Aera: delivering nucleic acids with endogenous human proteins

Delivery remains one of the biggest challenges for genetic medicines including gene editing therapies, and Aera, the latest company to emerge from CRISPR pioneer Feng Zhang’s lab, is taking it on with a human protein-based delivery technology that could address immunogenicity, carrying capacity and tissue targeting issues.

Aera Therapeutics Inc. emerged from stealth on Thursday to develop a nucleic acid delivery platform that relies on certain endogenous human proteins, rather than the commonly used viral vectors or lipid nanoparticles. The biotech has $193 million in combined series A and B financings led by Arch Venture Partners, GV and Lux Capital. ...