6 November 2023
Lerna Bio unveils its first-in-class solution to combat liver failure
Singapore, Cambridge and Shanghai November 6th, 2023 - Lerna Biopharma Pte. Ltd (Lerna Bio) proudly announces the unveiling of its pioneering liver regeneration drug candidate, LR1, at The Liver Meeting in Boston organized by American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD) from November 10th to 14th. During this esteemed event, Lerna Bio will present two highly anticipated presentations: “Promoting Liver Regeneration and Protection with LR1: A Novel siRNA Drug” by Dr. Tan Si Hui, Vice President of Biology at Lerna Bio, on November 11th, and an oral report on the Quartz platform, a groundbreaking in vivo target discovery platform for liver diseases, by Dr. Torsten Wuestefeld, Co-founder and Advisor of Lerna Bio, on November 13th.
By targeting liver regeneration, LR1 provides a novel mechanism and innovative solution for patients at risk of liver failure. This first-in-class siRNA drug has demonstrated its potential to sustain and improve liver functions, addressing a critical gap in liver care. The preclinical data, to be presented by Dr. Tan Si Hui, highlights LR1’s ability to promote liver regeneration and protect the liver from further deterioration.
Every year, over 2 million lives succumb to liver failure due to liver cirrhosis resulting from chronic liver diseases, making it a leading cause of mortality worldwide. The existing treatment for liver failure patients - liver transplantation - has severe limitations, leaving patients and physicians in search of effective solutions. LR1, a siRNA drug that promotes liver regeneration, holds the promise to transform the landscape of liver disease treatment. With over 100 million cirrhosis patients globally and a rapidly growing population driven by increasing patients with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), the need for a breakthrough is more urgent than ever.
Commenting on the potential of LR1, Ms. Kathy He, CEO of Lerna Bio, enthused, "Leveraging liver’s innate regenerative capacity to combat liver diseases has been a longstanding aspiration for liver researchers. The unmet needs in this disease area are monumental. By harnessing the power of siRNA and our novel liver regeneration target, LR1 is poised to revolutionize treatment of chronic liver diseases, potentially eliminating the need for transplantation.”
Lerna Bio invites attendees of The Liver Meeting to join Dr. Tan Si Hui’s presentation on LR1’s role in promoting liver regeneration and protection, along with an overview of preclinical data showcasing its therapeutic potential. Additionally, Dr. Torsten Wuestefeld, will present an oral report on November 13th on the Quartz platform – the discovery engine that engendered Lerna Bio’s lead target and continues to generate a robust pipeline of new generation targets.
About Lerna Biopharma Pte. Ltd. (Lerna Bio)
Lerna Bio is a global biotech focused on developing first-in-class therapeutics for liver diseases. Leveraging Quartz target discovery platform developed by Torsten Wuestefeld, Lerna Bio combines its in-depth understanding of new biological targets and deep industry experience in nucleic acid medicinal chemistry to develop novel siRNA drugs for diseases with high unmet needs.
Please visit the company website www.lernabio.com or contact Ms. Melodee Wu Melodee.Wu@lernabio.com for more information.
30 September 2023
Lerna Bio was selected as one of the “TOP 5 To Watch” in the renowned BIOHK2023! Together with 50 innovative companies across the globe, Lerna Bio competed for the coveted title by presenting our groundbreaking target discovery platform and first-in-class preclinical candidate CG-LR1 for liver cirrhosis.
Please find more information in the press release:
https://www.prnewswire.com/apac/news-releases/biohk2023-leaves-a-mark-on-biotech-community-must-know-highlights-301940088.html
21 September 2023
Cargene Therapeutics rebrands as Lerna Biopharma: A New Name, A Bold Vision
Singapore, Shanghai and Boston - Today, we are thrilled to unveil our new identity, Lerna Biopharma (Lerna Bio). This change reflects our unwavering commitment to breakthrough innovation by harnessing the powers of RNA technology and groundbreaking biology insights in liver regeneration.
Derived from ancient Greek mythology, Lerna is the name of a legendary lake known for its remarkable healing power. The new name embodies our core mission: to heal and improve lives through cutting-edge biopharmaceutical solutions.
“Our new name, Lerna Bio, represents a bold declaration of our ambition to redefine treatment for advanced liver diseases and beyond," said Kathy He, CEO of Lerna Bio. "It signifies healing, innovation, and purpose. Lerna is more than just a name; it's a reflection of our vision for the future."
We are excited about this new chapter in our company's history and look forward to sharing our journey with you. Together, we can shape a future where the power of regenerative science and RNA technology converge to transform the world of medicine.
For media inquiries, please contact: Melodee Wu at melodee.wu@lernabio.com
About Lerna Biopharma:
Lerna Biopharma is a preclinical stage biopharmaceutical company developing RNA therapeutics for patients with liver diseases. We harnesses the intrinsic regenerative potential of liver through RNA technology, providing solutions for patients lacking treatment options. Our innovation was borne from Dr. Torsten Wuestefeld’s Quartz target identification platform, a versatile in vivo in vivo functional genomics screen that generates a pipeline of targets for liver diseases. and beyond. Our lead asset is a first-in-class GalNAc-siRNA that enhances liver regeneration to boost liver functions in cirrhotic patients.
Website: www.lernabio.com
Social Media: LinkedIn: Lerna Biopharma
3 February 2023
Cargene is honored to be featured as one of the seven globally selected companies on Clarivate's "RNA Technology Companies to Watch" report. Our mention in this article speaks volumes about our innovative and proprietary technological platforms used to develop treatments for a broad range of indications such as liver and ophthalmic disorders.
Cargene is continuously committed to accelerating therapeutic development by combining novel biology with proprietary nucleic acid technology and delivery platforms to address high unmet medical needs and improve lives.
Our sincerest thanks to Clarivate for this feature!
Clarivate Identifies Seven Innovators in New RNA Technology Companies to Watch Report (prnewswire.com)
28 June 2022
We are delighted to welcome Kathy He, newly appointed CEO and a member of the Board of Cargene Biopharma. Kathy is a seasoned and insightful biopharmaceutical industry executive.
For the past over 20 years, she has been instrumental in the growth of multiple global companies, leading many successful strategic collaborations and fundraising events with her extensive US and China cross-border business leadership experience in start-ups and MNCs.
As the team progresses onward and upward, we look forward to seeing Kathy’s integration and working with her to drive towards growth and success!
Welcome Kathy!!
Cargene Biopharma Welcomes Kathy He as CEO, to Accelerate Novel Oligonucleotide Therapeutics Development
14 December 2021
We are delighted to announce the closing of our US$19.2M Pre-A Round, which we will use to accelerate nucleic acid therapeutics through innovative chemistry and biology to improve lives worldwide.
Cargene Closes a US$19.2M Pre-A Round Led by BioTrack Capital
