TransCode Therapeutics Acquires Polynoma, Secures $25 Million Investment to Advance Oncology Pipeline

TransCode Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: RNAZ) has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Polynoma LLC, a privately held immuno-oncology company developing seviprotimut-L, a late-stage polyvalent shed antigen vaccine for the adjuvant treatment of stage IIB and IIC melanoma. Concurrent with the acquisition, TransCode secured a $25 million investment from CK Life Sciences Int'l (Holdings) Inc. to fund its lead microRNA candidate, TTX-MC138, through a Phase 2 clinical trial. Philippe Calais, PharmD, PhD, was appointed Chief Executive Officer, succeeding Interim CEO Tom Fitzgerald, who returns to his role as CFO.

This strategic acquisition creates a unique and broader oncology pipeline with Phase 3-ready seviprotimut-L and TransCode's TTX-MC138 program. Dr. Calais emphasized that together, these assets position TransCode to deliver meaningful therapeutic advances for patients battling melanoma and metastatic disease. The combination of these two promising oncology approaches represents a significant step forward in cancer treatment development, potentially addressing multiple cancer types through different therapeutic mechanisms.

The $25 million investment from CK Life Sciences provides crucial funding to advance TTX-MC138 through Phase 2 clinical trials. TTX-MC138 is focused on treating metastatic tumors which overexpress microRNA-10b, a unique, well-documented biomarker of metastasis. This funding ensures the continued development of this innovative approach to treating metastatic disease, which remains one of the most challenging aspects of cancer treatment. The investment demonstrates strong confidence in TransCode's technology platform and clinical strategy.

TransCode is a clinical-stage oncology company focused on treating metastatic disease through the intelligent design and effective delivery of RNA therapeutics based on its proprietary TTX nanoparticle platform. The company's portfolio includes other first-in-class RNA therapeutic candidates designed to overcome the challenges of RNA delivery, unlocking therapeutic access to various novel genetic targets relevant to treating multiple cancers. The latest news and updates relating to RNAZ are available in the company's newsroom at https://ibn.fm/RNAZ.

The acquisition of Polynoma brings seviprotimut-L, a late-stage vaccine candidate that has shown promise in treating stage IIB and IIC melanoma patients. This vaccine represents an important advancement in immuno-oncology, particularly for patients at high risk of recurrence following initial treatment. The combination of TransCode's RNA platform with Polynoma's vaccine technology creates a comprehensive approach to cancer treatment that addresses both primary tumors and metastatic disease through different biological mechanisms.