Lipid Nano-Crystal (LNC)

A disruptive platform for the safe and targeted delivery of therapeutics.

Our proprietary intracellular LNC platform is designed to safely deliver a broad range of potent medicines – including small molecules, drugs with blood level-limiting toxicities, nucleic acid polymers, proteins, peptides, vaccines, and gene editing technologies. It is formulated as a natural, non-toxic and highly efficient spiral crystal, or “cochleate,” with the unique ability to be administered orally and through various other routes.

The drug molecules are encapsulated in our layered design, which protects them from harsh environmental conditions or enzymes until the moment they enter a target cell. Following non-destructive fusion with the cell membrane, the molecules are naturally released to the interior of the cell, avoiding the systemic toxicity of other drug platforms.

To date, our platform has been validated in multiple preclinical studies and is protected by a robust IP portfolio. To support all phases of further development, we have begun operating a scalable GMP manufacturing facility.

How it works.

Watch our MOA video to learn how our LNC technology captures and protects the active drug ingredient until it reaches the activated cell.


Drug Encapsulation

Drug Encapsulation

  1. The cochleate is prepared using naturally occurring phospholipids and calcium.
  2. When calcium interacts with the negatively charged lipids, they spiral into non-toxic, highly stable crystalline units with multiple layers and little to no internal aqueous space.
  3. The active drug molecules become trapped within the layers, where they are protected from water and harmful external elements.
Intracellular Release

Intracellular Release

  1. The cochleate is delivered into the body and directly targets the clinically relevant cells.
  2. It then fuses with the cell membrane in a non-destructive manner.
  3. The low calcium environment of the cell’s interior causes the cochleate to unlock and unwind, releasing the drug into the target cell.

Key Features

Our LNC technology was engineered with core characteristics that transform the delivery of certain therapeutics.


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SAFE

Delivers molecules in a natural, non-toxic and non-destructive manner without provoking an immune response.

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TARGETED

Physiologically targets “activated” cells and enters them directly, helping to maximize efficacy.

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ORALLY BIOAVAILABLE

Enables oral administration and easy absorption into the circulatory system through the lymphatics.

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STABLE

Resists water penetration, environmental attacks and degradation in the GI tract; increases the stability of drug molecules.

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FLEXIBLE

Can administer a wide range of small and large molecules through multiple routes: oral, intravenous, intramuscular, and intranasal.

Traditional vs. LNC Vehicles

We are addressing the delivery challenges of current therapies.

We intend to accomplish three primary goals through our LNC technology – the first being the improvement of the safety profile of drugs that cause excessive off-target organ toxicity. We are additionally facilitating targeted intracellular delivery – an essential method for complex gene therapies. Finally, we are reformulating efficacious, yet inconvenient and/or otherwise toxic IV-administered drugs as oral agents.

Traditional Model

Traditional Model

  • Requires high plasma levels
  • Low amounts of the drug molecules can penetrate the protective cell layers, while the rest are left circulating in the system
  • Potentially results in off-target organ toxicity


TLNC Model

LNC Model

  • Lower plasma levels of active drug
  • Enters cells directly, releasing the drug content into the infected cell membrane
  • Likely to result in less systemic toxicity

Driving opportunities for value-added partnerships.

We are currently working with multiple strategic and research partners to expand potential successful applications of this LNC technology.

In January 2019, we collaborated with a top global pharmaceutical company to execute our first LNC platform research evaluation of oligonucleotides.

In November 2020, we announced a $3.75 million award from the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation to support preclinical development of MAT2501, focused on the treatment of nontuberculous mycobacterial (NTM) lung disease, including infections in patients with cystic fibrosis.

In December 2020, we announced a collaboration with the National Institute of Allergy & Infectious Disease (NIAID) to evaluate oral formulations of Gilead’s antiviral drug remdesivir, used in the fight against COVID-19. Gilead will provide remdesivir and work with Matinas to evaluate the data from a series of planned preclinical studies with NIAID.

Finally, In April 2022, Matinas and BioNTech entered an exclusive research collaboration centered on the combination of Matinas’ proprietary LNC platform technology and BioNTech mRNA formats. The Companies continue their collaborative formulation work on multiple nucleic acids, ultimately directed toward planned preclinical in vitro and in vivo testing. The parties remain in advanced discussions for a potential option to license the LNC platform for various nucleic acid applications.

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