London, ON, Canada
May 26, 2025
We are proud to announce that i-RNA Corporation has been recognized with two distinctions at the EFFERVESCENCE 2025 Start-Up Pitch Competition, held in Montreal on April 30. i-RNA was named the winner in the Biopharmaceuticals & Biotechnology category and received both the Impact Award, sponsored by Fonds de solidarité FTQ, and the Future Canadian Leader Award, presented by adMare BioInnovations.
Diabetic retinopathy (DR) remains one of the leading causes of blindness globally, affecting millions of individuals living with diabetes. Despite its prevalence, current treatments—including intraocular anti-VEGF injections—pose challenges in terms of cost, frequency, and accessibility. i-RNA is addressing this unmet medical need with a novel gene therapy based on long non-coding RNA (lncRNA), targeting the RNA molecule HOTAIR. This therapy is being developed for administration via both intraocular injection and topical eye drops—an approach that is currently unmatched in the market and designed to improve patient access and outcomes.
The recognition from EFFERVESCENCE 2025 highlights the relevance and boldness of i-RNA’s vision. Selected by a panel of investors and scientific leaders, the company’s dual award win reflects the strong potential of its platform to address major challenges in ophthalmology. “RNA research is at the forefront of life sciences, and its potential to revolutionize therapeutic development is increasingly recognized,” said Ting Ling, CEO and co-founder of i-RNA. “It takes a village to commercialize life science discoveries, and at EFF2025, we felt we had found the right village for our lncRNA discovery.”
EFFERVESCENCE is a flagship event for the Canadian life sciences and health technologies sector, bringing together researchers, startups, investors, and policymakers to promote innovation and cross-sector collaboration. The 2025 edition featured keynote speeches from public and private sector leaders, and reaffirmed the strategic importance of biotech innovation across Canada.
We are honoured by this recognition and grateful to the organizers, partners, and jury for their support. This achievement strengthens our confidence in the transformative potential of RNA-based therapeutics, and we remain committed to advancing accessible, first-in-class treatments for patients worldwide.