Munich start-up RNATICS GmbH has been awarded 2.7 million Euros in funding from the Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR). The grant supports the next stage of clinical development for RCS-21, a first-in-class inhaled RNA therapeutic targeting severe inflammatory-fibrotic lung diseases.
RNATICS develops targeted nucleic acid therapies against disease-causing RNAs in macrophages. The proprietary technology is based on an innovative carbohydrate-coupling technology that enables the targeted delivery of RNA therapeutics to lung macrophages. This approach opens up new possibilities for the treatment of various inflammatory lung diseases.
RCS-21 uses proprietary carbohydrate conjugation for selective uptake into pulmonary macrophages, where it inhibits microRNA-21 – a key driver of pathological inflammation and fibrosis. The program focuses on patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and related fibrotic lung conditions which currently have limited therapeutic options.
“This funding marks a major milestone. It allows us to validate our macrophage-targeted platform and moves RCS-21 closer to clinical proof-of-concept for patients suffering from severe pulmonary fibrosis”, explains Prof. Stefan Engelhardt, MD PhD, CSO & Co-Founder
“Strong validation from BMFTR. These funds enable key clinical development steps for RCS-21 to evaluate the therapeutic potential of targeted RNA therapy in inflammatory-fibrotic diseases”, adds CEO & Co-Founder Thomas Frischmuth, PhD.
“RNATICS’ cell-specific macrophage targeting is groundbreaking for RNA therapeutics in the lung. Excited to strategically support this innovative program”, says Prof. Thomas Thum, MD PhD, Board Member of RNATICS.
“By targeting a key molecular driver of inflammation and fibrosis, RCS-21 represents a novel approach for treating severe pulmonary fibrosis”, says Prof. Klaus Rabe, MD CMO & Co-founder.
Christina Beck, PhD, Clinical Development Project Manager, is delighted with the support provided by the BMFTR: “This funding will allow us to make substantial progress in the clinical development of RCS-21. Taking another step towards clinical trials is an important milestone for the translation of our research."
RNATICS was founded in 2021 as a spin-off of the Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) to extend RNA therapy to organs that were previously inaccessible to RNA therapeutics. The underlying technology is based on more than 15 years of research in the field of RNA therapy and nucleic acid chemistry. From 2024 to 2025, the start-up was part of the BioM start-up incubator “Munich Accelerator Life Sciences & Medicine” (MAxL) in Martinsried.