Chad Mirkin wins Kabiller Prize in nanoscience and nanomedicine

Exicure, a pioneer in gene regulatory and immunotherapeutic drugs utilizing spherical nucleic acid (SNA) constructs has announced Co-founder Chad A. Mirkin has been awarded the $250,000 Kabiller Prize in Nanoscience and Nanomedicine for discovering and developing spherical nucleic acids (SNAs).

SNAs are nanostructures that enable the safe and effective delivery of nucleic acid therapeutics into cells and tissues. The technology originated in Mirkin’s laboratory at the Northwestern University International Institute for Nanotechnology, where he is a professor.

The $250,000 Kabiller Prize is the largest monetary award in the world for outstanding achievement in the field of nanotechnology and its application to medicine and biology.

Exicure’s lead programs utilize proprietary SNA technology to address inflammatory diseases, genetic disorders and oncology.

Using SNA technology to mobilize the body's natural defense against cancer, Exicure’s lead immunotherapy compound, AST-008 (initially being investigated in selected solid and hematological tumors) is a toll-like receptor 9 agonist designed to utilize the SNA's beneficial properties to drive a potent anti-cancer immune response. The treatment could accompany other systemic therapies while driving a stronger immune response than other technologies.

Exicure, Inc. is a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing therapeutics for immuno-oncology, inflammatory diseases and genetic disorders based on our proprietary Spherical Nucleic Acid, or SNA technology. We believe Exicure's proprietary SNA architecture has distinct chemical and biological properties that may provide advantages over other nucleic acid therapeutics and may have therapeutic potential to target diseases not typically addressed with other nucleic acid therapeutics. Exicure's lead program is in a Phase1b/2 trial in patients with advanced solid tumors. Exicure is based outside of Chicago, IL.