etherna’s intratumoral mRNA/LNP platform advances to clinical testing in nonmelanoma skin cancer led by Almirall

NIEL, Belgium, Feb. 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — etherna, a leading provider of cutting-edge mRNA and lipid nanoparticle (LNP) technology across the biotech and pharma industry, announces that one of its key collaborators, Almirall (www.almirall.com), a leading medical dermatology company, nominated LAD116 as a novel therapy targeting non-melanoma skin cancer for further development in IND enabling studies. LAD116 is based on etherna’s intratumoral mRNA/LNP platform for therapies intended to generate a potent immune response directly within the tumor microenvironment. The collaboration with Almirall on this potential new therapy will now focus on manufacturing and producing GMP-grade material for IND enabling studies and intended Phase I clinical trials. 

Bernard Sagaert, CEO, etherna, added: 

“This collaboration is a perfect example of what can be achieved when teams are fully aligned and driven to succeed. The combined efforts of both companies to discover and advance an mRNA-LNP based therapy to preclinical candidate nomination, on time and on budget, has been outstanding. We are extremely happy to continue to support Almirall as they advance this promising approach for non-melanoma skin cancer patients.”

Karl Ziegelbauer, Chief Scientific Officer, Almirall, commented: 

“Almirall is committed to advancing innovation in medical dermatology to address significant unmet medical needs. We are very excited to advance this innovative intratumoral approach to potentially treat patients with non-melanoma skin cancer and we are delighted to see rapid progress of our collaboration with etherna based on their mRNA and LNP capabilities.” 

About etherna

etherna is a leading technology platform company pioneering the development of mRNA and lipid nanoparticle (LNP) technologies, including manufacturing up to GMP. With over a decade of expertise, the company provides pharma and biotech partners with an integrated suite of proprietary platforms, including customizable lipid nanoparticles (cLNPs) and advanced mRNA chemistry to enable the delivery of differentiated and efficacious RNA therapeutics. Founded in 2013 as a spin-off from the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), etherna has evolved from a developer of immunotherapies into a key strategic partner for the global life sciences industry, supporting projects from early research over development to GMP manufacturing. The company is headquartered in Niel, Belgium, with R&D facilities in Ghent and commercial operations in the U.S. and Asia.
www.etherna.bio 

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SOURCE etherna