Integral Molecular and Optimeos Life Sciences Enter Partnership to Develop mRNA and DNA-Based Gene Therapies Using Molecular Targeting

Integral Molecular and Optimeos Life Sciences announce a partnership to develop next-generation mRNA and DNA therapeutics that will use antibody-based molecular targeting to direct vaccines and gene therapies to relevant tissues in a patient's body. This partnership combines Integral Molecular's experience in antibody discovery and mRNA immunization with Optimeos' technology for nanoparticle-based drug delivery systems.

DNA and mRNA therapeutics harness a patient's own molecular machinery to encode proteins. Integral Molecular and Optimeos plan to encapsulate these therapeutic molecules within nanoparticle spheres that are decorated with antibodies on the outer surface. The antibodies can then target the particles to specific tissues. Currently, gene therapies and mRNA vaccines are delivered into the body via infusion or injection, but only a fraction of the molecules arrive at their intended site. The proposed molecular targeting strategy has the potential to transform the delivery of vaccines and therapeutics by dramatically reducing dosages, decreasing toxicity, and enabling scalable administration.  

Integral Molecular will apply its industry-leading antibody discovery expertise against complex cell-surface proteins to provide targeting moieties for the therapies. Its specialized MPS Antibody Discovery platform is tailored to work with challenging membrane protein targets and routinely uses mRNA-based immunization strategies. "Precision targeting of an isolated cell type with gene therapy holds great promise for genetic diseases and may provide brand-new directions in cancer immunotherapy including in vivo CAR-T cell therapeutics," said Joseph Rucker, Co-founder and VP of R&D at Integral Molecular.

Optimeos' technology allows the robust and scalable incorporation of mRNA and DNA therapeutics and other biologics into customizable nanoparticles. "We are excited to work with Integral Molecular towards the next generation of gene-therapy that no longer relies on viral-based delivery systems," said Robert Prud'homme, Co-founder and Chief Technical Officer of Optimeos.

Integral Molecular and Optimeos will be attending the BIO International Convention in San Diego later this month.

About Integral Molecular
Integral Molecular is the industry leader in developing and applying innovative technologies that advance the discovery of therapeutics against difficult protein targets. With 20 years of experience focused on membrane proteins and antibodies, Integral Molecular's technologies have been integrated into the drug discovery pipelines of over 400 biotech and pharmaceutical companies to help discover new therapies for cancer, diabetes, autoimmune disorders, and viral threats such as SARS-CoV-2, Ebola, Zika, and dengue viruses.

About Optimeos Life Sciences
Optimeos Life Sciences has developed a novel, highly differentiated, non-viral, nanoparticle technology, for delivery of new therapeutic drugs to address important unmet medical needs. The technology is a patented and scalable polymeric drug delivery system, which was developed and refined in Professor Prud'homme's lab at Princeton University over 20 years. Optimeos' technology enables encapsulation of mRNA, DNA, peptides, proteins or small molecules, as well as their targeted delivery to cells and tissues beyond the liver.