Replicate raises cash for RNA therapies

Abstract

Replicate Bioscience has launched with $40 million to develop self-replicating RNA therapies. Replicate has engineered viral RNA to deliver instructions for making proteins, such as antibodies and cytokines, to treat conditions including cancer and autoimmune diseases. The RNA molecules are designed to multiply on their own inside cells, which the firm hopes will make them effective at small doses. The approach is based partly on work that cofounders Nathaniel Wang and Andrew Geall did while at Synthetic Genomics and Novartis, respectively.