Tamir Biotechnology

The story of Tamir Biotechnology begins long before its modern incarnation, starting as a company called Alfacell Corporation, which was incorporated back in 1981. For decades, Alfacell focused on cancer therapeutics, developing a drug candidate called ONCONASE derived from amphibian ribonucleases. This foundational work explored how these enzymes, which break down RNA, could be used to combat pathological conditions. A significant shift occurred in 2011 when the company, now renamed Tamir Biotechnology, pivoted its focus to antiviral drug development. The core science remained, but the target changed. The company's lead asset, ranpirnase, was now aimed at treating viral diseases, with its first major target being the human papillomavirus (HPV). This new direction led to Phase I and II clinical trials for a topical version of ranpirnase to treat genital warts, which showed a clear clinical effect and a good safety profile. The next chapter for TamirBio was written in April 2020. Orgenesis, a global biotech company, announced its acquisition of Tamir Biotechnology's assets. The deal, valued at approximately $21 million in stock and cash, brought TamirBio's promising ranpirnase platform under the Orgenesis umbrella. Orgenesis saw the potential to combine ranpirnase with its own Bioxome technology to create a more effective delivery mechanism for the antiviral agent directly into cells. Today, the technology that began as a cancer-fighting effort has found a new purpose, continuing its journey to combat viral threats as part of a larger, integrated biotech platform.