The New Antibodies Revolutionizing Medicine

Nucleic acid-based therapies are poised to revolutionize medicine – just as antibodies did thirty years ago.

While most biotechs struggle amid a prolonged funding winter, one group is doing just fine. We are not talking about artificial intelligence. Several start-ups working on nucleic acid-based therapies – a sprawling category that includes several flavors of RNA, anti-sense oligonucleotides (ASOs), aptamers (short single stranded oligonucleotides) and gene-edited cell and gene therapies – are raising bigger-than-average rounds. Four of the top five private financings in 2023 have been companies working on RNA, gene editing or manufacturing. ReNAgade Therapeutics and Orbital Therapeutics each pulled in over $250m; this year’s biggest round yet brought ElevateBio, with its suite of gene- and cell-editing tools, more than $400m.

These groups are competing for dominance in a field of medicine whose scope, impact and value is being compared to...

Welcome to In Vivo

Create an account to read this article

More from Innovation

IMMA Starts A Silent Revolution By Making IVF Journey Digital, Predictable And At Home

 
• By 

IMMA’s transvaginal at-home ovarian stimulation monitoring system using ultrasound and AI image analysis increases the chances of early IVF success. It won the Biomed Israel 2025 IVD start-up showcase award. Further potential applications could follow, cofounder/CEO Beatrice Chemla told In Vivo.

CRL Trio Brings Shifting Sand To Regenerative Medicine Regulation

 

Replimune's RP1 oncolytic immunotherapy became the third regenerative medicine to receive an FDA complete response letter this month as the agency appears to re-visit previous agreements about accelerated approval.

When Simple Is Best: A Pre-Term Birth Device To End The ‘Silent Emergency’

 
• By 

The Lioness non-surgical silicon ring implant is designed to put an end to pre-term births, sparing maternal anguish and saving health system costs. PregnanTech won the Biomed Israel 2025 medtech start-up award, and Limor Sandach told In Vivo how a non-digital technology beat off stiff competition.

Podcast: Scancell’s Cancer Vaccine Progress With NHS Partnership

 
• By 

In the latest podcast interview, Phil L'Huillier, CEO of Scancell, discussed the company's work in cancer vaccine development, and its selection as the first British biotech to be a part of the NHS Cancer Vaccine Launch Pad.

More from In Vivo

When VC Steps Back: Finding Alternative Biotech Funding

 
• By 

The biotech funding landscape is undergoing a fundamental shift. With traditional VC becoming increasingly cautious and selective, industry executives are exploring new avenues for capital. Conversely, this evolution may ultimately benefit the sector's long-term sustainability.

Podcast: Inside MoonLake’s Fast-Track Vision And $500m Deal

 
• By 

MoonLake Immunotherapeutics is racing ahead in the biotech space with its innovative nanobody SLK and a transformative $500m non-dilutive financing deal. In this episode, its CEO and CFO discuss the company’s rapid clinical progress, financial strategy and ambitions to reshape inflammatory disease.

When Simple Is Best: A Pre-Term Birth Device To End The ‘Silent Emergency’

 
• By 

The Lioness non-surgical silicon ring implant is designed to put an end to pre-term births, sparing maternal anguish and saving health system costs. PregnanTech won the Biomed Israel 2025 medtech start-up award, and Limor Sandach told In Vivo how a non-digital technology beat off stiff competition.