The field of ribonucleic acid (RNA) therapeutics, once considered an unexplored area, is now the most coveted sector in the global biotech industry.
RNA therapeutics are a new class of medications based on RNA. There has been research on its clinical use since the 1990s, which led to the adaptation of cancer therapy in the early 2010s. In the last two years, messenger RNA (mRNA) was widely developed to combat the global COVID-19 pandemic.
Previously, the big challenge with RNA development was figuring out how to deliver it into cells. With the advent of mRNA therapeutics, however, this problem has been resolved. Out of the four main types of RNA therapeutics, mRNA-based treatment is the only type that is based on triggering the synthesis of proteins within cells -- making it particularly useful in vaccine development.
SK, CELLTRION DEVELOP NEW RNA THERAPEUTICSST Pharm Co. hosted an investor relations conference on Thursday in Seoul to outline the potential of the oligonucleotide market. The raw material is integral to producing RNA therapeutics.
According to Dusseldorf-based Advanced Market Research GmbH, the oligonucleotide market is forecast to grow 17.1% per year on average through 2030.
The rise in demand for oligonucleotide is a reflection of a jump in active developments of RNA therapeutics by biotech firms worldwide.
The COVID-19 vaccine by Pfizer–BioNTech was the first mRNA vaccine approved by a medicines regulator, followed by one by Moderna. On the back of the vaccines’ commercialization, there is a growing hope that RNA therapeutics could be used in cancer treatment, cerebropathy, and rare genetic disorders.
SK Biopharmaceuticals recently joined hands with Biorchestra, developer of Alzheimer’s disease treatment. SK hopes to use the private company’s microRNA (miRNA) technology to develop epilepsy treatments.
Despite having developed its own epilepsy treatment Cenobamate, SK wants to incorporate RNA into its therapeutics.
OVERSEAS CLINICAL TRIALSOliX Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is the most advanced in terms of clinical trials of RNA therapeutics in South Korea. The company is conducting the second phase of clinical trials for treating large scars in Korea and the United States. The core of the therapeutics lies in preventing the occurrence of the connective tissue growth factor (CTGF).
Bioneer Corp. is also developing therapeutics for pulmonary fibrosis in this manner. In the first half of this year, the company plans to request the first phase of clinical trials in Korea.
OliPass Corp. is developing nonopioid analgesics and currently conducting the second phase of clinical trials in Australia.
Rznomics Inc., for its part, is developing a treatment for liver cancer. The treatment is aimed at detecting and removing target RNAs in cancer cells and injecting RNA that fights cancer cells instead. Late last year, the company submitted approval for clinical trials to the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety.
Rznomics is also working with GC Pharma to co-develop new treatments that utilize next-generation RNA platforms.
Celltrion is collaborating with US biotech firm TriLink BioTechnologies in developing mRNA-based cancer treatments.
COLLABORATION WITH GLOBAL CORPORATIONSThe development of RNA-based treatments is more active outside of Korea – with the surge in news about acquisitions and transfer of technology.
A case in point is the acquisition of Massachusetts-based Diecerna Dicerna Pharmaceuticals, Inc. by Denmark’s Novo Nordisk A/S. The world’s 16th-largest pharmaceutical company, completed its $3.3 billion acquisition of Dicerna last Nov. 18, 2021.
Earlier this month, Novartis announced a collaboration with Alnylam on the discovery and development of siRNA-based targeted therapy to restore functional liver cells in patients with end-stage liver disease. Industry insiders say an acquisition is also likely.
The interest in RNA therapeutics was also highlighted at the 40th Annual J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference. The world’s largest biotech investment conference was held in San Francisco Jan. 10-13, 2022.
Indianapolis-based Eli Lilly and Company revealed its roadmap of filling 20% of its preclinical trial pipeline with nucleic acid treatment.
Pfizer–BioNTech, a collaboration that resulted in the widely used COVID-19 vaccine, has begun developing a vaccine against shingles.
Moderna began administering its phase 1 clinical trial vaccines for the Epstein–Barr virus to patients. Formally called human gammaherpesvirus 4, it is best known as the cause of infectious mononucleosis.
Write to Jae-young Han at
jyhan@hankyung.comJee Abbey Lee edited this article.
