- Partnership launched under MTEA to evaluate the potential of Vect-Horus technology to deliver siRNAs into the CNS
- Assessment of BBB shuttle–siRNA compatibility, CNS delivery efficiency, and biodistribution
- Collaboration underscores Vect-Horus’ leadership in blood-brain barrier technology
- CNS as the next growth engine: Accelerating OliX 2.0 strategy
MARSEILLE, France, and SEOUL, South Korea, Feb. 3, 2026 -- Vect-Horus, a France-based biotechnology company, and OliX Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (KOSDAQ: 226950), a leading developer of RNAi therapeutics, today announced that they have entered into a Material Transfer and Evaluation Agreement (MTEA) to initiate a collaboration focused on siRNA delivery for central nervous system (CNS) disorders.
“We are extremely pleased to partner with OliX. This collaboration underscores Vect-Horus’ leadership in BBB technology and its commitment to advancing oligonucleotide therapeutics in CNS diseases through strategic partnerships with Pharma and Biotech companies like OliX. This partnership has the potential to accelerate the development of innovative treatments and bring renewed hope to patients worldwide, and we are looking forward to a strong collaboration with OliX,” said Alexandre Tokay, CEO of Vect-Horus.
In this collaboration, the two companies will comprehensively evaluate the efficiency of CNS delivery of different conjugates by measuring target gene silencing activity and biodistribution across major organs. This partnership will combine Vect-Horus’ blood-brain barrier (BBB) shuttle platform VECTrans® with OliX’s siRNA. This collaboration is designed to go beyond a simple assessment of technical compatibility and to early-validate the practical feasibility of siRNA-based CNS therapeutics, while laying groundwork for broader collaboration and future strategic discussions.
“We consider this collaboration a pivotal milestone as OliX evolves from a siRNA-focused company into a platform-based biopharmaceutical company with expanded delivery capabilities and therapeutic scope,” said Dong Ki Lee, Ph.D., CEO of OliX Pharmaceuticals. “By proactively evaluating a BBB shuttle technology that has already been validated by global pharmaceutical leaders, we aim to enhance the probability of successful CNS drug development while creating long-term value through future collaboration opportunities.”
Dr. Lee added, “Following obesity and metabolic disease therapeutics, CNS therapeutics are increasingly recognized as the next major growth driver by global pharmaceutical companies. BBB shuttle technologies have become a critical determinant of CNS pipeline competitiveness. As a leader in the siRNA field, OliX plans to systematically build high-value CNS pipelines by integrating differentiated delivery technologies and to actively expand global partnerships and commercialization opportunities.”
The BBB remains one of the most significant challenges in CNS drug development, often preventing therapeutic candidates from achieving meaningful clinical outcomes due to poor delivery. VECTrans® platform enables selective transport across the BBB through receptor-mediated transport mechanisms and is widely regarded as an efficient and safe CNS delivery technology for various modalities including nucleic acid-based drugs.
By integrating VECTrans® with its high-efficiency siRNA platform, OliX expects to establish a differentiated competitive position in CNS disease areas that have remained largely inaccessible to conventional therapeutic modalities.
Vect-Horus’ platform is globally validated through exclusive worldwide licensing agreements with international companies including Novo Nordisk, Ionis Pharmaceuticals and RadioMedix underscoring VECTrans®’s positioning as a core enabling technology for efficient CNS drug development.
About Vect-Horus
Vect-Horus designs and develops vectors that facilitate targeting and delivery of therapeutic or imaging agents to organs, including the brain, and to tumors. The proof of concept of the technology has already been established in animal models using different vectorized molecules. Founded in 2005, Vect-Horus is a spin-off of the Institute for Neurophysiopathology (INP, UMR7051, CNRS and Aix Marseille University), formerly headed by Dr Michel Khrestchatisky, co-founder of the company. VECT-HORUS has 45 employees (most in R&D) and has secured EUR 42 million in equity and subsidies.
For more information, visit https://vect-horus.com/ and follow us on LinkedIn.
About OliX Pharmaceuticals
OliX is a biotechnology company focused on the development of innovative therapeutics that regulate disease-causing gene expression based on RNA interference (RNAi) technology. Leveraging its proprietary RNAi platform, OliX is developing a broad range of therapeutic candidates across multiple disease areas, with several pipeline programs currently in clinical stages.
OliX’s core drug development platform is its cell-penetrating asymmetric siRNA (cp-asiRNA), a proprietary technology designed to maximize the gene-silencing efficiency of RNAi therapeutics. Based on this platform, OliX is advancing locally administered therapeutic candidates for indications such as hair loss, dry and wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD), and hypertrophic scars. In addition, OliX is developing liver-targeted therapeutics through its hepatocyte-specific GalNAc-asiRNA platform, targeting liver-related diseases including metabolic dysfunction–associated steatohepatitis (MASH), obesity, and cardiometabolic disorders.
In accordance with its mid- to long-term growth strategy, the “OliX 2.0 Roadmap,” OliX continues to expand the application of RNAi therapeutics. The company is building novel delivery platforms targeting the central nervous system (CNS) and adipose tissue, and is expanding its pipeline to pursue differentiated RNAi-based therapies across a broad range of disease areas.
Learn more: https://www.olixpharma.com/eng
Media Contact:
Vect-Horus
Sophie Baumont
+33 6 27 74 74 49
Email: sophie.baumont@cohesionbureau.com
OliX Pharmaceuticals PR
Jiyoun Kim
+82-31-779-8407
jyounkim@olixpharma.com
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