CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – Tiba Biotech LLC, a Cambridge-based preclinical biopharmaceutical company, announced today it has received a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I grant from the National Cancer Institute (NCI). The $400,000 program provides non-dilutive funding to further develop Tiba’s proprietary RNABL™ delivery platform in combination with its enhanced self-amplifying RNA (esaRNA) therapeutic payload. This approach exploits spleen-targeted delivery of RNA-encoded tumor antigens designed to trigger potent systemic immune responses.  

“Our approach merges novel RNA engineering with organ-specific delivery, enabling us to overcome long-standing challenges in cancer immunization,”

— Jasdave Chahal, Ph.D.

“Our approach merges novel RNA engineering with organ-specific delivery, enabling us to overcome long-standing challenges in cancer immunization,” said Jasdave Chahal, Ph.D., co-founder and Chief Scientific Officer of Tiba Biotech. “By targeting our enhanced RNA vectors to critical immune cells in secondary lymphoid tissues such as the spleen, we can induce far greater protective anti-cancer responses than traditional mRNA vaccines.” 

Tissue-specific delivery of RNA therapeutics using traditional lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) remains a key challenge in the field. Tiba’s unique delivery technology addresses this gap by providing a potent, non-inflammatory alternative that avoids unwanted liver uptake, allowing access to a variety of different organs. “By enabling effective extrahepatic delivery, Tiba’s RNABL technology stands to broaden the therapeutic reach of RNA medicines to new areas where tissue-specific delivery is essential,” said Prof. Christian Mandl, Ph.D., M.D., co-founder and Chief Medical Officer.

“Tiba’s RNABL technology stands to broaden the therapeutic reach of RNA medicines to new areas where tissue-specific delivery is essential.” 

— Christian Mandl, Ph.D., M.D.

The federally mandated NCI SBIR program supports early-stage companies developing high-risk, high-reward technologies with strong commercial potential. This grant accelerates Tiba’s mission to translate its RNA delivery platform into transformative therapies for cancer patients. 

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About Tiba Biotech

Tiba Biotech LLC is a preclinical-stage biopharmaceutical company based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, developing next-generation RNA medicines using its proprietary RNABL™ delivery platform. Tiba’s mission is to unlock RNA’s therapeutic potential by enabling organ-targeted, safe, and potent delivery solutions to address cancer, infectious diseases, and other serious conditions.  For more information about Tiba Biotech, visit www.tiba.bio, follow us on X (formally Twitter) @TibaBiotech and LinkedIn.

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Tiba Biotech LLC 

info@tiba.bio