Okogen Acquires Ranpirnase Assets and Intellectual Property Portfolio

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).