Nutcracker Therapeutics has secured $167m in a Series C funding round led by ARCH Venture Partners to develop messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) therapies to treat cancer.
The RNA manufacturing platform of the company merges RNA biochemistry with microfluidic engineering, semiconductor-like biochips and a nanoparticle delivery technology to offer a completely automated and isolated manufacturing pathway.
It can aid in the development of RNA therapeutics from the discovery stage to the clinical trial stage and marketing, stepping up suitably at the respective phases.
Leveraging this platform, Nutcracker intends to boost the pace and scale the discovery, development and manufacturing of therapies.
The funding proceeds will enable the company to extend and enhance its mRNA therapy pipeline for cancer.
Furthermore, they will be used to improve the RNA manufacturing platform and the underlying technology.
As part of the funding, Paratek Pharmaceuticals board executive chairman Michael Bigham joined Nutcracker’s board of directors.
Nutcracker Therapeutics co-founder and CEO Igor Khandros said: “The recent success of the mRNA vaccines for Covid-19 has brought newfound energy around the use of RNA as a therapeutic tool.
“With this significant milestone and the support of our top-flight investors and partners, we are well-positioned to begin the next phase of Nutcracker’s evolution, accelerating RNA therapeutics development within the company and beyond using our unique ‘GMP-in-a-box’ platform and meet the rising demand for RNA therapies and their efficient, scalable manufacturing.”
In September 2020, the company secured $60m in a Series B funding round led by ARCH Venture Partners for developing, producing and supplying mRNA theories leveraging its push-button ‘GMP-in-a-box’ system.
Top healthcare investors, including Bluebird Ventures, took part in the financing round.
