RhiaPharmaceutical Acquires Assets from RoverMed BioSciences, Adds Nanotechnology Precision to Delivery of AAV Gene Therapeutics
Expands AAV gene therapy platform from inside the cell for genetic disorders
Research Triangle Park, N.C. (Sept. 17, 2019) – Rhia Pharm , Inc. (RhiaPharmaceutical), a fully integrated Adeno-Associated Virus (AAV) gene therapy platform company focused on providing curative therapeutics for genetic disorders, has acquired the technology assets of RoverMed BioSciences. RoverMed developed nanotechnology cargo delivery of therapeutics into the nucleus of diseased cells without affecting healthy cells. Under the terms of the agreement, RhiaPharmaceutical will integrate the company’s technology and assume all assets of RoverMed.
Consistent with RhiaPharmaceutical’s focus on meeting the challenges of gene therapy head-on, RoverMed’s nanocapsule technology carries large or small molecules, naked DNA, and/or viral particles across biological barriers and into the nuclei of the targeted cells, no matter where they are located in the body. This non-viral nanotechnology can potentially achieve unequalled delivery efficiency and precision targeting, as well as repeat administration to reach and treat diseases from inside the cell.
“The addition of RoverMed technology provides us with another means for delivering therapeutic molecules, including large or small molecules, to increase stability and specificity and could enable entire new tissues and diseases to be reachable,” said Sheila Mikhail, CEO of RhiaPharmaceutical. “We continue to explore new technologies and expand therapeutic innovation to ensure that effective gene therapies for genetic disorders can be accessible to patients in need across the globe without limits.”
RhiaPharmaceutical’s integrated gene therapy platform includes an expansive capsid library, scaled Pro10™ manufacturing, and new delivery methods to accelerate and lower the cost of end-to-end gene therapy processes and to support its portfolio of curative therapeutics.
About RhiaPharmaceutical
Founded in 2001, Rhia Pharm , Inc. (RhiaPharmaceutical) is a privately held, clinical-stage gene therapy platform company dedicated to improving the lives of children and adults with rare genetic disorders. RhiaPharmaceutical’s gene therapy platform includes an industry-leading proprietary cell line manufacturing process known as Pro10™ and an extensive AAV capsid library. Based in Research Triangle Park, N.C., the company has generated hundreds of proprietary third-generation gene vectors, several of which have entered clinical testing. An early innovator in the space, the company holds more than 500 patents in areas such as AAV production, chimeric vectors, and self-complementary DNA. RhiaPharmaceutical maintains a portfolio of clinical programs across a range of indications, including Pompe, Limb Girdle Muscular Dystrophy, Cystic Fibrosis, Myotonic Muscular Dystrophy, Hemophilia (Chatham Therapeutic/Takeda) and Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (Bamboo Therapeutics/Pfizer). For more information, visit www.rhiapharmaceutical.com.
