€30 Million Boost for Ethris’ mRNA Fight Against Respiratory Viruses

Funding will help advance ETH47 into Phase 2b trials involving patients with asthma and COPD, allowing researchers to build further clinical evidence for the treatment.

For people living with asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), a respiratory virus can trigger a serious worsening of symptoms, making protection against infections an important part of the search for better care. Munich-based biotechnology company Ethris has secured a €30 million financing agreement with the European Investment Bank (EIB), supported by the European Commission's Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority (DG HERA), to advance experimental mRNA treatments and vaccines that could help address these threats.

Taking a Respiratory Treatment Into Larger Trials

The agreement, signed at Ethris' headquarters in Munich, will support further clinical development of the company's respiratory mRNA portfolio, with its lead candidate ETH47 at the centre of the programme. ETH47 is being evaluated in a Phase 2a trial examining its antiviral activity in people with asthma, with evaluation in COPD patients also planned, as the company investigates an approach to viral triggers that it says current treatments do not address.

Funding will help advance ETH47 into Phase 2b trials involving patients with asthma and COPD, allowing researchers to build further clinical evidence for the treatment. These studies will be an important step in establishing whether its proposed antiviral effects can translate into meaningful benefits for people whose respiratory conditions become worse during infections.

Helping the Body Respond Where Viruses Enter

ETH47 is designed to activate the body's natural innate immune response, the early defence system that responds to infection, instead of targeting particular viral proteins. Ethris believes this approach could provide activity against multiple virus families, offering a possible way to address a range of respiratory threats through a treatment that acts on the body's own defences.

Carsten Rudolph, Ethris' chief executive and co-founder, said the financing would help the company gather further clinical proof of concept for tackling viruses at their point of entry. He described potential uses that extend from preventing flare-ups in chronic respiratory conditions to reducing viral transmission, although these remain possibilities that require clinical evidence. EIB Vice President Nicola Beer highlighted the prospect of local administration and nasal-spray development, with any future use dependent on successful clinical testing and regulatory approval.

Building Protection Against Future Health Threats

The financing also covers additional programmes, notably ETH52 and ETH53, which focus on mucosal influenza vaccines and pandemic preparedness. These programmes reflect an interest in delivering protection at the surfaces where respiratory pathogens enter the body, with DG HERA pointing to Ethris' work on more stable mRNA technologies and products that can be administered through the nose to support a local response.

Laurent Muschel, Deputy Head of DG HERA, described the company's parallel development of vaccine and therapeutic candidates as an important part of the investment, particularly as emerging infections keep demand for new vaccines and antivirals high. For the EIB, the agreement under HERA Invest also represents support for Europe's pharmaceutical and biotechnology sector, helping a clinical-stage company move its research towards potential patient use while strengthening the region's capacity to respond to future health emergencies.