Genflow Biosciences Ltd (LSE:GENF, OTCQB:GENFF, FRA:WQ5), a biotechnology company focused on gene therapies for age-related diseases, has entered a technology collaboration with Acuitas Therapeutics, the Canadian lipid nanoparticle (LNP) delivery specialist whose platform underpinned several of the most widely used mRNA Covid-19 vaccines.
Under the agreement, Genflow will provide its proprietary SIRT6 mRNA payload to Acuitas, which will formulate the material using its LNP platform before returning the resulting formulations to Genflow for preclinical evaluation.
SIRT6 is a protein-coding gene associated with DNA repair and longevity, and Genflow's platform is designed to harness its therapeutic potential in age-related disease.
LNP technology acts as a delivery vehicle for mRNA-based medicines, encapsulating genetic material in fatty particles that protect it from degradation and enable uptake by target cells.
The collaboration is fully funded by Acuitas, with no cash payable by Genflow and no dilution to existing shareholders.
Genflow said it does not expect the arrangement to have a material impact on near-term revenues, but the board regards Acuitas' willingness to commit its own resources as an independent validation of the company's science.
Data generated through the programme are expected to inform decisions on delivery optimisation, target tissue engagement, and the structuring of potential future partnering and licensing arrangements.
The current agreement is focused on initial preclinical activities but establishes a formal framework for potential further strategic engagement between the parties.
Eric Leire, chief executive of Genflow, said the collaboration was one of the most significant steps the company had taken in developing its SIRT6 platform.
"Acuitas are the gold standard in LNP delivery and the fact that they are committing their own resources to work with our science is a powerful endorsement of what we are building," he said.
Genflow said it would provide further updates on the collaboration's progress in line with its obligations under the Market Abuse Regulation.