- A new therapeutic approach centered on RNA splicing modulation
- Initial focus on Huntington’s disease treatment
ODENSE, Denmark – January 7, 2025 – Inverna Therapeutics, a new Danish biotech company specializing in cutting-edge RNA therapeutics, has launched. Co-founded by the University of Southern Denmark and Argobio, the company is committed to improving patient outcomes in severe genetic diseases, beginning with a lead program targeting Huntington’s disease.
Inverna’s platform builds upon the pioneering research of Professor Brage Storstein Andresen, a leading expert in RNA splicing and antisense technology. Inverna aims to overcome limitations of traditional RNA therapeutics by utilizing the innovative potential of sequence-based splice modulation for safer and more effective treatments across a range of debilitating diseases.
Poul Sørensen, Inverna’s CEO and Partner and Entrepreneur-in-Residence at Argobio, stated, “We are excited to launch Inverna. Our team, backed by Argobio and the University of Southern Denmark, is uniquely positioned to develop transformative therapies addressing critical unmet medical needs. Our proprietary understanding of RNA splicing modulation, and our pseudo-exon targeting technology, offers a potential solution to current RNA therapeutic limitations, enabling precise, sequence-based, and allele-specific targeting with minimal off-target effects.”
Professor Brage S. Andresen, Inverna’s co-founder and CSO, added, “It’s remarkable to translate years of research on pre-mRNA splicing regulation in human disease into new RNA precision medicines. We are eager to harness the potential of our new discovery engine to develop novel RNA therapeutics for currently untreatable diseases.”
Argobio, a leading European biotech start-up studio, has been instrumental in establishing Inverna Therapeutics. Through initial investment, strategic guidance, and operational support, Argobio has enabled Inverna to accelerate its pipeline of innovative RNA therapeutics across several high-value indications, already generating encouraging preclinical in-vivo data.
Thierry Laugel, Argobio’s Chairman and Managing Partner at Kurma Partners, commented, “At Argobio, we build companies based on groundbreaking scientific discoveries and innovative approaches to critical medical needs. We are delighted to transform another exceptional academic project into a promising industry player. Inverna aligns perfectly with our model, leveraging cutting-edge science and our expertise in building and operating biotech companies.”
The University of Southern Denmark, a globally recognized research institution, has played a vital role in establishing the scientific foundation for Inverna’s innovative approach. Thomas Schmidt, Head of Technology Transfer at the University of Southern Denmark, noted, “The launch of Inverna Therapeutics exemplifies the University of Southern Denmark’s commitment to translating world-class research into real-world impact. Through our collaboration with Argobio and Professor Brage Storstein Andresen’s visionary leadership, we are proud to contribute to the development of groundbreaking therapies addressing crucial unmet medical needs.”
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About Inverna
Inverna is a biotech company dedicated to developing transformative RNA therapeutics based on RNA splicing modulation. With a solid scientific foundation and a highly skilled team, Inverna is committed to advancing novel RNA therapeutics and providing hope to patients.
About Argobio
Argobio, a Paris-based start-up studio, specializes in transforming cutting-edge innovations into successful biotech companies. The studio identifies early-stage therapeutic projects from leading European academic research institutions, focusing on rare diseases, neurological disorders, oncology, and immunology. Argobio incubates these projects, aiming to develop them into fully-fledged biotech companies ready for significant Series A financing. The studio’s experienced biotech entrepreneurs offer extensive expertise in novel drug discovery and development.
About the University of Southern Denmark
The University of Southern Denmark ranks among the top fifty young universities globally. It comprises five faculties with over 21,000 students and more than 3,900 employees. The faculties foster interdisciplinary collaboration built upon internationally recognized research. Top-tier research underpins its educational programs and the value it creates for its community.
Corporate Contact:
Poul Sørensen, CEO of Inverna Therapeutics
email : psorensen@invernatx.com
Media Contact:
akampion
Dr. Ludger Wess / Ines-Regina Buth
Managing Partners
Tel. +49 40 88 16 59 64 /Tel. +49 30 23 63 27 68
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