ACIRNA Therapeutics (formerly Chimeron Bio) receives NIH (NCI) Innovative Concept Award for mRNA cancer vaccine development
Philadelphia, PA: Chimeron Bio (now ACIRNA Therapeutics), a Philadelphia-headquartered biotech company, has received a 2024 National Institutes of Health Small Business Innovation Research Innovative Concept Award through the National Cancer Institute. The funding will support Chimeron Bio’s program developing a cancer vaccine against an inherited form of colorectal cancer.
Chimeron Bio will seek to develop a specialized vaccine using the company’s patented chimeric, multiplexed nanoparticle. The vaccine will use the company’s self-amplifying mRNA platform to train the immune system to target mutated, cancer-associated proteins in colorectal cancer cells.
“We’re thrilled to have the opportunity to implement our mRNA platform in the cancer vaccine space,” said Kevin Heyeck, CEO. “Cancer vaccine research is an imperative for medical science moving into the future, and we’re uniquely equipped to advance this field to address unmet needs for cancer patients.”
“We are grateful that the National Cancer Institute recognizes potential in Chimeron Bio’s unique approach to cancer vaccines with this support,” said Dr. Antonin de Fougerolles, Chimeron Board member.
This program builds on Chimeron’s cancer vaccine efforts within its cancer-focused platform, which includes immuno-oncology and in vivo CAR cell therapy.
About ACIRNA Therapeutics
ACIRNA Therapeutics (formerly Chimeron Bio) is a Philadelphia-based biotechnology company developing next-generation RNA therapeutics engineered to reprogram the immune system. By combining amplified linear and circular RNA architectures with flexible delivery, ACIRNA is building in vivo CAR and immuno-oncology therapies to transform the treatment of cancer and immune-mediated disease. For more information, visit www.acirna.com.
This project has been funded in whole or in part with Federal funds from the National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, under Contract No. 75N91024C00011.