On February 12, 2025 HAYA Therapeutics, SA, a biotechnology company pioneering precision RNA-guided regulatory genome targeting therapeutics for rare, common, chronic and age-associated diseases, reported that it has been awarded the prestigious Innosuisse Certificate for Sustainable Growth from Innosuisse, the Swiss Innovation Agency, who also provided funding to support HAYA’s research into using its technology to address cancer (Press release, Haya Therapeutics, FEB 12, 2025, View Source [SID1234650229]).
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In addition to Innosuisse’s award for HAYA’s potential for growth and success, it is providing 1.5M CHF (approximately $1.64M USD) in non-dilutive funding for HAYA through Innosuisse’s Start-up Innovation Projects, recognizing HAYA’s cutting-edge approach and broad applicability of their long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) platform in developing disease-modifying therapeutics beyond the heart and into oncology.
The funds will be used over the next two years for translational studies to further develop an innovative therapy targeting cancer-associated fibroblast-specific lncRNA for aggressive solid tumors.
"Solid tumors, which make up approximately 90% of all cancers, require innovative therapeutic strategies due to their complexity and resistance to traditional treatments," said Samir Ounzain, Ph.D., Co-founder and CEO of HAYA Therapeutics. "Fibrosis plays a critical role in shaping the tumor microenvironment, creating a rigid and immunosuppressive barrier that fuels cancer progression and limits treatment efficacy. At HAYA, we are pioneering a novel RNA-guided approach to precisely reprogram cancer-associated fibroblasts, disrupting the fibrotic niche and unlocking new possibilities for more effective and durable cancer therapies."
"By leveraging the exquisite cell specificity of lncRNAs coupled with antisense oligonucleotide’s broad distribution to extra hepatic tissues including tumors, HAYA is able to drug disease modifying targets within the tumor microenvironment. This novel paradigm holds tremendous potential as a next generation treatment strategy for immunotherapy resistant solid tumors such as for pancreatic cancer and triple negative breast cancer," said Sudhir Agrawal, DPhil, FSRC, a member of HAYA’s scientific advisory board and Founder of Arnay Sciences. "HAYA’s strategy could be transformational and offer disease-modifying therapy options to patients in need."
HAYA’s unique RNA-guided regulatory genome technology enables the discovery and development of innovative RNA-based therapeutics for a wide range of diseases. HAYA’s lead candidate, HTX-001, is being developed for the treatment of heart failure, with other preclinical therapeutics in development for other indications.