Hong Kong SAR | Germantown, MD, USA | Suzhou Biobay, China, Sep 18, 2023 - Sirnaomics Ltd. (the “Company”; stock code: 2257, together with its subsidiaries, the “Group” or “Sirnaomics”), a leading biopharmaceutical company engaging in the discovery and development of advanced RNAi therapeutics, along with its subsidiaries RNAimmune and Strategic Partner EDIRNA, announced its official move into Hong Kong Science Park. The move is a part of a global multi-hub development strategy to expand into a new R&D Center and office. The inauguration ceremony commemorating the Group's entry into the Science Park was held on 15 September 2023. 

 

The strategic partnership between the Sirnaomics Group and the Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation (HKSTP) leverages the Group’s leading position in RNAi therapeutics and Hong Kong’s inherent strengths to bridge connections with the mainland market and facilitate the Company’s global expansion. Additionally, the partnership injects fresh momentum into Hong Kong’s innovation and technology development.

 

The inauguration ceremony was attended by Ms. Lillian Cheong Man Lei, JP, Under Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry; Mr. Albert Wong, CEO of HKSTP; Dr. Grace Lau, Head of Institute for Translational Research (ITR), HKSTP; Dr. Patrick Lu, Founder, Chairman, Executive Director and CEO of Sirnaomics; Dr. Dong Shen, M.D. President and CEO, RNAimmune; and Mr. Christopher Kennedy, President and CEO of EDIRNA. They officiated the ribbon-cutting ceremony, signifying the official opening of the Group’s R&D center and office at the Hong Kong Science Park.

 

 

Sirnaomics previously received funding from HKSTP’s Clinical Translational Catalyst programme for the clinical trial of STP122G, an anticoagulant therapeutic. This support enables the translation of cutting-edge research into practical medical advancements, benefiting patients with substantial unmet needs in anticoagulant disorders.

 

 

The Under Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry Ms Lillian Cheong said, “I am delighted to witness the landing of Sirnaomics Group together with its two US-based subsidiaries, RNAimmune and EDIRNA, in Hong Kong. This serves as a testament to Hong Kong’s attractiveness and competitiveness to overseas high potential life and health technology companies. The Sirnaomics Group has started their initial clinical trials in HK that would address highly unmet medically needs in Asia. Hong Kong has a vibrant biotech ecosystem which is conducive to the growth of life and health tech-related companies and currently, we are Asia’s largest and the world’s second largest fundraising hub for biotech companies. With Hong Kong’s edge including strong research capabilities and originality and the Government’s strong commitment to I&T development, Hong Kong is a place where you can leverage the significant advantage in I&T development, and I would like to invite you all to share this good I&T story with you friends and business partners.”  

 

 

Mr. Albert Wong, CEO of HKSTP, said, “The presence of the Sirnaomics Group and its two US subsidiaries, RNAimmune and EDIRNA, at the Hong Kong Science Park underscores Hong Kong’s unwavering commitment to innovation, technological advancement, and healthcare development excellence. Hong Kong's strategic location, world-class infrastructure, and dynamic business environment make it the ideal innovation and technology hub for visionary companies to thrive and make a significant global impact. With a vision to improve human health through leading-edge RNA technologies and scientific excellence, Sirnaomics is revolutionising disease treatment. Committed to establishing Hong Kong as Asia's premier RNA medicine harbour, Sirnaomics is actively engaging in comprehensive collaborations with local academic and industry partners. This will undoubtedly catalyse the development of RNA therapeutics in Hong Kong.”

 

 

Dr. Grace Lau, Head of ITR, HKSTP, said, “I am pleased to witness the progressive establishment of the R&D centres and offices of these three companies in Science Park since the start of this year. This move will undoubtedly bolster Hong Kong’s RNA therapeutics and precision medicine development. As RNA therapy technologies continue to advance, we hope Sirnaomics Group will strengthen its collaborations with Hong Kong’s academics, industry and regulators to facilitate the translation of research into safe and effective treatments. This will ensure that more patients can benefit from these innovative therapies.”

 

 

Dr. Patrick Lu, Founder, Executive Director, and CEO of Sirnaomics, said, “Augmenting our presence in new drug development across the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area fortifies the Group’s development strategy in the Asia Pacific region. Hong Kong Science Park is a hub of outstanding talent and thriving academic innovation that provides unique geographical advantages for integrating resources from across the Greater Bay Area and internationally. As a global leader in RNA therapeutics, we are delighted to join the Hong Kong Science Park and establish a strategic hub with our subsidiaries. This will contribute to the accelerated development and enhanced international influence of nucleic acid drugs, vaccines, and industrialisation in Hong Kong and the Greater Bay Area.”

