Hocuslocus
RNA-based molecular tools for cell-specific protein expression.
| Date | Investors | Amount | Round |
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| investor | €0.0 | round | |
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| investor investor investor investor | €0.0 | round | |
$730k | Grant | ||
| Total Funding | 000k | ||
HocusLocus, LLC was a biotechnology company that developed cell line selection technology to leverage the post-transcriptional regulation of RNA. The company was founded in May 2011, with Ted Eveleth as CEO, and was headquartered in Albany, New York. The technology originated from the research of Dr. Scott Tenenbaum at the University at Albany, who identified a naturally occurring post-transcriptional regulatory mechanism. Eveleth, initially a business lead evaluating the commercial potential of the university's technology, became convinced of its value and formed HocusLocus, subsequently licensing the patents from the university.
The company's core technology was a trans-RNA switching mechanism called structurally interacting RNA (sxRNA). This platform was designed to control the expression of desired proteins in a cell-specific manner by using unique microRNA (miRNA) expression profiles as triggers. In essence, sxRNA could act as a switch to turn protein production on or off, with potential applications in killing virally infected cells while leaving healthy ones unharmed. This capability opened possibilities for new molecular tools, therapeutics, vaccines, and imaging applications. One key area of focus was improving the quality control of stem cell cultures by selectively removing unwanted differentiated or undifferentiated cells. The business model centered on creating and selling molecular tool kits based on sxRNA and its other proprietary protocol, PTSelect, which offered an antibiotic-free method for cell selection.
HocusLocus was a venture-backed company that also received significant grant funding, including multiple grants from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and investment from the Eastern New York Angels. The company partnered with the College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering (CNSE) on research projects. Despite its promising technology and backing, PitchBook data indicates the company is now out of business.
Keywords: RNA molecular tools, cell selection protocol, post-transcriptional regulation, sxRNA technology, PTSelect, microRNA expression, cell-specific protein expression, biomanufacturing, cell line development, biotechnology, Ted Eveleth, Scott Tenenbaum, University at Albany, stem cell research, antiviral therapeutics, gene expression control