Therna Biosciences today announced its launch with a vision to transform the development of RNA medicines through a biology-guided, AI-powered platform. By decoding the language of RNA, Therna is pioneering programmable RNA therapeutics engineered for enhanced translation, durability, immune evasion, and precise tissue targeting – unlocking new levels of safety, efficacy, and therapeutic potential.
Founded by UCSF and Arc Institute investigator Hani Goodarzi, Ph.D., a leader in RNA biology and advanced generative AI spanning more than a decade, Therna is building the largest generative RNA models to date. “By grounding our approach in RNA biology itself and applying AI to deeply interpret RNA's code, we can design fit-for-purpose RNAs that perform better than native RNA, efficiently translated, long-lasting, and capable of homing to specific tissues and cells,” said Goodarzi.
“AI is reaching an inflection point in its application to biological design,” said Nazli Azimi, Ph.D., co-founder and CEO of Therna. “At Therna, we have created a platform that radically accelerates the development of RNA medicines, enabling a lab-in-the-loop cycle that produces better molecules, with fewer iterations. Our deep expertise in drug development and clinical strategy gives us a clear path to translate these discoveries into meaningful clinical impact.”
Therna is backed by a distinguished group of investors who understand the transformative potential at the intersection of RNA biology and AI, having raised a $10 million seed round led by AIX Ventures, Pear VC, and Fusion Fund to advance its platform and develop a pipeline of next-generation RNA therapeutics.
“The convergence of AI and RNA biology marks a paradigm shift in drug development,” said Krish Ramadurai, Partner, at AIX. “Therna's differentiated approach of combining proprietary AI models with deep biological insight positions it to be a category-defining company in programmable RNA medicines.”
About Therna Biosciences
Therna is a biotechnology company redefining RNA therapeutics by uniting deep RNA biology with state-of-the-art RNA foundation models and generative AI. Its biology-guided platform enables rapid, end-to-end design of precisely engineered mRNA molecules—optimized for enhanced translation, stability, immune evasion, and tissue-specific expression. The platform also efficiently identifies optimal target sites within mRNA for maximally effective ASO/siRNA design. Therna's technology allows gene expression to be upregulated, downregulated, or finely tuned, enabling broad applications across a range of therapeutic areas, including genetic and rare diseases, ophthalmology, and immunology. Headquartered in San Francisco, Therna is backed by leading investors and scientific advisors at the forefront of RNA and AI innovation.
Investor Contact:
Amir Moarefi - Amir.moarefi@therna.com
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