Oisín Biotechnologies, a private biotech firm focused on combating age-related diseases, announced the publication of preclinical data from its follistatin (FST) gene therapy program aimed at reducing muscle loss. The research, titled “Safe and Effective Delivery of DNA and RNA Using Proteolipid Vehicles,” is featured in the journal Cell. The study was a collaboration between scientists from Oisín, OncoSenX, the University of Alberta, Dalhousie University, and Aegis Life, Inc., and was led by Entos® Pharmaceuticals, the developer of the FAST-PLV™ platform. The article is available online today and will appear in print on September 19th.
Matthew Scholz, CEO of Oisín Biotechnologies, highlighted the company’s mission to develop advanced genetic medicines targeting age-related diseases, emphasizing the importance of delivering nucleic acids safely and effectively across diverse cell types. “We invested early in the Entos FAST-PLV system due to its potential to address the biodistribution, tolerability, and repeat-dosing challenges associated with other delivery methods,” said Scholz. “The data published today in Cell validate our decision and provide proof-of-concept for our follistatin gene therapy program. As we continue to apply the FAST-PLV system in other programs, its flexibility reinforces the potential of our genetic medicine approach for treating age-related conditions.”
The published data include results from studies conducted by Oisín scientists assessing the impact of a single dose of FAST-PLV FST gene therapy in mice over time. After 15 weeks, treated mice exhibited significantly greater grip strength and body weight compared to controls. By 34 weeks, the treated mice showed notable muscle size increases, particularly in the hind limbs and torso, corresponding to a significant increase in cross-sectional muscle fiber area versus the control group.
“Muscle loss is linked to age-related frailty, affecting mobility and quality of life for millions of elderly individuals,” said Henry Garcia, Ph.D., head of Aging R&D at Oisín. “With the growing aging population and the rising use of GLP-1 agonists for diabetes and obesity, there is a critical need for therapies that can safely mitigate muscle loss and ideally promote muscle rebuilding.”
FAST-PLVs are integral to the Entos Fusogenix™ PLV delivery platform, licensed to Oisín for age-related disease applications. In July 2024, Oisín announced the first close of a $15 million Series A financing round to advance its portfolio of therapies for age-related conditions.
About Oisín Biotechnologies
Oisín Biotechnologies is a private biotech company developing genetic medicines to tackle age-related diseases. Based in Seattle, Washington, Oisín uses the Entos® Fusogenix™ PLV™ delivery platform to deliver DNA directly to cells throughout the body, addressing aging-related damage. The company’s initial therapies target the elimination of unwanted fat cells and muscle mass enhancement.
About Entos Pharmaceuticals Inc.
Entos Pharmaceuticals is at the forefront of a new era in genetic medicine, driven by safe, effective, and re-dosable nucleic acid delivery technologies. Since its inception in 2016, Entos has focused on next-generation genetic medicines using the proprietary Fusogenix™ PLV™ drug delivery system, which employs FAST proteins for direct nucleic acid delivery to target cells. Entos is committed to developing transformative medicines and has partnered with leading companies like Eli Lilly to expand its platform’s impact. Headquartered in Edmonton, Canada, Entos has subsidiaries in San Diego, California, and London, United Kingdom.
