PLANO, Texas — Okogen Inc., a biotechnology company developing antiviral therapeutics, announced today the acquisition of the global intellectual property portfolio and development assets for ranpirnase from Orgenesis Inc. (NASDAQ: ORGS). This acquisition strengthens the company’s lead ophthalmic program and establishes a foundation for expansion into additional antiviral indications, including systemic infectious disease, dermatology, and medical countermeasures for high-consequence pathogens such as filoviruses.
Ranpirnase is a ribonuclease enzyme that disrupts viral replication inside infected cells through a host-directed mechanism. By degrading intracellular RNA involved in protein synthesis, the molecule creates a translational bottleneck that limits production of viral proteins required for viral replication. Because this mechanism targets a host process essential to viral propagation, ranpirnase represents a differentiated approach to antiviral development with the potential to reduce susceptibility to resistance observed with traditional direct-acting antivirals, according to a reference provided by the company (Ardelt W et al. Onconase (ranpirnase): mechanism of action and biological activity).
Okogen plans to prioritize the rapid advancement of its lead ranpirnase program, OKG-0303, an investigational therapy for acute infectious conjunctivitis. This disease area remains fragmented with no single therapy addressing both viral and bacterial causes, representing a significant unmet medical need. The company also intends to advance ranpirnase as a potential antiviral medical countermeasure and is engaging with U.S. and international government agencies to evaluate its role against high-consequence pathogens such as Marburg and Sudan viruses while progressing parallel research in respiratory viruses including influenza and RSV.
The acquisition expands the company's development pipeline beyond ocular infections into a set of focused therapeutic areas: eyecare, systemic infectious disease, dermatology, and medical countermeasures for high-consequence pathogens, which form the core pillars of Okogen’s Ranpirnase Platform. Ranpirnase has been evaluated in clinical trials involving more than 1,000 patients, generating a substantial body of safety and translational data supporting continued development.
This strategic move positions Okogen to address multiple high-need areas in antiviral therapy, leveraging a molecule with a novel mechanism of action and established safety profile. The implications of this announcement extend beyond Okogen’s pipeline, as the potential for a broad-spectrum antiviral with reduced resistance risk could have significant public health impact, particularly in the context of emerging infectious diseases and biodefense preparedness.
