Okogen Acquires Ranpirnase Assets and Intellectual Property Portfolio

Acquisition Expands Okogen’s Pipeline from Eyecare to Global Antiviral Platform
PLANO, Texas — March 26, 2026 3 min read

Key Takeaways

  • Okogen announces the acquisition of the global intellectual property portfolio and development assets for ranpirnase from Orgenesis, strengthening its lead ophthalmic program and establishing core development pillars spanning eyecare, systemic infectious disease, medical countermeasures for high-consequence pathogens, and dermatology.
  • The company prioritizes rapid advancement of its lead ranpirnase program, OKG-0303, an investigational therapy for acute infectious conjunctivitis in a disease area where treatment remains fragmented with no single therapy addressing both viral and bacterial causes.
  • Okogen advances ranpirnase as a potential antiviral medical countermeasure and engages with U.S. and international government agencies to evaluate its role against high-consequence pathogens such as Marburg and Sudan viruses while progressing parallel research in respiratory viruses including influenza and RSV.

Okogen Inc., a biotechnology company developing antiviral therapeutics, today announced the acquisition of the global intellectual property portfolio and development assets for ranpirnase from Orgenesis Inc. (NASDAQ: ORGS), strengthening the company’s lead ophthalmic program and establishing a foundation for expansion into additional antiviral indications. The acquisition expands the company's development pipeline beyond ocular infections into a set of focused therapeutic areas: eyecare, systemic infectious disease, dermatology and medical countermeasures for high-consequence pathogens such as filoviruses, which form the core pillars of Okogen’s Ranpirnase Platform.

Okogen’s lead Ranpirnase program, OKG-0303, is an investigational ophthalmic therapy being developed for acute infectious conjunctivitis, commonly known as pink eye, one of the most common infectious diseases encountered in eyecare, with tens of millions of cases globally each year. Despite its high prevalence, treatment remains fragmented, with no single therapy designed to address both viral and bacterial causes at presentation. 

“Acute infectious conjunctivitis remains one of the largest underserved infectious disease opportunities in eyecare,” said Joshua Moriarty, Chief Executive Officer of Okogen. “Our priority is to advance OKG-0303 with urgency and focus. At the same time, expanding our ownership of ranpirnase allows us to extend this work beyond the eye and build a broader antiviral strategy grounded in a differentiated, host-directed mechanism.”

Beyond infectious conjunctivitis, Okogen is advancing ranpirnase in additional ophthalmic viral diseases, including cytomegalovirus (CMV) retinitis, a serious vision-threatening infection in immunocompromised patients with limited well-tolerated long-term treatment options and a continued risk of irreversible vision loss.³

“Ranpirnase has been studied extensively across preclinical and clinical settings, with data demonstrating antiviral activity across multiple virus families,” said David A. Hollander, MD, MBA, Chief Medical Officer of Okogen. “This body of evidence supports continued development in ocular and respiratory viral diseases, as well as in high-consequence pathogens where novel therapeutic approaches are needed.”

Okogen is advancing ranpirnase as a potential antiviral medical countermeasure and is actively engaged with U.S. and international government agencies to evaluate its role against high-consequence viral pathogens, including filoviruses such as Marburg virus and Sudan virus. In parallel, the company is progressing research programs in respiratory viruses, including influenza and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).

Okogen Inc. is a biotechnology company developing antiviral therapeutics focused on ocular infections, respiratory viruses, and emerging infectious diseases. The company’s lead candidate, OKG-0303, is being developed for the treatment of acute infectious conjunctivitis.

About Ranpirnase
Ranpirnase is a ribonuclease enzyme that disrupts viral replication inside infected cells through a host-directed mechanism. By degrading intracellular RNA involved in protein synthesis, the molecule creates a translational bottleneck that limits production of viral proteins required for viral replication. Because this mechanism targets a host process essential to viral propagation, ranpirnase represents a differentiated approach to antiviral development with the potential to reduce susceptibility to resistance observed with traditional direct-acting antivirals.¹ Ranpirnase has been evaluated in clinical trials involving more than 1,000 patients, generating a substantial body of safety and translational data supporting continued development.

