Tolerance Bio, a biopharmaceutical company pioneering innovative approaches to extending healthspan by preserving, restoring, and manipulating the function of the thymus, the master regulator of immune tolerance, and ZipCode Bio, a biotechnology company developing next-generation RNA medicines,announced a strategic research and development collaboration aimed at pioneering novel delivery methods for targeted thymus therapeutics.

The partnership brings together Tolerance Bio’s expertise in thymus biology and immunology with ZipCode Bio’s breakthrough SHARP (Single-component Homogeneous Amphiphilic Routed Particles) RNA delivery technology. Together, the companies will develop precision therapeutics aiming to preserve, restore and manipulate thymic function in patients with immune-mediated diseases and immune aging.

Launched in 2024 by former Provention Bio and Semma executives, Tolerance Bio is building a multi-modality therapeutic platform to modify immune tolerance via the thymus. “This collaboration represents a convergence of two complementary scientific visions,” said Francisco Leon, M.D., Ph.D., Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Tolerance Bio. “By combining our approach to control thymic function with ZipCode Bio’s targeted delivery technologies, we aim to unlock new therapeutic possibilities for patients impacted by immune aging and dysregulation. It is a true honor to work with Dr. Drew Weissman and his team to pursue our shared goal of translating foundational science into meaningful clinical impact.”

“Precision delivery is the next frontier in RNA therapeutics,” commented Dr. Drew Weissman, Nobel Prize Laureate, pioneer of mRNA technology, and Co-Founder of ZipCode Bio. “Each advance in nucleic acid therapeutics has been built on decades of careful science. By partnering with Tolerance Bio, we have the opportunity to extend this work into thymus biology, an area with profound implications for immune health.”

The collaboration will initially focus on preclinical development of thymus-targeting therapeutics for immune aging and autoimmunity. Both companies will jointly contribute scientific resources and expertise, with ZipCode Bio leading the development of thymus-targeting SHARPs and Tolerance Bio advancing translation into disease models.

Jason Zhang, Co-Founder of ZipCode Bio, added, “At ZipCode Bio, we’re focused on making RNA medicines smarter, safer, and more targeted. Tolerance Bio brings exceptional expertise in thymus biology and a proven leadership team with a strong track record in drug development. Together, we’re combining world-class RNA and delivery technology with deep biological insight to develop transformative therapies for immune health and aging.”