Lerna Bio unveils its first-in-class solution to combat liver failure

SINGAPORE, CAMBRIDGE, Mass. and SHANGHAI, Nov. 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Lerna Biopharma Pte. Ltd (Lerna Bio) proudly announces the unveiling of its pioneering liver regeneration drug candidate, LR1, at The Liver Meeting in Boston organized by American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD) from November 10^th to 14^th. During this esteemed event, Lerna Bio will present two highly anticipated presentations: "Promoting Liver Regeneration and Protection with LR1: A Novel siRNA Drug" by Dr. Tan Si Hui, Vice President of Biology at Lerna Bio, on November 11^th, and an oral report on the Quartz platform, a groundbreaking in vivo target discovery platform for liver diseases, by Dr. Torsten Wuestefeld, Co-founder and Advisor of Lerna Bio, on November 13^th.

By targeting liver regeneration, LR1 provides a novel mechanism and innovative solution for patients at risk of liver failure. This first-in-class siRNA drug has demonstrated its potential to sustain and improve liver functions, addressing a critical gap in liver care. The preclinical data, to be presented by Dr. Tan Si Hui, highlights LR1's ability to promote liver regeneration and protect the liver from further deterioration.

Every year, over 2 million lives succumb to liver failure due to liver cirrhosis resulting from chronic liver diseases, making it a leading cause of mortality worldwide. The existing treatment for liver failure patients - liver transplantation - has severe limitations, leaving patients and physicians in search of effective solutions. LR1, a siRNA drug that promotes liver regeneration, holds the promise to transform the landscape of liver disease treatment. With over 100 million cirrhosis patients globally and a rapidly growing population driven by increasing patients with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), the need for a breakthrough is more urgent than ever.

Commenting on the potential of LR1, Ms. Kathy He, CEO of Lerna Bio, enthused, "Leveraging liver's innate regenerative capacity to combat liver diseases has been a longstanding aspiration for liver researchers. The unmet needs in this disease area are monumental. By harnessing the power of siRNA and our novel liver regeneration target, LR1 is poised to revolutionize treatment of chronic liver diseases, potentially eliminating the need for transplantation."

Lerna Bio invites attendees of The Liver Meeting to join Dr. Tan Si Hui's presentation on LR1's role in promoting liver regeneration and protection, along with an overview of preclinical data showcasing its therapeutic potential. Additionally, Dr. Torsten Wuestefeld, will present an oral report on November 13th on the Quartz platform – the discovery engine that engendered Lerna Bio's lead target and continues to generate a robust pipeline of new generation targets. 

About Lerna Biopharma Pte. Ltd. (Lerna Bio)

Lerna Bio is a global biotech focused on developing first-in-class therapeutics for liver diseases. Leveraging Quartz target discovery platform developed by Torsten Wuestefeld, Lerna Bio combines its in-depth understanding of new biological targets and deep industry experience in nucleic acid medicinal chemistry to develop novel siRNA drugs for diseases with high unmet needs. 

Please visit the company website www.lernabio.com or contact Ms. Melodee Wu Melodee.Wu@lernabio.com for more information.