Mercurna’s €900K Eurostars project
Mercurna’s new Eurostars project, NANOMED-KT, aims to develop a first-of-its-kind treatment for post transplantation-associated inflammation that contributes to delayed graft function (DGF). The project, which commenced in October 2024 and will run for 3 years, addresses a significant unmet need for treatments that can improve graft survival rates and quality of life. Catalyze is proud to have supported Mercurna with their successful Eurostars submission. Jenny van Asbeck-van der Wijst, CEO of Mercurna, shared her thoughts on the project and collaboration with Catalyze.
Mercurna CEO, Jenny van Asbeck-van der Wijst. Image used with Mercurna’s permission.
Mercurna’s first-of-its-kind nanomedicine for prevention of delayed graft function
Founded in 2017 with the goal to develop life-changing mRNA therapeutics, Mercurna has developed a modular nanomedicine platform technology that can be exploited for a multitude of diseases. In their Eurostars project, NANOMED-KT, Mercurna will be working with Karolinska Institutet (SE),who bring proficiency in acute kidney injury and kidney transplantation. Together, they aim to develop a first-of-its-kind nanomedicine for prevention of delayed graft function (DGF), which manifests as acute kidney injury within the first week of kidney transplantation. DGF affects 20-60% of kidney transplant recipients, yet there are currently no approved drugs to prevent it. During the project they will complete pre-clinical proof-of-concept (PoC) in animal models.
Dr. Asbeck-van der Wijst explains the importance of their Eurostars funding:
“With the support of Eurostars, Mercurna can advance their research and development efforts, conduct essential preclinical studies, and move closer to clinical trials. The NANOMED-KT project aims to improve kidney transplant success rates and patient outcomes, aligning perfectly with our goal of creating innovative mRNA-based therapies.
“The Eurostars funding provides us with the resources to enhance our platform technology, expand our research capabilities, and foster collaborations with leading institutions like the Karolinska Institutet. Beyond the immediate scope of the NANOMED-KT project, this support helps us make significant strides towards developing life-changing treatments for inflammatory diseases, thereby improving the quality of life for patients worldwide.”
Mercurna and Catalyze’s collaboration towards the Eurostars award
Catalyze provided support to Mercurna during their development of the NANOMED-KT project proposal to Eurostars. We are proud of our successful collaboration towards bringing this project to life.
Dr. Asbeck-van der Wijst reflects on the collaboration:
“The expertise and structured guidance of Catalyze in preparation of our Eureka Eurostars submission enhanced the quality and impact of the project proposal. Thanks in part to their support, we achieved a successful outcome and are pleased to start this exciting NANOMED-KT project on nanomedicine development for organ transplantation together with Karolinska Institutet.”
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