List of RNAi Companies in Canada - 2

Arbutus Biopharma Corporation, a biopharmaceutical company, engages in the discovery, development, and commercialization of a cure for patients suffering from chronic Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection in the United States. Its HBV product pipeline consists of AB-729, a proprietary subcutaneously-delivered RNA interference product candidate, which in an ongoing Phase Ia/Ib clinical trial targeted to hepatocytes that inhibits viral replication and reduces various HBV antigens using novel covalently conjugated GalNAc delivery technology; and AB-836, an oral capsid inhibitor that suppresses HBV DNA replication. The company’s research and development programs include HBV RNA destabilizers, an orally active agent to destabilize HBV RNA, which leads to RNA degradation and to reduction in HBV proteins; oral PD-L1 inhibitor to enable reawakening patients’ HBV-specific immune response; and small molecule antiviral medicines to treat coronaviruses, including COVID-19. It has strategic alliance, licensing, and research collaboration agreements with Marqibo; Gritstone Oncology, Inc.; and Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and Acuitas Therapeutics, Inc. The company was formerly known as Tekmira Pharmaceuticals Corporation and changed its name to Arbutus Biopharma Corporation in July 2015. Arbutus Biopharma Corporation is headquartered in Warminster, Pennsylvania.

Renaissance BioScience is an environmental impact company whose bioengineering platform technologies develop innovative, market-ready, functional microorganisms that provide solutions to a broad range of health and environmental problems. Based in Vancouver, Canada, Renaissance is currently developing technologies for the oral delivery of RNA, targeting human and animal health, biopesticides and aquaculture solutions. RNAi and mRNA are valuable and revolutionary technology that has been widely applied in medicine and agriculture facilitating sustainable practices and technologies that combine effectiveness with a minimal environmental footprint. Renaissance Ingredients Inc. has licenced its acrylamide-reducing (AR) yeast to the Kerry Group, and is marketed under the brand AcryLeast. AcryLeast is a non-GMO baker’s yeast strains which as been found to reduce acrylamide by up to 95% in a variety of food products by degrading asparagine, a precursor of acrylamide.