A pioneering Bristol medical firm working at the leading edge of gene therapy to combat a range of illnesses has secured funding of more than £1.4m.
Clifton-based Argonaute RNA aims to use the power of RNA interference (RNAi) to create ground-breaking medicines that harness the body’s natural cell mechanisms to turn off – or ‘silence’ – specific genes. 
And with Bristol emerging as a vibrant biotech hub in recent years, Argonaute RNA will also be able to tap into the city’s talent pool and support ecosystem.
Medical researchers have been exploring the effectiveness of RNAi for two decades but have only recently made the breakthrough to enable its use to in treating genetic illnesses.
Argonaute RNA is to use the funding – which has come from a number of sources – to ramp up its work in is pursuing a number of therapeutic opportunities for RNAi.
Argonaute RNA’s research projects build on existing intellectual property and aims to show how its proprietary modification of small interfering RNA (siRNA) allows safe and effective ways to silence specific gene expression.
The firm uses a novel method of stabilising the siRNA, so avoiding a range of issues that have, until now, proved significant obstacles to developing siRNA drugs for use in humans.
Argonaute RNA executive chairman Anthony Parker, who worked for 30 years in investment banking and fund management and has taken an active role in funding biotech businesses for the past 10 years, said: “RNA interference is an entirely new class of medicines. It has taken 20 years to get from test tube to pharmacy, but 2021 is the breakthrough year.
“Our unique patented platform in this field has been built over the past five years but our team in aggregate has decades of RNAi drug development experience in industry.
“We will be using these funds to demonstrate to potential partners in the pharmaceutical sector how we can solve some of the key challenges for RNAi drug development.
“We are fortunate to benefit from the emergence of Bristol as a biotech hub and to have access to such a high quality talent pool and support of knowledgeable investors. The next 12 months promise to be tremendously exciting.”
Lead investor in the funding round is The Fink Family Office, a prominent investor in exciting UK tech businesses.
Further backing has come from Bristol Private Equity Club, a network of Bristol-based entrepreneurs, and Cardiff-based CatSci, which specialises in leveraging its skills and knowledge of process research and development to make highly targeted investments in pharmaceutical innovation.
The Fink Family Office is led by former Conservative Party treasurer and ex-CEO of Man Group, Lord Stanley Fink.
He said: “Gene silencing can be a paradigm shift in healthcare. It offers hope to millions suffering from diseases of genetic origin.
“The UK needs to compete in the vanguard of this new field, which is why the government recently set up the Nucleic Acid Therapy Accelerator to assist in addressing technological challenges and speeding up clinical developments.
“Argonaute RNA is exactly the sort of venture we need to see academic research turned into life-saving drugs. We are excited to be involved.”
Bristol Private Equity Club founder of Jerry Barnes added: “The importance of developing new medical treatments has been brought home to all with the fast tracking of the Covid-19 vaccine.
“Often the only barrier slowing development of medicines is funding, so we are delighted to be supporting this Bristol-based science-led project.”
The funding round was led by Argonaute RNA non-executive director Dr Johnathan Matlock. He said: “Funding for early-stage biotech companies can be challenging, so I’m delighted to have brought together an exceptional group of investors who saw the potential for this technology.
“This funding will allow Argonaute RNA to advance our therapies towards the clinic and one step closer to patients.”
