Something for everyone, page-2

They key problem identified in the article is endosomal escape. In order to overcome cellular barriers for RNA therapeutics it is necessary to discover non-toxic endosomal escape enhancers that are ∼ 100 times more efficient.

Back in 2013, Janssen faced a similar issue with the intracellular delivery of its Centyrin platform. They could get Centyrins into cells but the process was inefficient. Janssen turned to an ' Academic/Biotech consortium' to explore methods to improve efficiency. Posters with long memories may remember the thread by SoT titled Janssen Presentation on Centyrins, 13/12/13.

The collaboration between Janssen and Phylogica led to a breakthrough in the intracellular delivery of some major drug treatments. According to the Shareholder Update of November 2014, FPPs identified through its Endosomal Escape Trap technology, can improve the delivery of large biologic cargoes by up to 160 fold.

All this talk of ∼ 100 times more efficient and the presence of Dr Robert Hayes on the Board, formerly the VP & Venture Leader of Centyrex within Janssen, is part of the excitement that a breakthrough in the efficiency of intracellular drug delivery is at hand.