 

 

Dr. Dong Shen, M.D., President and CEO, RNAimmune, said, “The move into Hong Kong Science Park marks a milestone in RNAimmune’s global strategic expansion because the region has placed significant emphasis on innovation and technology development in recent years. As a pioneering company in mRNA vaccine and drug R&D, RNAimmune will become part of Hong Kong’s blueprint for biopharma globalisation, aiming to address the substantial unmet needs in treating infectious diseases, cancer and rare diseases.”

 

 

Mr. Christopher W. Kennedy, President and CEO of EDIRNA, said, “We are tremendously grateful for the opportunity to collaborate with Hong Kong Science Park to fulfil our mission to empower innovation and technology advancement in Hong Kong. We also aim to address unmet medical needs in diseases prevalent in the Asia Pacific and develop novel RNA editing therapies specifically aimed at treating genetic diseases, cancers, and other clinical needs with insufficient treatment options.”

 

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About Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation

Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation (HKSTP) has for over 20 years committed to building up Hong Kong as an international innovation and technology hub to propel success for local and global pioneers today and tomorrow. HKSTP has established a thriving I&T ecosystem that supported over 10 unicorns and Hong Kong’s leading R&D hub with over 13,000 research professionals and over 1,400 technology companies focused on healthtech, AI and robotics, fintech and smart city technologies.

 

Established in 2001, we attract and nurture talent, accelerate and commercialise innovation and technology for entrepreneurs on their journey of growth. Our growing innovation ecosystem is built around our key locations of Hong Kong Science Park in Shatin, InnoCentre in Kowloon Tong and three modern InnoParks in Tai Po, Tseung Kwan O and Yuen Long. The three InnoParks are realising a vision of new industrialisation for Hong Kong. The goal is sectors like advanced manufacturing, electronics and biotechnology are being reimagined for a new generation of industry.

 

Through our infrastructure, services, expertise, and network of partnerships, HKSTP will help establish innovation and technology as a pillar of growth for Hong Kong, while reinforcing Hong Kong’s international I&T hub status as a launchpad for growth at the heart of the GBA innovation powerhouse.

 

More information about HKSTP is available at www.hkstp.org.

 

About Sirnaomics

Sirnaomics is an RNA therapeutics biopharmaceutical company with product candidates in preclinical and clinical stages that focuses on the discovery and development of innovative drugs for indications with medical needs and large market opportunities. Sirnaomics is the first clinical-stage RNA therapeutics company to have a strong presence in both Asia and the United States. Based on its proprietary delivery technologies: Polypeptide Nanoparticle Formulation and the 2nd generation of GalNAc conjugation, the Group has established an enriched drug candidate pipeline. Sirnaomics is currently holding a leadership position on advancing RNAi therapeutics for oncology application with multiple successes of its clinical programs for STP705 and STP707. STP122G represents the first drug candidate of GalAhead™ technology entering clinical development. With establishment of the Group’s manufacturing facility, Sirnaomics currently is undergoing a transition from a biotech company to a biopharma corporation. Learn more at: www.sirnaomics.com.

 

About RNAimmune

RNAimmune is an international biopharmaceutical company focusing on mRNA vaccine and therapeutics development. Its global headquarter is in Germantown, Maryland, USA, while the China headquarter is located in International BioIsland, Guangzhou. RNAimmune has received a global exclusive right to the proprietary Polypeptide Lipid Nanoparticle (PLNP) technology for mRNA delivery from Sirnaomics. In addition, RNAimmune has various independent proprietary R&D platforms, including artificial-intelligence and directed neoantigen prediction, ALEPVA algorithm for nucleic acid sequence design and lipid nanoparticle (LNP) carrier systems. RNAimmune also deployed various vaccines and therapeutics pipelines, including vaccines for infectious diseases (COVID-19, influenza, VZV and RSV etc.) and cancer vaccines (RAS, NY-ESO-1), and protein replacement medication. RNAimmune has extremely high potential and has become one of the leading companies in the field of mRNA vaccines and therapeutics. Learn more at: www.rnaimmune.com.

 

About EDIRNA

EDIRNA is a privately held and innovative biotech company focused on RNA-Editing technology for discovery and development of novel therapeutics. The company’s mission: to discover and develop novel RNA medicine using innovative RNA-Editing technology with a global outreach. The company’s Edit-to-Cure Therapeutics™ platform uses RNA-editing technologies to address the root cause of disease progression. Learn more at: www.EDIRNA.us.