Neucore Bio Awarded Competitive Grant from the U.S. National Science Foundation for Research on Scalability of Exosome-based Therapeutics for Genetic Disease

Funding enables Neucore to pursue manufacturing efficiencies that will help expand the reach of non-viral genetic cargo delivery for patient populations with a range of genetic disorders

COLUMBUS, Ohio, August 6, 2025 – Neucore Bio, an early-stage biotechnology company advancing the therapeutic potential of non-viral, engineered exosomes, announced today the receipt of a $304,000 U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase I grantto evaluate scalable manufacturing efficiencies to deliver exosome-based therapeutics for challenging genetic disorders affecting the peripheral nerve system (PNS).

Advanced precision medicines that correct genetic mutations or aberrations offer the promise of transformative outcomes for challenging PNS disorders, including neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) and Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT), which have very few therapeutic options today. Non-viral, extracellular vesicle (EV)-delivery approaches like exosomes are highly attractive given their ability to precisely deliver genetic cargo to target cell types without the limitations inherent to viral vector delivery. Yet broad translational application of EV-based therapeutics requires the development of scalable and efficient manufacturing methods.

Neucore’s proprietary Fibroblast-Derived Engineering Extracellular Vesicles (FiXE™) platform is based on the cellular engineering of primary fibroblast cells to produce engineered EVs (eEVs) that provide unparalleled cell-targeting delivery. As part of this STTR Phase I project grant, Neucore will pursue new protocols for cost-effective, large-scale production of eEVs under GMP guidance and in collaboration with Neucore scientific partners from The Ohio State University, Dr. Natalia Higuita-Castro and Dr. Daniel Gallego-Perez. The team will aim to optimize eEV production parameters and demonstrate the efficacy of the approach to produce eEVs with enhanced capabilities to target Schwann Cells (SCs) specifically, given their relevance to disorders of the PNS.

“NSF accelerates the translation of emerging technologies into transformative new products and services,” said Erwin Gianchandani, NSF Assistant Director for Technology, Innovation and Partnerships. “We take great pride in funding deep-technology startups and small businesses that will shape science and engineering results into meaningful solutions for today and tomorrow.”

“Our goal with this project is to reduce the manufacturing complexity and cost of eEV-based therapeutics, which presents a barrier to accessible, scalable treatments that could offer significant benefit for people affected by a wide range of genetic diseases,” said Kenneth Morand, Ph.D., Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer, Neucore Bio. “We are grateful to the NSF for its recognition of the need for progress in this area and look forward to sharing our results with the community.”

All proposals submitted to the NSF SBIR/STTR program, also known as America’s Seed Fund powered by NSF, undergo a rigorous merit-based review process. Once a small business is awarded a Phase I grant, it becomes eligible to apply for Phase II funding and additional supplements totaling up to $2 million. To get started, startups or entrepreneurs submit a written Project Pitch to see if their technology idea could be a good fit for the program. To learn more about America’s Seed Fund powered by NSF, visit: https://seedfund.nsf.gov/. NSF has several programs that help accelerate the translation of research results to practice and provide pathways for researchers, startups and aspiring entrepreneurs to move their ideas from the laboratory to the market and society. To learn more about how NSF helps unlock future technologies for national and societal impact, visit: https://beta.nsf.gov/tip/latest.

About the U.S. National Science Foundation’s Small Business Programs

America’s Seed Fund powered by NSF awards more than $200 million annually to startups and small businesses, transforming scientific discovery into products and services with commercial and societal impact. Startups working across almost all areas of science and technology can receive up to $2 million to support research and development, helping de-risk technology for commercial success. America’s Seed Fund is congressionally mandated through the Small Business Innovation Research program. The NSF is an independent federal agency with a budget of about $9.5 billion that supports fundamental research and education across all fields of science and engineering.

About Neucore Bio

Neucore Bio, Inc., is an early-stage biotechnology company advancing nonviral, engineered exosomes to power the next generation of genetic medicine and aesthetic dermatology solutions. The company’s proprietary platform harnesses the innate programmability of fibroblasts and the natural intercellular signaling of exosomes to deliver nucleic acid therapeutics for disease modification and skin rejuvenation – unlocking new era of performance-driven genetic medicine and functional skincare. Based in Columbus, Ohio, Neucore has licensed novel exosome technology from The Ohio State University to power its disruptive discovery pipeline.  For more information, visit www.neucorebio.com.

Media Contact:
Kellie Hotz
khotz@neucorebio.com

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