ParcelBio: Programmable delivery of mRNA medicines

Summary: ParcelBio is addressing the biggest problem in RNA therapeutics: delivery. We are developing a programmable technology to safely and specifically deliver mRNA to diverse cell types in the body. We will initially use this technology to develop drugs for long-overlooked kidney disorders, chronic liver diseases, and immune system dysregulation—but that’s just the beginning.

The Problem: mRNA therapeutics have already saved millions of lives with the advent of the COVID-19 vaccine. We believe they can save millions more. That’s because mRNA is a versatile therapeutic: It can be programmed to produce just about anything the body could need. The key hurdle limiting the full therapeutic potential of mRNA is delivery; it’s hard to get enough mRNA exactly where it needs to go.

To safely and efficiently deliver an mRNA therapeutic requires a delivery vehicle that imparts two features: stability and targeting. The current delivery vehicle of choice is a lipid nanoparticle (LNP), which is essentially a fat droplet that encapsulates the mRNA. LNPs work great for vaccines, but applications beyond vaccines require more specific targeting and higher doses than what best-in-class LNP technologies can provide.

Our Solution: Our proprietary technology, which we call ‘STAmP’ (Stabilization and Targeting by Annealing mRNA to ParcelOligos), is a completely new way of delivering an mRNA medicine without a nanoparticle. STAmP’s key innovation is the use of ‘ParcelOligos’, which was inspired by the clinical success of another type of RNA therapeutic called siRNA that has already moved on from nanoparticle-based delivery. ParcelOligos bind to an mRNA molecule to convert it into a more stable form so that it can survive the journey to desired cell types. In addition to imparting stability, ParcelOligos are attached to interchangeable ‘keys’ that only unlock cells with the corresponding lock. These keys are based on naturally occurring molecules that the body already uses to recognize specific cell types.

We will use STAmP to develop wholly-owned drugs for kidney, liver, and immune system disorders. We will also partner with pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies to make improved mRNA vaccines and to deliver CRISPR gene-editing tools to diverse cell types.

The Team: David holds a PhD from MIT where he studied the function of siRNAs, was a faculty member at UCSF investigating mRNA biology, and most recently was the Vice President of RNA Platform at a leading mRNA therapeutics startup, Orbital Therapeutics. Chris received his PhD from UCSF where he studied RNA protection in viruses. He was hired by David at Orbital Therapeutics, where he went on to author multiple pending patents related to the stabilization of therapeutic RNAs.

Our Ask: We would appreciate any introductions to investors or potential drug-development partners—especially those interested in making better vaccines and delivering CRISPR gene-editing tools to diverse cell types. Reach out to us at founders@parcelbio.com!