DESTINA Genomics and Mecwins join forces to develop more reliable diagnostic tests

Both biotechnology firms have signed a cross-licensing agreement to share technology to develop RNA quantification tests directly from biological samples.
Initial tests will focus both on RNA biomarkers for drug-induced hepatotoxicity, nephrotoxicity and cardiotoxicity, and on therapeutic RNAs.
Thanks to the combination of the high specificity and sensitivity of the solutions, these two firms aim to offer tests that reduce the risk of error in the final stages of clinical trials for new drugs, and technology to support the new era of therapeutic RNAs.

Biotechnology firms DESTINA Genomics and Mecwins have signed a new cross-licensing agreement to develop tests for the pharmaceutical and diagnostic industries. Thanks to this agreement, both companies can share their RNA quantification technology. At first the developments will focus both on RNA biomarkers for drug-induced toxicity, and therapeutic RNAs.

The main aim of this agreement, signed in July 2021, is to reduce the risk of error in clinical

trials for new drugs in the final stages, thanks to the combination of both companies’ technology. This will speed up the development and implementation of scalable molecular tests ensuring the highest reliability when developing drugs and RNA therapies at a lower

cost and with a workflow that is similar to that of immunoassays.

“This agreement enables us to strengthen our business model based on license and supply agreements with industrial partners. Our tests will thus enter the market of biomarkers for the pharmaceutical and diagnostic industries,” explained Juan Díaz, CEO of DESTINA Genomics.

Combining high specificity and sensitivity

On the one hand, DESTINA Genomics brings to the table its high-specificity technology to detect nucleic acids (RNAs) and analogues, thus avoiding false positives in diagnostic tests. On the other, the technology developed by Mecwins, more specifically the early diagnosis

platform AVAC, is highly sensitive and offers very low biomarker detection levels for new

tests, hence avoiding false negatives.

“By combining both capabilities, we will be able to develop our own tests and offer our testing and analysis services to third parties, supported by the AVAC platform,” Juan Díaz

added.

The first tests carried out by DESTINA Genomics will focus on the detection of biomarkers based on microRNAs connected with drug-induced hepatotoxicity, nephrotoxicity and cardiotoxicity. The company will also offer its services to the pharmaceutical industry developing therapies based on RNA and mRNA (messenger RNA) and to molecular diagnosis companies.

“As soon as we carried out the first studies with the AVAC platform, we realised that we could take a giant leap forward in our tests in terms of sensitivity. The agreement, therefore, supports our journey to become a benchmark company for RNA quantification,” added the CEO of DESTINA Genomics.

As for Mecwins, the agreement will enable the company to develop molecular tests for absolute quantification of nucleic acids, specifically RNA.

“This will allow us to add both protein and nucleic acid detection to our portfolio of tests, enabling us to stand out from the competition,” explained Óscar Ahumada, CEO of Mecwins.

With the signing of this agreement, DESTINA Genomics is hoping to successfully close its capital increase of 2 million euros in the first quarter of 2022. Mecwins, as part of the agreement, is interested in taking part in this investment round.

About Mecwins

Madrid-based biotechnological company Mecwins has developed the AVAC platform, which is an innovative

technology that has proved to be effective in detecting extremely important biomarkers, such as cytokines,

inflammation markers, cardiac markers and cancer markers, among others, at very low blood levels, for the early

diagnosis of a range of diseases.

The diagnostic capability of its technology, AVAC, with sensitivity that is much higher than other solutions on the

market, can lead to the creation of new paths for medical diagnosis and the treatment of various diseases in their

initial stages, thus improving patients’ life quality and expectancy.

About DESTINA Genomics

Established in 2011 in Edinburgh (Scotland), DESTINA Genomics focuses on the application and validation of its

patented avant-garde technology. The company has created unique and reliable chemistry for highly specific

detection of nucleic acids. It can be used to identify any known target nucleic acid sequence and it can

specifically detect small RNA without having to go through the many steps required by current methods. A subsidiary was created in Spain in 2012, called DESTINA Genómica, as part of their expansion plan.