Joint Venture Company Forms to Deploy eTheRNA’s Technology for R&D

Clinical-stage company, eTheRNA Immunotherapies, has entered into a strategic cooperation and product license agreement with China Grand Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Holdings to form a new joint venture company, Nanjong AuroRNA Biotech.

As reported in a Dec. 2, 2020 press release, the newly formed company will be located in mainland China and will deploy eTheRNA’s proprietary mRNA technology for pharmaceutical R&D and production in the greater China region. The formation of AuroRNA Biotech follows the equity investment by China Grand Pharma in eTheRNA’s Series B financing round, which occurred earlier in 2020 and provides eTheRNA access to the greater China market for selected mRNA cancer and infectious disease vaccine programs, its proprietary mRNA formulation technologies, and good manufacturing practice manufacturing process technology.

Under the terms of the agreement, AuroRNA Biotech will gain an exclusive license for eTheRNA’s mRNA technology platforms in the greater China region (Mainland China, Hong Kong SAR, Macau SAR, and Taiwan). Technology support for the new company will be provided by eTheRNA as the new company establishes itself and an exclusive license to develop, manufacture, and commercialize eTheRNA’s HPV-positive head and neck cancer development product in the greater China region has been granted to AuroRNA Biotech.

“We are delighted to have secured our first corporate partnership with one of China’s top 10 pharmaceutical companies,” said Dr. Steven Powell, CEO of eTheRNA, in the press release. “This will undoubtedly bring another dimension to our business at a time when mRNA technology is demonstrating its high potential through products developed by companies including BioNTech, Curevac, and Moderna to thwart the COVID-19 pandemic. We look forward to forging additional international partnerships in the coming year.”

Source: eTheRNA