarter we had multiple opportunities to share our findings regarding our Phase 1 clinical trial to date, and to demonstrate the unique approach that our Decoy platform offers. These included impactful conferences such as the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) annual meeting and the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) annual meeting, which are considered among the top annual oncology conferences. Further, our founder was once again recognized by the industry when he was named chair of the STING & TLR-Targeted Therapies Summit. We are encouraged by the results we have reported, along with the data we are seeing as we continue the multi-dose stage of the Phase 1 clinical trial. As Decoy20 continues to be well-tolerated in our Phase 1 clinical trial, we expect to progress to dosing multiple patients simultaneously. This will increase the data we receive and, as a result, is expected to accelerate the progress of the trial. We look forward to demonstrating continued impactful outcomes in the second half of the year.” Learn more by clicking here.

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GeoVax Lab, Inc. (Nasdaq: GOVX), a biotechnology company developing immunotherapies and vaccines against cancers and infectious diseases, announced that David Dodd, CEO of GeoVax Labs, will present at our sister organization Tribe Public’s Webinar Presentation and Q&A Event titled “Now Is Not the Time to Monkey(pox) Around.”

GeoVax will provide a detailed Overview of Mpox including commentary on the rapid spread and methods for control, treatment, and prevention.

The Event is scheduled to begin at 8:00am PT / 11:00am ET on Friday, August 23, 2024. To register to join the complimentary event, please visit the Tribe Public LLC website at MonkeyPox.TribePublic.com.

Once registered, participants may begin forwarding their questions for the CEO to Tribe Public at research@tribepublic.com or share their questions via the ZOOM chat feature during the event. Tribe Public’s Managing Member, John F. Heerdink, Jr., will host the event and relay all questions to management.