14 Small interfering RNA (siRNA) is a class of double-stranded RNA which can regulate the expression of genes by a phenomenon known as RNA interference. In its research, PRAMOMOLECULAR has developed patented technology which utilises covalently linked, lipid-based delivery molecules to transport therapeutic oligonucleotides like siRNAs into the cells of the lungs, heart, and pancreas. This is incredibly useful because specific siRNAs can downregulate specific mRNAs, meaning they can be utilised to ”silence” disease-causing proteins such as mutated or overexpressed proteins. Utilising this ground-breaking technology, PRAMOMOLECULAR is developing its own drug candidates that target disease proteins in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) and heart failure. The company aims to further these developments by cooperating with partners in the biotechnology industry in order to license the drug candidates to pharmaceutical companies. PRAMOMOLECULAR also offers its pioneering technology to other developers of therapeutic oligonucleotides for defined areas of application as a license. Co-Founder of PRAMOMOLECULAR, Merle Fuchs, is a molecular biologist who has been supporting innovation and technologyoriented companies since 1997. She has advised more than 550 start-ups in this area and has co-founded seven of her own high-tech start-ups in the fields of biotechnology, chemistry, and photonics. Notably, Merle co-founded a company specialising in therapeutic oligonucleotides, so she is highly familiar with the biggest problem facing siRNA drug developers: extrahepatic delivery. Based on this knowledge, Merle was inspired to create a start-up dedicated to addressing this challenge. Supported by a million euro grant from the German Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology, Merle co-founded PRAMOMOLECULAR with two experienced professionals in siRNA, Ida Shaef, a biological chemist, and Thomas Hiller, a biotechnologist. 2022’s Most Innovative Medical Aesthetic & Plastic Surgery Clinic - London Breaking Down the Barrier Between Eastern and Western Aesthetic Treatments Jan23089 Today, the company is among the furthest along in the preclinical development of drug candidates to silence mutated RAS proteins, the most important oncoproteins. Using mouse models, PRAMOMOLECULAR has successfully demonstrated the efficacy of its technology in reducing tumour growth in colon cancer and non-small cell lung cancer. In 2001, the first ever patent application for the Nobel Prize winning technology enabling gene silencing by RNA interference in humans was submitted. However, drugs utilising this technology were not approved until 2018. This is because there were a number of technological issues that needed to be solved first, but investors were hesitant to put their money into risky and unproven technology. Now that siRNA has been shown to be highly effective in curing diseases previously considered “undruggable”, there has been an increase in investment and therefore developments in the field. Despite this progress, there are still a number of issues to be resolved as novel siRNA drugs are developed. One issue is that the large, fragile molecules containing siRNA are rapidly degraded by enzymes when unprotected in the body, making them difficult to deliver to the desired organs. Furthermore, siRNAs have many charged groups. This means it is difficult for them to cross the cell membrane, making the task of delivering them into the desired cells even more complex. To date, efficient delivery systems are only able to introduce them to liver cells, which is why all previously approved siRNA drugs are used to address liver enzymes. PRAMOMOLECULAR has overcome these challenges to develop efficient transport molecules which can deliver siRNA to the cells of the heart, lungs, and pancreas to downregulate pathogenic proteins there. Moving forwards, the company’s most important challenge is the task of gaining clinical approval for its various drug candidates. To achieve this, it is working with highly experienced specialists in pharmacology, CRO, manufacturing and regulatory affairs. In 2023, PRAMOMOLECULAR aims to further expand its PoC database to optimize the first lead candidates for preclinical development to enter clinical trials in 2025. Additionally, the company is targeting the acquisition of grants and venture capital, equating to around €10 million. To seek further opportunity, PRAMOMOLECULAR attends conferences where it presents the findings of its innovative research. Recently, the company attended BioNJ’s BioPartnering Conference, which brought together over 500 life sciences and pharma executives, investors, academic collaborators, and business development professionals. The event aims to encourage innovation by fostering collaborations and partnerships while providing research companies with opportunities for investment. PRAMOMOLECULAR recognises that it is still at a very early stage of development with high development risks. However, with a team of highly experienced specialists behind it, the company believes that its patented platform technology and its broad network of connections will enable it to develop a Founded in 2021, PRAMOMOLECULAR GmbH is a biotechnology research company dedicated to the development of novel gene silencing therapies for the treatment of serious diseases. The company is currently creating a highly innovative class of drugs, utilising siRNA to downregulate disease-causing proteins in the heart, lungs, and pancreas. Through this, PRAMOMOLECULAR aims to provide well-tolerated and effective therapeutics to patients with diseases currently seen as undruggable. Best Disease-Causing Protein Solutions Developer 2023 - Europe
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