Just over $1M (£0.89M) was awarded by the Biomedical Catalyst (BMC) to support the development of Sixfold’s Mergo®.

The collaborative project will utilise Pharmidex and Medicines Discovery Catapult (MDC) expertise in advanced preclinical development and in vivo imaging to generate further preclinical data on Sixfold’s RNA delivery system for an undisclosed non-hepatic disease. Sixfold will be contributing their expertise in computationally-enabled Mergo optimisation, high-throughput RNA synthesis and preclinical screening to the project.

Sixfold has demonstrated the ability of their Mergo® system to deliver RNA therapeutics to currently uncatered cell types. The output from this collaboration will be used to further one of their more advanced assets and generate data to improve their ML driven RNA delivery platform.

Dr Anna Perdrix Rosell, founder and co-CEO of Sixfold Bioscience, said, "as we continue to progress our pipeline for the targeted delivery of RNA therapeutics, preclinical data generation is essential to support the development of our advanced assets and pave the way towards a clinical demonstrator”.

“We’re delighted to continue strengthening our partnerships with both MDC and Pharmidex with this BMC funded project, which will not only accelerate our growing preclinical pipeline, but also help us realise the potential of computational tools for RNA delivery.”

Dr Juliana Maynard, Head of Translational Imaging at Medicines Discovery Catapult, said, “MDC exists to transform great UK science into better treatments through partnerships. Building upon our partnership with Sixfold through this BMC funded project gives us an opportunity to further bring this purpose to life. By combining MDC’s world class pre-clinical imaging skills with Sixfolds drug delivery expertise, we hope to drive forward this innovative RNA delivery platform.”

Dr Christopher Ireson, Head of Oncology, Pharmidex Pharmaceutical Services, said, “We are delighted to build on our well-established relationship with Sixfold Bioscience, utilising our preclinical expertise to further support the development of this innovative class of RNA therapeutics.”

Sixfold Bioscience

Sixfold Bioscience is a venture-backed preclinical-stage biotechnology company, founded in 2017, based at the Translation & Innovation Hub in White City, London. Sixfold develops programmable drug delivery systems, with a current focus on short interfering RNA for gene silencing and messenger RNA for gene expression.

Sixfold’s RNA delivery platform, Mergo®, was conceived by co-founders Dr Perdrix Rosell and Dr George Foot, who were left frustrated by current delivery systems that were either too toxic or faced complex engineering challenges. The Company’s differentiated approach is based on engineering biocompatible nano-architectures with precise chemical profiles that guide the RNA to selected organs.

Pharmidex

Pharmidex is a contract research organisation (CRO) that provides translational solutions using its world renowned expertise in CNS/oncology/respiratory, DMPK, drug discovery and ADMET/pharmacokinetics. Founded in the UK in 2002, Pharmidex operates in state-of-the-art facilities in London and Hatfield to provide high-quality bespoke experimental data to support drug discovery and development. For more information, visit: https://www.pharmidex.com/

MDC

Medicines Discovery Catapult (MDC) is an independent, not-for-profit organisation and part of the Catapult Network established by Innovate UK.

MDC’s vision is to reshape drug discovery for the benefit of patients by transforming great UK science into better treatments through partnership.

MDC is in place to tackle industry-led challenges overcoming the barriers that face UK life-science businesses with effective interventions and industrialising new technologies to drive the adoption of new scientific tools and techniques for discovering medicines.

Biomedical Catalyst

The Biomedical Catalyst programme is a partnership between the MRC and Innovate UK providing business funding to help test and develop innovative life science products and services, bringing novel products to the market and securing onward business investments.

Innovate UK

Innovate UK is the UK’s innovation agency, helping businesses to develop and commercialise new products, processes and services in an agile and comprehensive innovation ecosystem. Innovate UK enables businesses from the UK’s world-renowned research base to build partnerships and access expertise and equipment to speed up growth through innovation.