Genetic Medicines Project Gets Funding from UKRI Innovate UK and Canadian NRC IRAP

On Jan. 6, 2026, Chromatin Bioscience, Mediphage Bioceuticals, and Entos Pharmaceuticals jointly announced that the collaboration between the companies on a genetic medicines project will be supported by UKRI Innovate UK and the National Research Council of Canada Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC IRAP) collaborative innovation program (1).

According to the companies, UKRI Innovate UK and NRC IRAP will help the companies bring three synergistic technologies together and will foster international collaboration between the United Kingdom and Canada by providing advisory services and funding for the partnership (1). The project will combine the Chromatin Bio chromatinLENS platform for synthetic promoters, the Mediphage ministring DNA (msDNA) platform technology, and the Entos Fusogenix PLV delivery platform to develop cell-type selective, durable DNA-based gene expression cargo with safe and effective, intracellular fusion-based delivery that could be applied to treat a variety of genetic and rare diseases.

What makes the collaboration unique?

Chromatin Biosciences’ platform, chromatinLENS, enables precise, cell-type-selective, and durable gene expression, according to the company (1). Mediphage’s linear, covalently closed, high-fidelity, and backbone-free msDNA, is produced using a proprietary and scalable Escherichia coli-based manufacturing process and can be used in non-viral gene therapy, ex vivo cell therapy, and in vivo gene editing. Entos’ Fusogenix PLV drug delivery system is formulated with FAST proteins to enable the delivery of nucleic acid to target cells through direct fusion. In April 2025, Entos entered into a research collaboration with Norway-based Circio Holding that included the joint development and in-vivo delivery testing of Circio’s circular RNA expression vectors with the Fusogenix PLV (2).

"This collaboration brings together three complementary technologies to address one of the biggest challenges in genetic medicine: delivering safe, durable, and cell-type-selective gene expression," said Michael Roberts, founder and CEO of Chromatin Bioscience, in a press release (1). "By combining our chromatinLENS platform for synthetic promoters with Mediphage's msDNA technology and Entos' Fusogenix PLV delivery system, we're taking a major step toward creating more precise and effective treatments for patients."

"Gene therapy needs novel modalities that are safe, redosable, precise, and effective," said Dr. Nafiseh Nafissi, CTO of Mediphage, in the release (1). "By combining advanced AI-driven sequence design from Chromatin Bio with our immune-compatible and durable msDNA platform, and next-generation targeted delivery systems from Entos Pharmaceuticals, we are establishing a strong foundation for the next generation of safe, precise, and scalable genetic medicines. We are grateful to receive this support from Innovate UK and NRC IRAP. This support represents an opportunity to advance Mediphage's msDNA technology. We remain committed to advancing innovative genetic medicine approaches through collaboration and collective effort that can deliver life-changing genetic medicine treatments for patients in need."

"We deeply appreciate this support from Innovate UK and NRC IRAP to advance the use of our Fusogenix PLV platform in projects aimed to improve treatments for rare genetic disorders," said John Lewis, CEO of Entos Pharmaceuticals, in the release. "There is a crucial need to address these disorders, and the potential for novel genetic medicine approaches that combine cutting-edge technologies like chromatinLENS, msDNA, and Fusogenix PLV to create life-changing treatments for patients and their families is huge."

References

1. PR Newswire. Chromatin Bioscience, Mediphage Bioceuticals, and Entos Pharmaceuticals, collaborate on Genetic Medicines Project with support from UKRI Innovate UK and Canadian R&D Funding. Press Release. Jan. 6, 2026.
2. Entos Pharmaceuticals. Entos & Circio Collaborate on In Vivo PLV-Circvec Delivery. Press Release. April 3, 2025.