1:37 Labiotech.eu news
3:34 Cradle
19:47 Rani Therapeutics

This week, we have two guests. We have conversations with Talat Imran, CEO of Rani Therapeutics; and Stef van Grieken, CEO and co-founder of Cradle.

Rani Therapeutics - aiming to remove the pain of needles

Rani Therapeutics Holdings, Inc., a clinical-stage biotherapeutics company focused on the oral delivery of biologics and drugs, has announced topline results from part 2 (the repeat-dose portion) of the phase 1 study of RT-102, the RaniPill GO capsule containing a proprietary formulation of human parathyroid hormone (1-34) analog (PTH) being developed for the treatment of osteoporosis. 

The study achieved all of its endpoints, with repeat doses of RT-102 being generally well tolerated and delivering the drug with high reliability to participants via the RaniPill GO.

With these data, in total, 185 RaniPill GO capsules have now been administered to more than 90 participants in clinical studies, in addition to over 1,700 RaniPill capsules administered to animals in preclinical studies. In the clinical studies, the RaniPill capsule has been well tolerated and delivered its drug payload with high reliability and with bioavailability comparable to or better than subcutaneous injection.

“The repeat-dose data contribute to our growing body of preclinical and clinical data that we believe support the viability of the RaniPill platform to orally deliver biologics and drugs to treat chronic diseases,” said Talat Imran, CEO of Rani. 

“These data give us confidence to move forward with multiple programs in parallel, including our ustekinumab biosimilar and adalimumab biosimilar programs, and to expand manufacturing scale-up. We can see a future where millions of patients no longer carry the burden of regular injections.”

Startup Cradle raises $5.4M to design protein machines and cell factories with AI

Cradle, a Dutch startup, has received €5.5 million ($5.4 million) in seed funding to further help scientists design and program proteins to produce a wide variety of everyday products including milk and meat.

Cradle uses synthetic biology, adapting the genes of microorganisms such as bacteria and fungi, to create ‘cell factories’ that use programmable proteins to make a number of products without farming animals, to plastics created without petrochemicals, materials for clothing or electronic components, or even personalized medicines.