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Moirai Biodesign creates new synthetic RNA design software

Moirai Biodesign
24 Jun 2021
Cameron Smith-Craig
Cameron Smith-Craig
Pharma and Applied Sciences Editor

Industry news

Moirai Biodesign, a biotech startup located at the Barcelona Scientific Park, has launched MoiRNAiFold, a best-in-class software for the design of complex RNA molecules that will propel the development of state-of-the-art therapies, diagnostic methods and vaccines.

The company, led by expert researchers in computational biology and synthetic biology, makes the tool available to the scientific community free of charge and offers its services and knowledge to the industry and academia.

MoiRNAiFold is said to outperform any existing software in designing RNA sequences that are functional when validated both in-vitro and in-vivo. The tool is able to generate, in an easy-to-use, intuitive, and versatile way, RNA molecules that are equally or more efficient than those obtained from a selection of a battery of hundreds of designs. Its approach can be applied at any time with the expectation that the number of RNA molecules to be tested will be drastically reduced without compromising functionality and therefore reducing the time and cost of production in any scenario.

The therapeutic application of synthetic RNA is very innovative and has great medical and pharmacological potential, as it opens the door to a new generation of targeted therapies for certain pathologies -neurological, congenital, oncological, neurodegenerative, etc., as well as for the development of new antibiotics and vaccines. One of the greatest advantages of synthetic RNA therapeutic approaches is the ability to adapt quickly to new pathogens or diseases. Recently, a large number of articles have been published regarding RNA-based patents and commercial applications (related, among others, to vaccines, other therapies, and diagnoses) that show an enormous potential or that are a radical success. For example, in the context of the current pandemic, Moderna and Pfizer / BioNtech have developed synthetic mRNA vaccines to induce immunity, winning the race to produce the first vaccines against the new SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus.

Moirai Biodesign is a biotech startup created in 2016 by a group of scientists, experts in the field of bioinformatics, synthetic biology, and computational biology, in order to put RNA design at the service of biomedical R&D of industry and academia. Based in the Barcelona Scientific Park, the company has a multidisciplinary team of six specialists in biomedicine, biochemistry and artificial intelligence, among other areas. Moirai is pioneer in the development of RNA-based solutions for the development of new therapies and diagnostic systems. The biotech startup is in the validation phase of a diagnostic device, based on its own RNA biosensor technology, which initially focuses on determining the etiology of sepsis.

To develop this technology, Moirai Biodesign has received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie grant agreement No 712949 (TECNIOspring PLUS), as well as from the Agency for the Competitiveness of the Government of Catalonia.

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ImmunologyImmunological techniques measure and characterize immune responses. Immunology kits and analysis systems often use techniques such as ELISA, radioimmunoassay (RIA) and immunodiffusion assays, Immunohistochemistry, and flow cytometry. Immunologists use equipment such as flow Cytometers, plate readers, plate washers and fluorescent microscopes.DNA / RNA Extraction and PurificationPurified DNA and RNA are required for numerous downstream molecular biology applications. Consequently, the importance of high-quality DNA/RNA extraction and purification equipment cannot be underestimated. Many purification kits are available and are typically optimized for nucleic acid type and source, including plasmid DNA, genomic DNA, mRNA, RNA and viral nucleic acid purification kits. Automated extraction and purification of nucleic acids can be implemented with magnetic bead separator instruments or high-throughput purification workstations. Find the best DNA/RNA extraction and purification equipment in our peer-reviewed product directory: compare products, check customer reviews and receive pricing direct from manufacturers.Discovery SoftwareComputational techniques used in both the chemistry and biology aspects of drug discovery, for data acquisition, processing and storage. Software is used for analysis of pathways, target identification, genomics, proteomics, modelling, lead identification, compound analysis and drug modelling among many others. Development SoftwareComputational techniques used in both the chemistry and biology aspects of drug development, for data acquisition, data analysis, processing and storage. Software is used for analysis of ADME results, toxicology, clinical trials and regulatory processes. DNA / RNA QuantificationDetection and quantification of nucleic acids is important in molecular biology, cloning, expression, forensics and clinical diagnostics. Nucleic acids can be detected by labeling with colorimetric, fluorescent or radio labels and using in situ hybridization kits to identify specific sequences. Multiple nucleic acids can be detected and quantified at once using RNA / DNA detection beads or RNA / DNA microarrays. Find the best DNA / RNA Quantification products in our peer-reviewed product directory: compare products, check customer reviews and receive pricing direct from manufacturers.Software PlatformsSoftware platforms are useful for various stages of laboratory experiments from data collection to data storage and processing. For instance lab software is available for system control, data management, data analysis and qualification / validation.Molecular DesignBiotherapeuticsBiotherapeutics are proteins and other compounds (such as nucleic acids) produced by living organisms that have uses as therapeutics or in <i>in vivo</i> diagnostics. The most well-known example of a biotherapeutic product, and the first to be approved for therapeutic use, was recombinant human insulin.BiotechnologyBiotechnology is the use of biological processes, organisms, or systems in the production of products and services. It spans a wide range of applications, including healthcare, agriculture, and environmental management. Browse our peer-reviewed product directory to find the best biotechnology tools, compare products, check reviews, and get pricing directly from manufacturers.Covid-19COVID-19, caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, has led to a global health crisis with profound impacts on societies and economies. Research into diagnostics, vaccines, treatments, and understanding viral mechanisms continues to evolve. The pandemic has accelerated innovations in healthcare and biopharmaceuticals, including novel vaccine platforms and rapid testing technologies. Browse our peer-reviewed product directory to find top COVID-19 testing kits, research tools, vaccines, and treatments, compare products, read reviews, and receive direct pricing from manufacturers.

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Moirai Biodesign creates new synthetic RNA design software