Press releases

May 19, 2026   |   News
etherna’s mRNA and LNP Platforms Propel Dropshot Therapeutics’ Renal Target to the Clinical Stage

Niel, Belgium – May 19, 2026 – etherna (www.etherna.be), a leading provider of cutting-edge mRNA and lipid nanoparticle (LNP) technologies across the biotech and pharma industry, today announces a major milestone in its ongoing partnership with Dropshot Therapeutics. Dropshot has officially decided to advance one of its selected targets in renal disease to the clinical stage, successfully validating etherna’s platform technologies. Notably, this milestone marks the advancement of an mRNA LNP renal disease clinical trial.

Moving forward, the collaboration will leverage etherna’s extensive manufacturing capabilities. In fact, GMP-grade material manufacturing is a critical step in the mRNA LNP clinical trial process for renal disease. The partnership will now focus on manufacturing GMP-grade material for IND enabling studies and intended Phase I clinical trials.

Executive Quotes

“We are pleased to see that Dropshot has achieved their preclinical milestones based on our nucleic acid and LNP platforms and has decided to move to the next steps. We will now support them fully in all manufacturing and regulatory steps needed to launch the clinical campaign in 2027.”
— Bernard Sagaert, CEO of etherna

“Dropshot Therapeutics is committed to advancing innovation to address unmet medical needs in renal and cardiac diseases. We are very pleased with the results we have obtained. We are delighted to see the rapid progress of our collaboration, based on etherna’s nucleic acid and LNP capabilities, which has paved the way for a renal disease mRNA LNP clinical trial.”
— Marijn Dekkers, CEO of Dropshot

About etherna

etherna is a leading technology platform company pioneering the development of mRNA and lipid nanoparticle (LNP) technologies, including manufacturing up to GMP. Through collaborations like the mRNA LNP renal disease clinical trial, etherna continues to support innovative projects. Having evolved into a key strategic partner for the global life sciences industry, etherna supports projects from early research over development to GMP manufacturing.

Key commercial highlights:
  • Decade of Expertise: Offers over 10 years of experience providing pharma and biotech partners with an integrated suite of proprietary platforms.
  • Advanced Technologies: Utilizes advanced mRNA chemistry and customizable lipid nanoparticles (cLNPs) to enable the delivery of differentiated and efficacious RNA therapeutics. Importantly, these technologies support innovative clinical trials such as those targeting renal disease with mRNA LNPs.
  • Strong Foundation: Founded in 2013 as a spin-off from the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB).
  • Global Reach: Headquartered in Niel, Belgium, with specialized R&D facilities in Ghent and commercial operations in the U.S.
About Dropshot Therapeutics
  • Dropshot Therapeutics is an early stage biotechnology company dedicated to developing innovative RNA-based therapeutics for heart and kidney diseases. Through their partnership, a pioneering mRNA LNP clinical trial in renal disease is now underway.
  • The company is based near Boston, USA and was co-founded in 2023.
  • Its co-founders are Kenneth R. Chien, co-founder of Moderna and former Professor at Karolinska Institutet, and Marijn E. Dekkers, Chairman of Novalis LifeSciences and former CEO of Bayer and of Thermo Fisher Scientific.
Contact Information
  • etherna Media Relations: media@etherna.be
  • Dropshot Therapeutics: info@dropshottherapeutics.com