Seed financing, led by Nordic Science Investments, supported by Force 10 and Business Finland, will accelerate expansion of RNA-based gene regulating platform
New CEO brings more than twenty years of life sciences industry experience, with a successful track record of biotech company building
Kuopio, Finland and Boston, USA – May 27, 2025 – RNatives, Inc., a biotechnology company developing precision RNA-based gene regulating therapies, announced it has raised EUR 1.4 million, bringing its total seed funding to EUR 2.8 million. The round was led by Nordic Science Investments (NSI) and supported by Force10 and Business Finland. The new funds will be used to accelerate the expansion of the company’s RNA-based gene regulating platform, RNAIntelTM, which identifies small non-coding RNAs that bind directly to gene promoters to regulate gene expression.
"This new funding marks an important milestone for us," said Mikko Turunen, Chairman of RNatives. "We are thrilled to have the support of NSI, Force10, and Business Finland as we move the company forward, leveraging the extraordinary potential of our RNAIntelTM platform to develop precision RNA therapies to address currently untreatable rare and common diseases.”
“We back bold science with global potential, and RNatives is exactly that. They have built a platform that could be a game-changer in RNA-based therapies. And now with Jeff Abbey joining, they’ve got the leadership to match their ambition.” said Alexandra Gylfe, Founding Partner of Nordic Science Investments.
Jeff Abbey joins RNatives as Chief Executive Officer with over two decades of leadership experience in the biopharmaceutical industry. He brings a track record of strategic execution, company building, and successful fundraising across both public and private markets. Mr. Abbey joins the company following his most recent role as Chief Operating Officer and Chief Business Officer at ImmunOs Therapeutics, where he led operations, finance, and business development. Under his leadership, ImmunOs raised a $74 million Series B financing, transitioned into the clinic with its a lead immuno-oncology program, and secured a clinical collaboration with Merck. Earlier in his career, Mr. Abbey played a key role in building and advancing Argos Therapeutics into a publicly listed immuno-oncology company, serving as Chief Executive Officer for over eight years and, prior to that, as Vice President, Business Development and then Chief Business Officer. Under Mr. Abbey’s leadership, Argos successfully completed an IPO on NASDAQ, as well as a pivotal Phase 3 clinical trial in kidney cancer. In addition to several public and private financings, Mr. Abbey was responsible for a number of strategic partnerships and licensing agreements with international biopharmaceutical companies, thereby providing the company with access to more than US $500 million in total during his tenure.
“Jeff brings exceptional experience and perseverance to RNatives,” said Mikko Turunen. “He has demonstrated the ability to build and lead companies through every stage of growth. His combination of scientific understanding, business knowledge, and operational expertise makes him uniquely suited to lead RNatives in our next phase of development.”
“I am excited to join RNatives at such an pivotal moment in its development,” said Jeff Abbey. “Having spent my career navigating the complexities of developing advanced therapeutics, I believe that RNatives is uniquely positioned to deliver on the promise of small non-coding RNA-based therapies. I look forward to working closely with the team to drive the development of our technology, accelerate clinical progress, and build a company that delivers value to patients, partners, and investors.”
About RNatives
RNatives is a biotechnology company developing precision RNA-based gene regulating therapies by leveraging its RNAIntelTM platform which identifies small non-coding RNAs that bind directly to gene promoters to regulate gene expression. The Company is developing novel RNA-based therapies to treat ocular, CNS, and metabolic diseases, as well as cancer. For more information, visit www.rnatives.com.
Nordic Science Investments (NSI) was founded to bridge the funding gap for early-stage science-driven startups. With deep expertise, the NSI team supports research teams turn their groundbreaking inventions into commercial success stories.
Business Finland is the Finnish government organization for innovation funding and trade, travel, and investment promotion. Operating under the Ministry of Employment and the Economy, Business Finland helps Finnish companies grow globally and supports international businesses in setting up and investing in Finland.
Media Contacts:
RNatives
Jeff Abbey, CEO
NSI
Alexandra Gylfe, Founding Partner
alexandra.gylfe@nordscience.com
