Altamira Therapeutics

Altamira Therapeutics is a biopharmaceutical company concentrating on the advancement of RNA-based therapeutics. Founded in 2003 as Auris Medical by Thomas Meyer, the company has strategically shifted its focus to RNA delivery, a pivot from its original work in inner ear disorders. This transition involved the acquisition of Trasir Therapeutics in 2021, which provided the foundational technology for its current RNA platform. The company is headquartered in Hamilton, Bermuda, with its primary operations based in Basel, Switzerland, and its shares trade on the OTCQB market under the symbol “CYTOF”.

The company's founder, Thomas Meyer, brought extensive experience from the medical device industry, having served as CEO of the Disetronic Group, a supplier of precision infusion systems. His background in business administration and strategic advisory roles in various Swiss companies has guided the company through its evolution, including its public listing and subsequent strategic repositioning. The company is now focused on leveraging its proprietary peptide-based nanoparticle delivery system, the xPhore™ platform, to transport RNA payloads to tissues outside of the liver, a significant challenge in the field. This platform includes OligoPhore™ for siRNA, SemaPhore™ for mRNA, and CycloPhore™ for circular RNA, designed to form nanoparticles that can reach pathologic tissues like tumors and sites of inflammation.

Altamira's business model operates on a 'picks and shovels' strategy, centered on out-licensing its xPhore™ delivery technology to pharmaceutical and biotech partners for their own drug development programs. This approach is complemented by the in-house development of its own therapeutic candidates, which it also intends to out-license at key development stages. The company is in the process of divesting its legacy assets, including those related to inner ear therapeutics and the Bentrio® nasal spray, to become a pure-play RNA company. Its two flagship preclinical programs are AM-401, a polyvalent siRNA therapy targeting multiple KRAS gene mutations found in cancers like pancreatic, colorectal, and lung cancer, and AM-411, an siRNA therapeutic for rheumatoid arthritis targeting a key inflammatory checkpoint. These programs aim to offer treatments with potentially higher efficacy and reduced side effects compared to existing options.

Keywords: RNA delivery, nanoparticle platform, extrahepatic delivery, siRNA therapeutics, KRAS cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, OligoPhore, SemaPhore, biopharmaceutical, preclinical development, out-licensing, drug delivery technology, peptide-based nanoparticles, Thomas Meyer, gene silencing, oncology therapeutics, autoimmune disease treatment, AM-401, AM-411, CYTOF