Elita Montanari, Co-Founder and CTOEVis Bioscience is advancing targeted RNA therapeutics through a hybrid system that transforms EVs into a highly efficient and precise delivery method. The vesicles’ inherent stability and targeting provide a more consistent, sharply directed mode of RNA transport.
“Our technology is promising and highly efficient, opening new avenues for using EVs in RNA therapeutics,” says Elita Montanari, co-founder and CTO.
Despite their strong potential, EVs were not a dependable delivery option due to their biological constraints. During RNA loading, earlier methods struggled with aggregation or structural damage, especially given RNA’s negative charge, size and sensitivity, erasing the very properties that made them valuable.
EVis Bioscience addresses this through an approach that partially fuses lipid nanovectors (LNV) with EVs. The LNVs encapsulate the RNA payload and merge with the vesicles at neutral pH and body temperature within minutes. By enabling quick fusion, the platform avoids these issues while achieving the high consistency needed for therapeutic development. More than 90 per cent of particles fuse cleanly, eliminating purification steps, while maintaining surface proteins and structural stability. The formulation benefits from materials already used in FDA-approved applications, supporting smoother progress.
The process provides clearer expectations of payload distribution, target cellular entry and performance after delivery. The simplicity of the approach makes the procedure inherently scalable, removing barriers that typically slow development. LNV production can reach hundreds of millilitres per day, giving teams the volume needed to run meaningful studies.
These advantages enable the particles to achieve higher RNA incorporation and greater stability than chemical loading kits, which often produce aggregates or particles that are difficult to characterise. With a lower toxicity burden than viral approaches, they offer a more practical path for applications where repeated dosing may be required. When tested against LNVs alone, the presence of EVs significantly improves cell entry and activation.
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Our technology is promising and highly efficient, opening new avenues for using EVs in RNA therapeutics.
These advantages enable the particles to achieve higher RNA incorporation and greater stability than chemical loading kits, which often produce aggregates or particles that are difficult to characterise. With a lower toxicity burden than viral approaches, they offer a more practical path for applications where repeated dosing may be required. When tested against LNVs alone, the presence of EVs significantly improves cell entry and activation.
The procedure is highly versatile, functioning reliably across EV sources, including vesicles naturally suited to specific biological environments. Researchers can direct delivery to the tissues most central to the therapeutic strategy by selecting EVs according to their natural tropism.
Even in challenging sources like milk-derived EVs, the method achieves RNA loading levels that exceed the two per cent typically attained with chemical kits. This flexibility allows research teams to explore diverse therapeutic concepts across both short-interfering RNA and messenger RNA payloads without relying on separate delivery systems while maintaining the loading efficiency. Experimental tests like fluorescence-based tracking and particle analysis have consistently verified high loading and clean hybrid formation.
Built with collaboration in mind, the technology gives partners a delivery system that is easy to adopt and incorporate into their development strategy. Its modular design allows teams to integrate the system into a range of research and industry pipelines without demanding major redesign. Partners also value its reliability in comparative studies, where hybrids demonstrated faster cellular uptake and protein expression than viral systems.
A spin-off of ETH Zürich labs, one of Europe’s foremost research universities, EVis Bioscience builds on the university’s original research. Its published research, peer engagement and continued grant success, including the Innosuisse Grant for innovation projects with an implementation partner, reinforce the long-term applicability of the process.
Gene therapy’s future will depend on delivery methods that match the precision of the treatments themselves. With EV-based approaches gaining scientific clarity, EVis Bioscience is shaping this transition and guiding the next generation of targeted RNA programmes.
Redefining Retinal Gene Delivery: Expanding the Possibilities Beyond Conventional Vectors
Prof. Elita Montanari, Associate Professor in Pharmacy at the University of Roma Tre and CTO
The future of retinal gene therapy depends on our ability to rethink delivery. By harnessing the natural properties of extracellular vesicles, we have an opportunity to overcome longstanding limitations of conventional vectors and expand access to treatments for patients who currently have none. At EVis Bioscience, we are committed to translating this science into meaningful therapeutic possibilities through rigorous research and collaborative innovation.
Targeted Gene Therapy Medicines Info
Q1
What led EVis Bioscience to be recognized among top targeted gene therapy medicines development providers?
A clear focus on solving gene delivery challenges has positioned EVis Bioscience AG as an emerging innovator in Targeted Gene Therapy Medicines Development. The company develops next-generation non-viral delivery systems that improve how genetic material reaches specific tissues, addressing a major limitation in gene therapy. Its NanoVector platform enables precise and safe RNA delivery using hybrid extracellular vesicles, supporting more effective therapeutic outcomes. This strong technological foundation underpins its recognition in Targeted Gene Therapy Medicines Development.
Q2
How does EVis Bioscience differentiate its approach to gene therapy development?
A hybrid delivery strategy defines how EVis Bioscience advances Targeted Gene Therapy Medicines Development. It combines natural extracellular vesicles with engineered lipid nanoparticles to create carriers that are both biologically compatible and controllable in manufacturing. This approach improves targeting accuracy, enhances safety compared to viral vectors and enables repeat dosing strategies. By addressing both efficacy and scalability, the company sets its Targeted Gene Therapy Medicines Development platform apart.
Q3
How does EVis Bioscience support research and pharmaceutical collaboration?
Collaboration-driven services strengthen EVis Bioscience’s Targeted Gene Therapy Medicines Development capabilities. The company provides access to its proprietary technology through licensing programs and research partnerships, allowing laboratories and pharmaceutical organizations to develop targeted therapies using its platform. It also offers technical services such as RNA loading into extracellular vesicles and formulation characterization, ensuring that partners can effectively apply its technology in their own programs.
Q4
What value do its solutions bring to gene therapy research and development?
Improved precision and reduced toxicity define the value of EVis Bioscience’s Targeted Gene Therapy Medicines Development approach. Its platform enables efficient delivery of small and large nucleic acids while maintaining biological integrity, which supports more reliable therapeutic performance. By reducing off-target effects and simplifying production scalability, the company enhances both the safety profile and development efficiency of gene-based medicines.
Q5
What role do innovation and scientific expertise play in its platform?
Scientific innovation sits at the core of EVis Bioscience’s Targeted Gene Therapy Medicines Development. As an ETH Zurich spin-off, the company builds on advanced research in nanomedicine and molecular delivery systems. Its multidisciplinary expertise allows it to design carriers capable of targeting specific tissues beyond traditional delivery limits. This integration of academic research and applied biotechnology ensures that its Targeted Gene Therapy Medicines Development platform remains forward-looking and adaptable.
Q6
Why is EVis Bioscience relevant to the future of gene-based therapies?
The growing demand for safer and more precise gene therapies highlights the importance of platforms like EVis Bioscience’s Targeted Gene Therapy Medicines Development. Its ability to deliver RNA therapeutics selectively to target tissues aligns with the shift toward personalized medicine and treatment of rare genetic diseases. By addressing key bottlenecks in delivery and scalability, the company contributes to making gene therapies more accessible and effective in clinical practice.
