More New "Bio-Bucks" Collaborations -- Perhaps As Much As $3.5 Billion For ORNA Therapeutics -- From Merck Research...

It seems that vaccines are a likely ultimate target for this R&D collaboration.

Only two mRNA vaccines have been approved by FDA as COVID-19 vaccines, neither of which use circular RNA (or "o" RNA). As we've previously reported, Merck has teamed up with Moderna on mRNA-related projects, including a now multi-billion collaboration on the possibilities of cancer vaccines, among others. But this would be a wholly-new foray (and approach), one that might reach $3.5 billion in bio-bucks, if all milestones are met. Here's the latest:

. . .Merck has entered a collaboration with circular RNA company Orna Therapeutics to develop several programs, including vaccines and therapeutics for infectious diseases and oncology. Merck will pay Orna $150 million up front and invest $100 million of equity in Orna’s series B financing round, which initially closed Aug. 16 with $221 million. Orna could receive up to $3.5 billion in milestone payments.

The company’s technology stems from research done at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology by cofounder Alex Wesselhoeft and molecular geneticist Daniel G. Anderson, who is on Orna’s board of directors. To make circular RNA, which the firm has dubbed oRNA, Orna brings together the two ends of a strand of linear messenger RNA (mRNA). . . .

Now you know. Onward, grinning into a flawless August afternoon. . . with a possible lil' grrrl sleepova' Sat. night. . . be excellent to one another!

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