VERAXA Biotech, an emerging leader in designing novel cancer therapies and proposed de-SPAC acquisition target of Voyager Acquisition Corp. (NASDAQ:VACH, “Voyager”), and Secarna Pharmaceuticals GmbH & Co. KG, a company redefining the discovery and development of best-in-class oligonucleotide therapeutics, announced a strategic research collaboration to develop next-generation antibody oligonucleotide conjugates (AOCs). The combination of both technology platforms aims to unlock novel targeted therapies for the treatment of autoimmune and chronic immune diseases

AOCs combine the specificity of monoclonal antibodies with the functional versatility of oligonucleotides. One of the primary advantages of AOCs is their ability to deliver therapeutic oligonucleotides directly to disease-relevant cells, thereby enhancing treatment efficacy and minimizing off-target effects. This targeted delivery mechanism allows for precise modulation of gene expression, which is particularly beneficial in treating complex diseases including conditions involving the immune system.

As part of the collaboration, Secarna will leverage its proprietary, AI-empowered OligoCreator® discovery and development platform to identify promising oligonucleotide candidates, applying both antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) and siRNA strategies. OligoCreator® has been shown to greatly expedite the drug discovery process, from target selection to therapeutic development, identifying and characterizing potentially safe and efficacious therapeutic candidates at unparalleled speed. VERAXA will use technology suite including its click chemistry conjugation platform to design and generate highly efficacious, uniform and safe AOCs.

“Today’s alliance with Secarna highlights once more the versatility of our technology suite and the range of opportunities we can tackle with partners that are complementary to our R&D focus in oncology,” commented Christoph Antz, Ph.D., CEO and Co-Founder of VERAXA. “AOCs represent a very attractive additional pocket in our industry where our expertise and antibody conjugation technology can enable unique therapeutic modalities. We are thrilled to partner with Secarna, a renowned expert in the field of developing oligonucleotide-based therapies.”

“We are truly excited to collaborate with VERAXA on this new class of highly targeted therapeutics,” said Konstantin Petropoulos, Ph.D., CEO of Secarna Pharmaceuticals. “The combination of our oligonucleotide platform with VERAXA’s complementary ADC technologies, together with our mutual expertise in discovering and developing best-in-class therapeutics, will open up a wide range of potential therapeutic applications in the field of immunological diseases.”