Ethris secures €30m EIB/HERA Invest financing to advance nasal mRNA antivirals
- €30 million financing from the European Investment Bank backed by DG HERA under HERA Invest.
- Supports ETH47—an intranasal mRNA encoding interferon lambda (IFNλ)—currently in Phase 2a and planned for Phase 2b in asthma and COPD.
- Also funds ETH52 and ETH53, which target mucosal influenza vaccines and pandemic preparedness.
- ETH47’s approach aims to boost local innate immunity at the airway entry site rather than target viral proteins, with nasal-spray development for non-invasive administration.
Deal and purpose
Ethris, the European Investment Bank (EIB) and the European Commission’s Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority (DG HERA) agreed a €30 million financing package under HERA Invest to advance Ethris’ respiratory mRNA portfolio. The funding is designated to support further clinical development of multiple programmes focused on chronic respiratory disease and pandemic preparedness.
Candidates and clinical plan
The lead candidate, ETH47, is an mRNA-based antiviral currently evaluated in a Phase 2a trial for antiviral activity in patients with asthma and is planned for evaluation in COPD patients. The financing will support progression of ETH47 into Phase 2b trials in asthma and COPD. Additional programmes covered by the financing include ETH52 and ETH53, which focus on mucosal influenza vaccines and broader pandemic preparedness.
Mechanism and strategic rationale
ETH47 encodes interferon lambda (IFNλ) to boost localized airway immune defenses at the pathogen entry site and is intended to activate the body’s innate immune response rather than targeting specific viral proteins. That host-directed, intranasal approach is presented as potentially broad-spectrum against multiple viral families and as enabling non-invasive nasal-spray administration, with the stated aim of preventing exacerbations in chronic respiratory conditions and contributing to pandemic preparedness.
Source: EIB
