Northern RNA and Epitopea Announce Strategic Collaboration Agreement

Northern RNA and Epitopea Announce Strategic Collaboration Agreement  

Posted on 24 February 2025 by Northern RNA  

CALGARY, CANADA and MONTREAL CANADA – February 24, 2025 – Northern RNA, a contract drug manufacturing organization (CDMO) specializing in GMP manufacturing of RNA-based vaccines and therapeutics, and Epitopea, a transatlantic cancer immunotherapeutics company developing accessible off-the-shelf RNA-based immunotherapies, today announced they have entered into a strategic collaboration that will see Northern RNA provide its cutting-edge biomanufacturing expertise to support the development of Epitopea’s innovative RNA-based immunotherapies targeting solid and hematological cancers.  

“We are thrilled about our strategic agreement with Epitopea, marking a pivotal milestone in our journey as an end-to-end provider of high quality, GMP grade, commercial scale products and services” said Dr. Jared Davis, President and CTO of Northern RNA. “Through this collaboration, our advanced mRNA and LNP manufacturing capabilities will play a crucial role in accelerating the development of Epitopea’s ground-breaking cancer immunotherapy, enhancing the way we deliver value to our clients.”  

This significant agreement will see Northern RNA leverage its state-of-the-art biomanufacturing facility to produce high-quality mRNA drug substances and lipid nanoparticle (LNP)-encapsulated drug products. The partnership will focus on ensuring the successful advancement of Epitopea’s therapeutic candidate through early-phase clinical trials.  

“We are delighted to be working with Northern RNA on the manufacture of our first RNA-based immunotherapy aimed at radically improving the prospects for cancer patients’ long-term survival” said Dr Jon Moore, CSO and co-Founder of Epitopea “Northern RNA is a respected, highly experienced CDMO and a recognized leader in biomanufacturing. We look forward with excitement to working with the team at Northern RNA to move our programs forward towards clinical trials.”  

“This collaboration between Epitopea and Northern RNA is a clear demonstration that Canada has the capacity to deliver an end-to-end solution for the development and manufacturing of novel RNA-based immunotherapies that will benefit cancer patients worldwide,” added Epitopea’s CBO, Dr. Steven J. Klein “We look forward to exploring additional strategic opportunities with the Northern RNA team.”  

Northern RNA is committed to making a lasting impact by offering comprehensive solutions that support every phase of our clients’ needs – from clinical trials to full-scale GMP-grade commercial production. With our advanced capabilities in nucleic acid bioprocessing, we are well-positioned to drive innovation and support the next generation of transformative therapies. We look forward to working alongside Epitopea to accelerate the development of life-saving cancer treatments for patients worldwide.