Founded in 1998, VIRxSYS Corporation is a privately held biotechnology company which focuses on RNA-based therapies including vaccines. The field of gene and RNA therapy holds great promise. However, most of these promises have been unfulfilled due to challenges in developing a delivery system for genetic and therapeutic payloads into targeted cells efficiently, consistently and permanently.
VIRxSYS has developed a gene delivery system (vector) from a human lentivirus which it uses for therapies against serious human diseases. The foundational technology was patented by, and is exclusively licensed from, The Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland. The Company has advanced these patents and has developed and patented additional technology to use and manufacture VIRxSYS’ proprietary lentiviral vectors.
Unlike other vectors which have challenges in delivering therapeutic payloads, preclinical research has shown that payloads delivered via VIRxSYS's lentiviral vector:
- have staying power within a cell because the payloads become a permanent part of the cell's genetic material
- achieve a 95%+ delivery efficiency compared to approximately 20% to 50% for other viral vectors
The first application of VIRxSYS’ lentiviral vector delivery system is for the treatment of HIV/AIDS. Phase II clinical trials are currently under way in the United States to evaluate VRX496™, the Company’s anti-HIV therapy. VRX496™ is designed to reverse the effects of HIV, including reducing the patient's viral load, and preventing the progression of HIV to full-blown AIDS. VIRxSYS is now in two Phase II clinical trials of VRX496™. VIRxSYS is in the process of initiating follow-on applications for the technology including development of an HIV vaccine.
VIRxSYS also has a novel RNA technology which can reprogram and repair gene expression (“SMaRT™ RNA”). SMaRT™ RNA can be used to repair genes which are defective or introduce genes which are absent from a patient’s genome. SMaRT™ is analogous to a genomic word processor which can delete and add letters, correcting a misspelled word or creating an entirely new word which is desired for a situation. It has a much broader application than RNAi (RNA interference), which is widely publicized in the public press.
SMaRT™ RNA also has applications for 2nd generation antibody therapy (in vivo antibody manufacturing, and also referred to as passive genetic immunization in the scientific literature), real-time molecular imaging, iPS generation, genomics and molecular evolution. SMaRT™ technology has proof of principle in a multitude of diseases and is currently the foundational technology in RNA therapy for preclinical programs in hemophilia A and cardiovascular disease.
VIRxSYS intends to advance the development of each of its therapy programs until such time when collaborating with a partner, normally a medium to large biopharmaceutical company, would expedite the commercialization of each therapy.
