Nuntius Therapeutics Announces Major Deal With Taiho Pharmaceutical

Nuntius Therapeutics, known for its cutting-edge mRNA therapies and delivery systems, has unveiled a new partnership with Taiho Pharmaceutical of Japan. This strategic alliance will see Taiho utilizing Nuntius' innovative nanocarrier technologies—including cell-specific peptide dendrimers and lipid-based systems—to advance mRNA-based cancer immunotherapy development.

Details regarding the financial aspects of the deal remain under wraps. Nuntius, which has maintained a low profile until now, revealed that this collaboration follows a successful feasibility study where Taiho assessed Nuntius' mRNA delivery technologies. Both companies have opted to keep the outcomes of the feasibility study confidential.

Regarding the Taiho collaboration, Benita Nagel, CEO of Nuntius, characterized the company as, “an excellent partner for us given their strong oncology focused research and commercial capabilities.” Albert Kwok, PhD, Nuntius’ CSO, further added “validates our carriers as exceptionally effective cell specific delivery technology for genetic medicine.”

In a recent interview with GEN, Benita Nagel, co-founder of Nuntius, shed light on the company's mission to advance mRNA therapies. Nuntius, named after the Latin term for “messenger,” was established by Nagel and her partner Kwok to delve deeper into the possibilities of these innovative treatments.

Kwok, who had previously completed two post-doctoral programs in nucleic acid delivery and disease pathophysiology and worked on therapy delivery at a biotech firm, brings crucial expertise to Nuntius's initiatives. Additionally, the company has assembled a distinguished advisory team, including Dr. Robert Hawkins, known for his work in cancer biotherapeutics and antibody affinity maturation, which played a pivotal role in the creation of Humira.

Nagel said, “mRNA as a [drug] modality showed its superpowers during the [COVID-19] pandemic. We  saw so many possibilities beyond COVID and we knew we had a best-in-class delivery technology at hand, and that’s why we started Nuntius.”

Nuntius is tackling one of the biggest hurdles in mRNA therapy—effective delivery to target tissues. While lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) have been a common solution, they come with limitations, such as potential liver accumulation and immunogenicity risks. Nuntius aims to overcome these challenges with its innovative approach.

The company is advancing a new generation of delivery vehicles known as dendrimer lipid nanocarriers, which are produced cost-effectively using established GMP methods. According to Benita Nagel, these nanocarriers offer the ability to target tissues beyond the liver and present a reduced risk of immunogenic reactions, promising a broader range of treatable diseases.