Moderna to buy OriCiro Genomics for USD 85 million
Cambridge: Moderna, Inc. and OriCiro Genomics K.K. have announced they have entered into a definitive agreement through which Moderna will acquire OriCiro for $85 million.
"With this acquisition, we obtain best-in-class tools for cell-free synthesis and amplification of plasmid DNA, a key building block in mRNA manufacturing," said Stéphane Bancel, Chief Executive Officer of Moderna. "OriCiro's technology strategically complements our manufacturing expertise and further accelerates our research and development engine. We look forward to welcoming the OriCiro team to Moderna."
"Moderna has demonstrated remarkable speed and ability to impact lives through their innovative platform and mRNA therapeutics. I am confident that our technology and talent will be a highly strategic fit with Moderna," said Nasir Kato Bashiruddin, Chief Executive Officer of OriCiro.
"We are thrilled to join forces with Moderna to realize the full power of OriCiro for the benefit of patients," added Seiji Hirasaki, President and Co-founder of OriCiro.
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OriCiro Genomics, founded in December 2018, is focused on the development and commercialization of cell-free synthesis and amplification of plasmid DNAs for applications in gene/cell-based therapies and synthetic biology. OriCiro's proprietary technologies are positioned to unlock and expedite the possibilities of advanced therapeutics and synthetic biology by providing a powerful tool to be used for research, development and manufacturing of plasmid DNA.
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Founded in 2010, Moderna is a US pharmaceutical and biotechnology company headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts. In over 10 years since its inception, Moderna has transformed from a research-stage company advancing programs in the field of messenger RNA (mRNA), to an enterprise with a diverse clinical portfolio of vaccines and therapeutics across seven modalities, a broad intellectual property portfolio in areas including mRNA and lipid nanoparticle formulation, and an integrated manufacturing plant that allows for rapid clinical and commercial production at scale.
