VUB spin-off etherna, a leader in mRNA and lipid nanoparticle (LNP) technology, has reached a significant milestone in its collaboration with the global dermatology company Almirall.
Almirall officially nominated LAD116 as a preclinical candidate for the treatment of non-melanoma skin cancer. This novel therapy utilises etherna’s proprietary intratumoral mRNA/LNP platform, designed to trigger a potent immune response directly within the tumor microenvironment.
The collaboration will now focus on GMP-grade manufacturing and IND-enabling studies to prepare for Phase I clinical trials.
Founded in 2013 as a spin-off from VUB, etherna continues to translate foundational research into global strategic partnerships, supporting the development of differentiated RNA therapeutics from early research through to clinical manufacturing.