RenBio, a privately-held, preclinical biotechnology company developing novel, best-in-class antiviral antibody therapeutics and a next-generation antibody delivery platform, today announced that it has completed a $24 million Series A financing, led by Taiwan-based Ruentex Group. The company has also signed a license agreement with Columbia University, giving RenBio the exclusive worldwide development and commercialization rights to a novel bispecific antibody (RB-100) for COVID-19 that was developed in the lab of David D. Ho, M.D. of Columbia University and targets two distinct sites on the spike of SARS-CoV-2. In preclinical studies, RB-100 demonstrated robust antiviral activity against SARS-CoV-2 variants that have recently emerged from the U.K. (B.1.1.7), South Africa (B.1.351), Brazil (P.1), California (B.1.427 and B.1.429), and New York City (B.1.526).

RenBio is a privately-held, preclinical biotechnology company developing novel, best-in-class antiviral antibody therapeutics and a next-generation antibody delivery platform. The company's lead compound, RB-100, is a SARS-CoV-2 bispecific antibody in-licensed from Columbia University, that, in preclinical studies, has demonstrated robust antiviral activity against emerging and evolving SARS-CoV-2 variants. RenBio is also developing a revolutionary, next-generation nucleic acid-based antibody delivery platform -- MYO (Make Your Own) Technology™ -- designed to overcome the manufacturing and delivery challenges of standard protein therapies by providing patients (via a modified intramuscular injection) with a DNA "bioblueprint," enabling muscle cells (myocytes) to produce the desired therapeutic antibodies within the patient's own body, thereby acting as in vivo bioreactors. Funding, to date, has included non-dilutive financing from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and MedImmune (now AstraZeneca).