Key Investor Signals
Patient-derived tumor model shows growth reduction
A May 2026 study demonstrated reduced HPV-positive head and neck tumor growth in mice after local nanoparticle delivery of the RNA-guided nuclease and guide.
€8m seed co-led by CARMA FUND and RV Invest
The seed round announced in February 2025 also included High-Tech Gründerfonds, Hessen Kapital I, Bruker Invest and MP Beteiligungs to support preclinical development.
Signed exclusive pharma license for G-dase E
The October 2024 agreement grants exclusive pharmaceutical rights from BRAIN Biotech; non-pharma rights remain with BRAIN. Milestones and royalties are payable to the licensor.
Other Positive Signals
- Founders combine 25+ years of bioactive R&D with the G-dase E inventor’s bioinformatics expertise.
Team
Michael Krohn
Co-CEO and Co-founder
- Brings more than 25 years of R&D experience in bioactive ingredients for the food and cosmetics industries.
- Helped coordinate the BMBF-funded NatLifE2020 alliance, bringing together more than 20 enterprises.
- Earned a molecular biology PhD in Düsseldorf and completed postdoctoral training at Max Planck in Freiburg.
Lukas Linnig
Co-CEO and Co-founder
- Previously served as CFO of BRAIN Biotech, bringing financial leadership experience from a listed biotech company.
- Sponsored Akribion on BRAIN Biotech’s executive board before leaving to build the independent company as co-CEO.
Paul Scholz
Head of R&D and Co-founder
- Principal inventor of G-dase E, combining metagenomics and bioinformatics expertise to advance genome engineering.
- Joined BRAIN Biotech in 2016 as head of its Applied Bioinformatics Platform, leading work in computational biology.
- Co-first and corresponding author of the May 2026 Nature paper demonstrating RNA-triggered cell killing with Cas12a2.
Product
G-dase E is a preclinical platform for RNA-guided cell depletion. A guide RNA recognizes a chosen sequence inside a cell and activates a destructive enzyme. The approach removes cells carrying the target rather than correcting their genes.
Intracellular RNA targeting
The guide RNA is designed to recognize a selected intracellular RNA sequence, including viral transcripts in HPV-positive cells. Changing the guide allows different molecular signatures to be targeted.
Target-triggered cell destruction
Once activated by its matching RNA, the nuclease degrades DNA and RNA within the cell. This collateral cleavage is intended to kill the targeted cell rather than make a precise, repairable genetic edit.
Local delivery tested in mice
In a patient-derived head and neck tumor mouse model, lipid nanoparticles carried nuclease mRNA and an HPV16-targeting guide. Direct injection into tumors reduced growth compared with a buffer-only control.
Market Overview
HPV causes an estimated 70% of US oropharyngeal squamous cell cancers, creating a molecularly defined treatment population. Care combines surgery, radiation and systemic drugs according to stage and other factors. HPV-positive disease generally has a better prognosis, but treatment can still leave lasting functional damage.
Head and neck cancer already has established specialist care pathways and approved targeted drugs and immunotherapies. This provides a route for new agents to be tested alongside existing treatment. The opportunity for more selective therapies is to preserve tumor control while limiting damage to swallowing, speech and surrounding tissue.
Estimated annual HPV-attributable oropharyngeal cancers in the US, averaged over 2018–2022.
Estimated annual cancers attributable to HPV across all included US cancer sites in 2018–2022.
Estimated new oropharyngeal cancers worldwide in 2024
US oral cavity and pharynx cancer relative survival
Comparable Outcomes
BioVex
Developed oncolytic virus therapies designed to infect and destroy tumor cells while stimulating immunity. Amgen acquired BioVex in 2011 for $425M upfront plus up to $575M in milestones. Its tumor-killing virus was in Phase 3 for melanoma and head and neck cancer.
Viralytics
Developed oncolytic virus immunotherapies designed to infect and kill cancer cells and stimulate immunity. Merck acquired Viralytics in 2018 for about US$394M (A$502M). Its lead treatment used a virus to target cancer cells and was being tested in early-stage human trials.
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Sources
This profile was built from public company materials, ecosystem sources, market references, and professional profiles.