Polymeric vectors for new approaches to fight COVID-19

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  The Team: Dr Qian Xu, Dr Irene Lara-Sáez, Prof Wenxin Wang, Dr Jonathan O'Keeffe-Ahern and Dr Sigen A.

Our main focus always has been developing treatments for rare disorders by using Multifunctional Cationic Polymers in different approaches. We have used different families of those polymers to deliver DNA for gene addition approach, CRISPR/Cas9 ribonucleoprotein complex for gene editing approach and mRNA for protein replacement approach.

By reading the new approaches developed for potential vaccines for SARS-CoV2 we realised we can contribute to this field. Most of the vaccines under development are based on mRNA delivered by lipidic carriers.

Our Multifunctional Cationic Polymers have shown better performance in vitro than commercial lipidic and polymeric systems. We achieved higher transfection efficiency, the key for having a good therapeutic efficiency in vivo. As experts in polymers for rare disorders, like Epidermolysis Bullosa (or butterfly skin disease), our challenge is finding an expert partner on SARS open for coming onboard of the challenge of developing/improving a potential vaccine.

Our Multifunctional Cationic Polymers IP has been protected. During 2018 and 2019 our team was awarded with funds over €4M for the development of gene therapies for new target rare diseases.

The base of our success our interdisciplinary nature of our expert team and collaborators. We never see competitors, only good partners to achieve better results in benefit of the population.

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