{"id":24244,"date":"2018-03-29T12:10:39","date_gmt":"2018-03-29T16:10:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/college.unc.edu\/?p=24244"},"modified":"2024-07-02T16:54:37","modified_gmt":"2024-07-02T16:54:37","slug":"ribometrix","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/collegearchive.unc.edu\/?p=24244","title":{"rendered":"UNC startup Ribometrix pioneers new technology to target RNA, unlock new disease therapies"},"content":{"rendered":"<\/p>\n
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\"Kevin
Kevin Weeks, Kenan Distinguished Professor of Chemistry, co-founded Ribometrix with Katie Warner, a former undergraduate student. (photo by Lars Sahl)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/p>\n

Small molecule drugs hold the potential to change the behavior of disease-causing RNA<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Today, the majority of drugs and pharmaceuticals on the market that treat human disease are designed to target a specific protein. But University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill startup Ribometrix<\/a> has a very different, revolutionary approach to new drug discovery that\u2019s proving to be a breakthrough in the industry.<\/p>\n

Ribometrix\u2019s novel approach has the potential to improve millions of lives by offering new treatments for a range of diseases, ranging from cancer, neurological disorders, immunological diseases, and rare diseases such as Huntington\u2019s Disease.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n

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\u201cWhat\u2019s really exciting is that our specialized technologies give us the ability to go after a whole series of targets that were once considered un-targetable,\u201d says Katie Warner, co-founder and director of research at Ribometrix. \u201cAll proteins \u2013 including those currently viewed as undruggable \u2013 are made from a messenger RNA.\u00a0 The Ribometrix platform allows us to potentially target any of these proteins by targeting those RNAs with small molecules.\u00a0 This is not a small idea, and has the potential to be a big game changer for what drug discovery can do.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n

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\"Katie
Katie Warner (photo by Lars Sahl)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/p>\n

Until now, many didn\u2019t think the science behind this exciting technology would be applicable to drug discovery. But Ribometrix figured out how to drug RNA in a way that\u2019s systematic. One disease Ribometrix currently is pursuing is Huntington\u2019s Disease, whose sufferers have a tremendous, unmet need for therapies and treatment. According<\/a> to the Huntington\u2019s Disease Society of America, the disease is a fatal genetic disorder that deteriorates a person\u2019s physical and mental abilities and has no cure.<\/p>\n

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\u201cWith Huntington\u2019s Disease, it\u2019s a single gene that\u2019s clearly the problem, but the protein has proven extremely challenging to target.\u00a0 We are able to avoid many of these challenges by instead specifically targeting the RNA associated with the pathological gene,\u201d says Warner. \u201cThis presents a tremendous opportunity for us to make an impact.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n

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The company was founded in 2015 by Kevin Weeks, a Kenan Distinguished Professor of Chemistry at UNC-Chapel Hill, along with Warner, his former undergraduate student,\u00a0who now serves as Senior Director of Research for the company. Over lunch one day \u2013 after reconnecting during Warner\u2019s Ph.D. work \u2013 self-professed RNA nerds Weeks and Warner decided to start the company.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe always knew it would be possible to drug RNA using these technologies, but we didn\u2019t know if anyone outside the field would think it was plausible,\u201d says Warner. \u00a0Before they could launch a company, however, the two scientists realized they would need the right people and support.<\/p>\n

To help turn their idea into reality, Weeks and Warner turned to UNC\u2019s KickStart Venture Services<\/a>. KickStart is part of the Innovate Carolina network, a comprehensive set of programs that ensures faculty, students and staff at UNC-Chapel Hill have the knowledge, tools and resources they need to turn their ideas into real-world innovations. KickStart Venture Services supports early-stage IP-based companies at Carolina in a variety of ways: business development, coaching, mentoring, funding, and making connections to key service providers, management, investors and space providers. In addition, Innovate Carolina provided additional support to Ribometrix with patent and market research services.<\/p>\n

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\"GraphicWith the help of KickStart Venture Services and the Innovate Carolina network, Ribometrix was able to incorporate, recruit their first CEO, apply for NIH grants, find temporary lab space and create the business structure needed to continue to move forward with their work. And the company is growing at a steady pace. With eight full-time employees, it is looking to grow with additional employees in 2018.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe university\u2019s strong support network is critical to being successful \u2013 especially if you\u2019re not business development experts,\u201d says Warner. \u201cThe company was made possible with technology developed at UNC, with support from the UNC ecosystem. The initial ideas and innovation came from the academic side, but we were able to transfer this knowledge into something tangible and entrepreneurial for the greater good.\u201d<\/p>\n

The company continues to attract investors as well. In 2017, it raised $7.5 million in seed capital<\/a> to support the translation of its research on RNA-targeted small molecules, which allows the company to continue developing the platform and continue discovering new drug candidates.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n

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With headquarters in Durham, Ribometrix is proud of its efforts to keep the company local, hiring employees that are North Carolina based or have North Carolina ties. Warner adds, \u201cAs a UNC alumnus, I am so pleased we will make an impact in North Carolina. Not everyone has to move to Boston to have a rewarding career in science.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n

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\"Ribometrix
Ribometrix scientists Natalie McDonald (foreground) and Carolina Lin. (photo by Lars Sahl)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/p>\n

In the coming year, Ribometrix will continue to prove that its technology can be applied systematically in drug discovery as well as raise additional funding to expand its staff. In addition, the company will also focus on expanding its target pipeline.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor upcoming scientists, if you have an opportunity, take a leap and go after it,\u201d says Warner. \u201cSometimes it won\u2019t pay off, but when it does, it\u2019s exciting and fulfilling to see the potential lives touched and the impact you\u2019ve been able to have.\u201d<\/p>\n

Story courtesy of Innovate Carolina, photos by Lars Sahl<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Today, the majority of drugs and pharmaceuticals on the market that treat human disease are designed to target a specific protein. But University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill startup Ribometrix has a very different, revolutionary approach to new drug discovery that\u2019s proving to be a breakthrough in the 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