Akribion Therapeutics, a Zwingenberg-based BioTech startup developing a RNA-guided, nuclease-based technology for programmable cell depletion, today announces its exit from stealth and the completion of a Seed financing round raising €8 million to accelerate the development of therapeutics based on Akribion’s proprietary G-dase® E nucleases.
The round was led by CARMA FUND and RV Invest, with investments from MP Beteiligungs GmbH, Hessen Kapital I, Bruker Invest and High-Tech Gründerfonds (HTGF).
Lukas Linnig, Co-founder and Co-CEO of Akribion, says: “Akribion is unlocking a whole new class of therapeutic possibilities with our approach. Our proprietary G-dase® E nucleases allow very specific depletion of certain subsets of cells based on the presence of a predetermined RNA sequence. While we are initially focused on advancing groundbreaking precision oncology therapies, we believe that this approach to programmable cell depletion could have much wider application. I would like to thank our investors for their commitment to Akribion and for their support in helping us realise the potential of our technology.”
Founded in 2024, Akribion is led by Dr Michael Krohn and Lukas Linnig, Co-Founders and Co-CEO’s. Dr Adel Nada has also been appointed as board Chair to support the management team. Dr Nada is a biotech executive and multi-time Founder and operator. He is currently a venture partner with Volnay Therapeutics, a cell and gene therapy investor and incubator based in the US.
Akribion Therapeutics is developing a RNA-guided, nuclease-based technology for programmable cell depletion. Its G-dase® E payload has the ability to kill cells by shredding DNA and RNA, but only if there is a highly specific match between the guide RNA and an intracellular RNA sequence, ensuring that only the targeted cells are affected, leaving healthy cells unharmed.
The G-dase® E technology was discovered by Dr. Paul Scholz and his team at BRAIN Biotech AG, the specialist in biosolutions for industrial applications, during Michael and Lukas’s tenure there. Dr. Scholz has also joined Akribion as Head of Research and Development.
Dr. Martin Raditsch, General Partner, CARMA FUND adds: “Akribion’s unique technology enables the creation of a new class of oncology therapeutics. We are looking forward to working alongside this enthusiastic team to develop new cancer treatments with improved outcomes for patients in this prevalent and hard to treat indication.”
Initially targeting HPV-induced Oropharyngeal Head & Neck Cancer (OPSCC), Akribion is exploring additional applications in oncology, autoimmune diseases, fibrosis, and infectious diseases.
The flexibility and broad potential of Akribion’s technology makes it a promising platform for various therapeutic areas, as by simply changing the guide RNA, the technology can be quickly adapted to target different cells, making it much faster to develop new treatments compared to traditional methods.
Dr. Aleksei Zeifman, Investment Director, RV Invest, comments: “We’re thrilled to support Akribion’s entrepreneurial team as they seek to unlock the full potential of their unique technology. The high adaptability of the G-Dase® E platform makes it a perfect tool to leverage our emerging knowledge of the genomic signatures of diseases across various therapeutic areas.”
Dr. Katharina Severin, Investment Manager at HTGF, adds: “The strong team at Akribion Therapeutics and their novel approach to RNA-guided cell depletion pose great potential to develop transformative therapeutic approaches. While initially targeting cancer, there is also great promise to adapt the versatile technology for the future treatment of autoimmune diseases, infectious diseases, fibrosis, and beyond. We are excited to be a part of their journey!”
The current financing round is expected to deliver in vivo Proof of Concept of Akribion’s technology.