For patients on blood thinners, the line between preventing a stroke and risking a fatal bleed is perilously thin. A new preclinical biotech from North Carolina is betting that a therapeutic built from folded RNA can offer a more precise and immediately reversible form of anticoagulation.
Helixomer Inc., founded in 2020 by two NC State University researchers, is developing a chemically modified RNA origami (RNAO) platform. The technology uses strands of RNA engineered to fold into specific three-dimensional nanostructures studded with aptamers. For its lead program, Helixomer is targeting thrombin, a central enzyme in the blood-clotting cascade [NC State MSE, Dec 2023]. The company's ambition is to create a system: one RNA origami molecule (HEX01) that inhibits thrombin, and a second, complementary molecule (HEX02) designed to rapidly neutralize the first [PubMed 38720458].
The RNA Origami Platform Wedge
Helixomer's scientific premise rests on structural control. By using RNA origami as a scaffold, the company aims to place multiple aptamers in a precise spatial arrangement on a single, stable nanostructure. This multivalent binding is theorized to create a stronger, more specific interaction with the target protein. The $2 million Direct-to-Phase-2 SBIR grant from the National Institutes of Health, awarded in late 2023, is funding the advancement of this paired anticoagulant and reversal agent system [NC State MSE, Dec 2023].
Preclinical Proof in Plasma and Mice
The company's data, published in a peer-reviewed journal in May 2024, demonstrates functional activity. Researchers reported that the lead RNA origami candidate, HEX01, acted as a direct thrombin inhibitor. Its designed reversal agent, HEX02, was shown to neutralize HEX01's anticoagulant activity in human plasma within 30 seconds in vitro. In a murine model of liver laceration, the administration of HEX02 after HEX01 effectively restored hemostasis [PubMed 38720458][NC State MSE, Jul 2024].
The Team and the Translation Challenge
Helixomer's origins are deeply academic. The co-founders bring specialized technical expertise to the task of drug development.
| Co-Founder | Role & Background |
|---|---|
| Thom LaBean | Co-founder, NC State Professor of Materials Science and Engineering. Expert in biomolecular design [NC State MSE, Dec 2023]. |
| Abhichart Krissanaprasit | Co-founder, expert in biomolecular engineering. Co-author on the key 2024 publication [PubMed 38720458][LinkedIn Abhichart Krissanaprasit]. |
The path from a university lab to a clinical-stage biotech is fraught with translational challenges. The company's current funding is entirely non-dilutive government grant money, a fraction of the capital required to shepherd a therapeutic through clinical trials.
Navigating a Crowded Therapeutic Landscape
The anticoagulation market is vast and established. Helixomer is proposing a new drug modality for a condition with entrenched standards of care.
- Clinical precedent. An RNA origami drug represents a novel and unproven structural approach in humans.
- Development capital. The $2 million NIH grant is substantial for early research but is a fraction of the capital required to fund a drug through Phase 3 trials.
- Commercial displacement. Convincing clinicians to adopt a completely new system will require demonstrating a dramatic improvement in safety or speed of reversal.
The company's near-term focus will be on using its NIH funding to generate robust preclinical data packages to de-risk the platform for future investors and potential pharmaceutical partners.