Kinea Bio Inc., a biotechnology company dedicated to developing transformative genetic medicines, today announced two major achievements in its gene therapy program: a commitment by the Jain Foundation to invest up to $1.1 million based on the achievement of certain milestones to support critical preclinical studies, and a strategic license from Solid Biosciences for its proprietary, next-generation myotropic AAV capsid, AAV-SLB101, to enable safe and effective muscle-targeted delivery. Together, these advances provide the scientific and financial foundation to accelerate development of KNA-155, Kinea Bio’s dual-AAV gene therapy for dysferlinopathy.
The Jain Foundation’s funding will support key IND-enabling activities, including dose-finding and GLP toxicology studies in dysferlin-deficient animal models. These studies will define the therapeutic window of KNA-155, generate pivotal safety and biodistribution data, and de-risk the path to first-in-human trials.
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The Jain Foundation’s Co-Presidents, Doug Albrecht and Laura Rufibach, expressed enthusiasm for Kinea’s dysferlinopathy program. “Supporting promising therapeutic strategies and guiding them through rigorous preclinical development is central to our mission,” said Dr. Rufibach. Dr. Albrecht agreed, saying, “Kinea Bio’s innovative dual-vector approach has already demonstrated compelling preclinical evidence, and we are proud to help accelerate its translation toward the clinic.”
To complement this funding, Kinea Bio has in-licensed Solid Biosciences’ AAV-SLB101 capsid, a clinically validated myotropic AAV engineered for efficient skeletal muscle delivery with reduced liver uptake. This capsid will serve as the delivery backbone for KNA-155, enhancing potency and safety in systemic administration.
“We are excited to partner with Kinea Bio to apply our muscle-tropic capsid, AAV-SLB101, to advance the field of gene therapy for dysferlinopathy,” said Bo Cumbo, President and CEO at Solid Biosciences. “We believe that the compelling combination of Kinea’s scientific expertise, our next-generation delivery technology and the Jain Foundation’s commitment will help bring new hope to patients.”
“Combining the Jain Foundation’s support with Solid’s capsid technology creates a powerful foundation for success,” said Casey Childers, CEO of Kinea Bio. “These achievements allow us to execute our development plan with confidence and move closer to bringing a much-needed therapy to patients living with dysferlinopathy.”
The collaboration with the Jain Foundation underscores the Foundation’s commitment to the development of treatments for dysferlinopathy through targeted investment and research oversight, while the partnership with Solid Biosciences adds cutting-edge delivery technology to maximize clinical impact. Together, these initiatives validate confidence in Kinea Bio’s innovative dual vector strategy and highlight the urgency and momentum driving its advancement toward the clinic.
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