E6057, NANOMED-KT, Karolinska Institutet
| Reference number | |
| Coordinator | Karolinska Institutet - Karolinska Institutet Inst f laboratoriemedicin |
| Funding from Vinnova | SEK 2 000 000 |
| Project duration | October 2024 - September 2027 |
| Status | Ongoing |
| Venture | Eurostars |
Purpose and goal
NANOMED-KT aims to develop a first-of-its-kind nanomedicine for prevention of delayed graft function, affecting 20-60% of kidney transplant recipients. Our solution employs unique kidney-targeted delivery of therapeutic mRNA encoding anti-inflammatory IL-10 in the recipient post-transplantation. By combining ex vivo kidney models with an established preclinical kidney transplantation model, we will deliver pre-clinical proof-of-concept followed by clinical validation after this project.
Expected effects and result
The main output of NANOMED-KT will be a pre-clinical proof-of-concept in animal models, with key results including: • New validated ex vivo precision cut kidney slices from human nephrectomies for testing therapeutic IL10 mRNA • Safety and preliminary pharmacokinetics of therapeutic IL10 mRNA validated in a porcine model of kidney perfusion • Validation of therapeutic IL10 mRNA as therapy for prevention of kidney injury in a rat model of allogenic kidney transplatation
Planned approach and implementation
The project is a collaboration between Karolinska Institutet and the Dutch biotech company Mercurna over three years, and divided into four work packages 1. Optimization of mRNA-LNP delivery in human ex vivo precision cut kidney slices 2. Assessment of impact of therapeutic mRNA-LNP delivery in ex vivo porcine kidney transplantation model 3. Test efficacy of therapeutic mRNA-LNP in an in vivo rat transplantation model 4. Project coordination, IP management and dissemination