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Mirna Therapeutics is a technology company.
Mirna Therapeutics develops microRNA replacement therapies, focusing on oncology. The company's core approach utilizes synthetic microRNA mimics, designed to restore tumor suppressor functions in cancerous cells. This strategy reintroduces specific microRNAs, modulating disease pathways to offer a novel therapeutic for solid and hematologic cancers.
Founded in 2007 by Matthew Winkler, Mirna Therapeutics emerged from understanding microRNAs' critical role in gene regulation and disease. Winkler, from founding molecular diagnostics company Asuragen, identified the therapeutic potential of these small RNA molecules. His vision centered on leveraging microRNA replacement as a precise mechanism to combat cancer.
Mirna Therapeutics' products target patients with various cancers, providing new treatment options. The company's mission was to pioneer medicines correcting disease-causing gene expression imbalances by restoring natural microRNA function. It aimed to deliver transformative options, improving outcomes by addressing cancer's molecular foundations.
Mirna Therapeutics has raised $81.5M across 4 funding rounds.
Mirna Therapeutics has raised $81.5M in total across 4 funding rounds.
Mirna Therapeutics has raised $81.5M in total across 4 funding rounds.
Mirna Therapeutics's investors include Baxter Ventures, Avalon Ventures, Canaan Partners, Domain Associates, New Enterprise Associates, Omega Funds, OrbiMed, Osage University Partners, Pivotal bioVenture Partners, RiverVest, Heather Preston, Celgene.
Mirna Therapeutics is a biopharmaceutical company specializing in microRNA (miRNA)-based therapies for oncology, targeting cancers like pancreatic, prostate, lung, and liver through miRNA replacement to restore tumor suppressor functions.[1][2][3][4] It develops synthetic miRNA mimics to inhibit tumor growth, addressing unmet needs in aggressive cancers where traditional treatments fall short, with a pipeline including candidates like MRX-34 (miR-34a) for non-small cell lung cancer and others for broader neoplasms.[2][4][5] Originally clinical-stage, the company advanced preclinical and early trials but faced discontinuation of key programs and underwent a reverse merger, limiting current growth momentum.[3][5]
Founded in 2007 in Austin, Texas, Mirna Therapeutics emerged from research on microRNAs—short, noncoding RNAs that regulate gene expression and are often deregulated in cancers.[2][3] The company built on discoveries of tumor-suppressive miRNAs, such as miR-34, generating data from mouse models showing anti-tumor activity in prostate, pancreatic, and lung cancers.[2] Early traction came via SBIR grants for projects like chitosan nanoparticle delivery for prostate tumors and miRNA therapies sensitizing lung cancer cells to conventional treatments, marking pivotal preclinical validations before advancing to clinical stages.[2]
Mirna rode the early 2010s wave of RNA therapeutics discovery, capitalizing on miRNA's role in posttranscriptional regulation amid rising interest in noncoding RNAs for oncology.[1][2][4] Timing aligned with growing evidence of oncogenic/tumor-suppressive miRNAs in carcinomas, fueling biotech innovation when targeted therapies promised to revolutionize cancer care beyond chemotherapy.[2] Market forces like unmet needs in deadly cancers (e.g., pancreatic as fourth-leading cause of cancer death) favored its approach, influencing the ecosystem by validating miRNA mimics and paving the way for advanced RNA delivery tech in modern players like those in mRNA vaccines.[2][5]
Post-reverse merger and trial discontinuations (e.g., MRX-34), Mirna's active development appears stalled, with pipeline items like MIRNA-Rx05 and Rx07 pending or preclinical.[3][5] Emerging trends in RNA therapeutics—improved delivery vectors and combination therapies—could revive miRNA oncology if assets are licensed or repurposed. Its influence may evolve through IP legacies in tumor suppressor mimics, potentially amplifying impact in next-gen biopharma tackling resistant cancers, echoing its foundational bet on miRNA's transformative potential.[2][5]
Mirna Therapeutics has raised $81.5M across 4 funding rounds. Most recently, it raised $42.0M Series D in April 2015.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 1, 2015 | $42.0M Series D | Baxter Ventures | Avalon Ventures, Canaan Partners, Domain Associates, New Enterprise Associates, Omega Funds, OrbiMed, Osage University Partners, Pivotal bioVenture Partners, RiverVest, Heather Preston, Celgene, Correlation Ventures, Eastern Capital, Morningside Ventures, Rock Springs Capital, Saints Capital, Sofinnova Ventures |
| Oct 1, 2012 | $35.0M Series C | Michael Powell | Avalon Ventures, Canaan Partners, Domain Associates, New Enterprise Associates, Omega Funds, OrbiMed, Osage University Partners, Pivotal bioVenture Partners, RiverVest, Heather Preston, Correlation Ventures |
| Aug 23, 2011 | $1.5M Other Equity | ||
| Apr 3, 2008 | $3.0M Seed |