References
1. Ardelt W et al. Onconase (ranpirnase): mechanism of action and biological activity. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7077210/ 

2. Azari AA, Barney NP. Conjunctivitis: A Systematic Review of Diagnosis and Treatment. JAMA. 2013. https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/1679406 

3. Jabs DA. Cytomegalovirus Retinitis and the Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16769842/

Key Takeaways

  • Okogen announces the acquisition of the global intellectual property portfolio and development assets for ranpirnase from Orgenesis, strengthening its lead ophthalmic program and establishing core development pillars spanning eyecare, systemic infectious disease, medical countermeasures for high-consequence pathogens, and dermatology.
  • The company prioritizes rapid advancement of its lead ranpirnase program, OKG-0303, an investigational therapy for acute infectious conjunctivitis in a disease area where treatment remains fragmented with no single therapy addressing both viral and bacterial causes.
  • Okogen advances ranpirnase as a potential antiviral medical countermeasure and engages with U.S. and international government agencies to evaluate its role against high-consequence pathogens such as Marburg and Sudan viruses while progressing parallel research in respiratory viruses including influenza and RSV.
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Quotes

“
Our priority is to advance OKG-0303 with urgency and focus. At the same time, expanding our ownership of ranpirnase allows us to extend this work b...
Joshua Moriarty — Chief Executive Officer
“
This body of evidence supports continued development in ocular and respiratory viral diseases, as well as in high-consequence pathogens where novel...
David A. Hollander, MD, MBA — CMO, Okogen Inc.

Related Bios

Joshua Moriarty
CEO, Okogen Inc.
Joshua Moriarty is the CEO and Director of Okogen, where he has led the company since 2022, overseeing a strategic restructuring and the acquisition of a clinically validated antiviral asset. Under his leadership, Okogen has sharpened its focus on patient-centric therapies for acute infectious conjunctivitis while expanding its broader antiviral pipeline.

Mr. Moriarty brings over 20 years of experience in pharmaceutical and medical device development. He previously served as Executive Director at Ora, Inc., where he worked closely with emerging ophthalmic companies to evaluate and advance clinical-stage programs from early development through regulatory approval and commercialization. His experience includes strategic planning, fundraising, IND-enabling activities, and clinical and regulatory execution.
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David A Hollander, MD, MBA
CMO, Okogen Inc.
David A Hollander, MD, MBA is the Chief Medical Officer of Okogen, Inc. Dr. Hollander most recently also served as Chief Medical Officer and Global Therapeutics Commercial Lead at Revance Therapeutics, Inc, until its acquisition by Crown Laboratories in February 2025. Prior to Revance, Dr Hollander was the Chief Research and Development Officer of Aerie Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Dr. Hollander began his career in industry in 2006 at Allergan, Inc as a Medical Director of Ophthalmology where he also held a number of leadership roles including Vice President of Eye Care for U.S. Medical Affairs, Vice President and Head of Eye Care for Global Medical Affairs, as well as Therapeutic Area Head in Clinical Development for Anterior Segment and Consumer Eye Care. Dr. Hollander also serves as a Director for Kiora Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: KPRX).

During this time, Dr. Hollander continued to see patients and instruct residents and fellows in cataract surgery and corneal transplantation. Dr. Hollander currently is President & CSO of Andover Eye Institute and previously also served as Chief Medical Officer of Ora, Inc, where he oversaw medical operations across pharmaceutical and device clinical development, preclinical studies, as well as research and development into new regulatory endpoints, most notably the development of novel mobility courses for evaluating treatments for inherited retinal diseases.

Dr. Hollander received his B.S. in chemistry with honors and distinction from Stanford University and earned his medical degree at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. Dr. Hollander also obtained an M.B.A. in Health Care Management from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Hollander completed his residency in ophthalmology at the University of California, San Francisco, and a Heed Fellowship in Cornea, External Disease and Refractive Surgery at the Jules Stein Eye Institute/University of California, Los Angeles.
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Contacts

Joshua Moriarty
Jmoriarty@okogen.com
Chief Executive Officer