Synthetic mRNA for Treating EBV Associated Cancers

Overview

We exploit the advanced nucleoside-modified mRNA and lipid nanoparticle technologies to develop a synthetic mRNA drug to switch on an EBV-specific suicide mechanism to kill the EBV-positive cancer cells. The mRNA drug efficiently induces EBV lytic cycle to kill the EBV-positive cancer cells and to enhance the antitumor immunity, but causing minimal side effects to normal cells of the patients. This technology has been licensed by CUHK academic-led start-up ACE Nanomed Limited.

  • Synthetic mRNA for Treating EBV Associated Cancers 0
  • Synthetic mRNA for Treating EBV Associated Cancers 1
Commercialisation opportunities
technology licensing agreement
Problem addressed

Each year, about 270,000 new cancer cases globally are attributable to EBV infection. EBV drives the development of nasopharyngeal carcinoma, ~10% of all gastric cancers; and a remarkably wide range of lymphoid malignancies such as Hodgkin disease, Burkitt lymphoma, and diffuse large B cell lymphoma. Despite of its well-characterized oncogenic role in EBV-associated cancers, no therapeutic strategy or drug specially targeted EBV is available in the market.

Innovation
  • EBV-targeted lipid nanoparticle-mRNA drug
  • Synthetic transcriptional activator for efficient reactivation of EBV lytic program
  • First-in-Class mRNA-based EBV-targeted therapy
Key impact
  • Potent and specific effect in killing EBV-positive tumor cells
  • Safe and limited side effects
Award
  • Silver Medal, 49th International Exhibition of Inventions Geneva
  • One of the top 10 innovative science news stories in Hong Kong, 2024: "Hong Kong Top 10 Innovative Science News" organized by the Beijing-Hong Kong Academic Exchange Centre
Application
  • Treatment of EBV-associated nasopharyngeal carcinoma, gastric cancer, Hodgkin disease, Burkitt lymphoma and diffuse large B cell lymphoma.

Patent

  • SYNTHETIC mRNA FOR TREATING EBV-ASSOCIATED DISEASES. WIPO (PCT) No.: WO 2024/222785 filed on April 25, 2024.
  • ACTIVATION OF LYTIC GENES IN CANCER CELLS. WIPO (PCT) No.: WO 2021/173977A1 filed on February 26, 2021
The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK)

Founded in 1963, The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) is a forward-looking comprehensive research university with a global vision and a mission to combine tradition with modernity, and to bring together China and the West. CUHK teachers and students hail from all around the world. Four Nobel laureates are associated with the university, and it is the only tertiary institution in Hong Kong with recipients of the Nobel Prize, Turing Award, Fields Medal and Veblen Prize sitting as faculty in residence. CUHK graduates are connected worldwide through an extensive alumni network. CUHK undertakes a wide range of research programmes in many subject areas, and strives to provide scope for all academic staff to undertake consultancy and collaborative projects with industry. 

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