Executive Summary
VitaDAO proposes a $500,000 loan, recovered through a further fundraise, to VITARNA/ArtanBIO to optimize a GMP manufacturing process and advance ARTAN-102, their lead AAV9 gene therapy for aging, into non-GLP toxicology studies in non-human primates. According to company leadership, this funding will enable non-GLP toxicology studies by the end of 2025, followed by IND-enabling studies throughout 2026, with clinical trials targeted for late 2026 or early 2027.
Led by CEO Anthony Schwartz and CSO Michael Torres, ARTAN Bio focuses on arginine mutations, specifically the CGA codon, common in proteins related to DNA damage, neurodegeneration, and tumor suppressors. Their approach aims to restore protein levels of these age-related proteins.
Recent Progress & Achievements by VITARNA
ARTAN Bio (VitaRNA) and Syenex Team Up to Accelerate Next-Generation Anti-Aging Therapy
Strategic collaboration that could significantly speed up the development of ARTAN-102, a pioneering gene therapy designed to reverse epigenetic changes associated with aging. This partnership brings together ARTAN’s innovative codon suppressor platform with Syenex’s VivoCell delivery technology.
Jay Rosanelli, CEO of Syenex, emphasized the potential impact: “ARTAN Bio has generated strong preclinical data on the therapeutic potential of their lead drug candidate, ARTAN-102. By combining their codon suppressor platform with our VivoCell Platform, we aim to shorten development timelines and unlock treatment options for aging and age-related disease.”
September 2025: GMP Manufacturing Process Development at Lonza
ArtanBio leadership performed a site visit at Lonza. They are currently optimizing larg-scale manufacturing conditions to support the material generation for the non-GLP toxicology study in non-human primates.
June 2025: First In Vivo Success
ARTAN-102 (our gene therapy for age-related mutations) demonstrated zero adverse effects. It achieved broad biodistribution, reaching multiple organs, including the brain, marking a critical safety milestone and highlighting the AAV9 delivery platform’s extensive biodistribution capability.
October 2024: Lead Candidate Validation
The team has successfully identified and validated two promising lead candidates from their initial screening of 15 candidate oligos, with successful in vitro testing showing drug prototypes suppress arginine nonsense mutations in cancer cell lines with nonsense mutations in P53. The innovative approach focuses on suppressing arginine nonsense mutations, particularly the CGA codon, which plays a crucial role in proteins associated with DNA damage, neurodegeneration, and tumor suppression.
Community Support & Tokenization Success
VitaDAO has successfully tokenized the IP-NFT, Artan Bio, and raised $300k. This funding will support advancing ARTAN Bio R&D. The tokenization creates a unique community-driven model
Scientific Foundation & Current Status
ARTAN-102 is an engineered suppressor tRNA delivered via AAV9 that reads through premature termination codons, restoring full-length protein synthesis. With the recent in vivo success showing safety across all major organs, including brain penetration, the program has achieved significant technical validation beyond initial in vitro proof-of-concept. The established qPCR and protein readout assays provide robust analytical methods for both batch release and future clinical development.
Development Timeline & Critical Milestones
The immediate funding addresses a critical juncture in development. Manufacturing activities at Lonza require immediate capital to maintain the current production slot, with any delay resulting in a 6-month setback that would cascade through the entire development timeline.
By securing this funding now, VITARNA can complete manufacturing and analytical validation in Q3-Q4 2025, followed by comprehensive non-GLP toxicology studies by year-end. These studies will include dose-range finding in rodents, biodistribution analysis via qPCR, and complete PK/PD characterization that will inform the design of the monkey GLP studies planned for early 2026.
The path to clinical trials is clearly defined: following non-GLP completion, the company will require approximately $1.5-2M in additional funding to conduct GLP toxicology in non-human primates (early 2026), complete the full IND-enabling package throughout 2026, and submit to regulators for clinical trial authorization. The pre-IND meeting is planned for Q1 2026, allowing incorporation of regulatory feedback into the GLP study design. This positions the company for IND submission in late 2026 and first-in-human trials by early 2027.
Strategic Expansion & UAE Initiative
VITARNA is exploring strategic opportunities in the UAE that could accelerate development and provide early commercialization pathways. The UAE’s progressive regulatory environment for biotechnology and gene therapy, combined with streamlined clinical trial processes, offers potential for faster proof-of-concept studies.
Market Opportunity & Competitive Positioning
Funding Allocation & Use of Proceeds
Motivation
The team’s momentum must be maintained to achieve the aggressive but achievable timeline of non-GLP by end-2025, monkey studies in early 2026, IND submission in late 2026, and clinical trials in 2027. As part of VitaDAO’s strategy to double down and accelerate its highest-potential projects, this bridge funding ensures VITARNA maintains its first-mover advantage in codon suppression therapy while competing programs advance rapidly, making immediate action critical.
Conclusion
This $500K bridge financing enables VITARNA/ArtanBIO to build on their remarkable recent progress—including successful in vivo demonstration with zero adverse effects and broad organ distribution—to complete critical near-term milestones. Funds comprehensive non-GLP toxicology studies, and positions the company for monkey GLP studies and subsequent clinical development. With clear line-of-sight to clinical trials within 18-24 months, strong community support through successful tokenization, and multiple value inflection points along the way
Vote: Approve $500,000 loan recovered in a further fundraise to VITARNA/ArtanBIO with immediate deployment to secure manufacturing and achieve end-of-2025 non-GLP toxicology milestone.
- Agree
- Revisions Requested (Detail in Comments)
- Disagree