Utrecht/Nijmegen (the Netherlands) SomantiX B.V, a biotech company focusing on the development of tumor blood vessel targeting angiogenesis inhibitors, and InteRNA Technologies B.V., a biopharma company engaged in the development of microRNA (miRNA)-based therapeutics for oncology, have received a so-called MIT grant (‘MKB Innovatiestimulering Topsectoren’) within the Topsector Life Science & Health to develop a new cancer drug. The two companies will develop antibody-coated nanoparticles targeting anti-angiogenic miRNAs specifically to the tumor vasculature in renal cell cancer.

The funding of € 150,000 is granted by Agentschap NL, an agency of the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs. The MIT program grants are aimed at funding collaborations between SMEs focusing on the development of innovative products, production processes or services.

Markwin Velders CEO of SomantiX said: “This award confirms the strength of SomantiX’ target identification platform. It allows the targeting of different drug classes. The combination with InteRNA’s novel microRNAs will open new opportunities for cancer drug development”.

“This MIT grant further exemplifies that our platform delivers bona fide miRNA drug candidates and provides us the resources for further validation in animal models for renal cell cancer. The vasculature targeted drug delivery of the unique anti-angiogenic miRNAs identified represents an innovative approach in the therapeutic intervention of this most common form of kidney cancer of which the incidence is still increasing”, said Roel Schaapveld, CEO of InteRNA Technologies.