Ochre Bio

Ochre Bio is a biotechnology company developing RNA medicines for chronic liver diseases, including significant fibrosis and cirrhosis (F4 MASH). Its stated purpose is to reduce or end the need for liver transplants, citing roughly 1.5 million annual deaths from liver disease globally against just over 40,000 transplants performed each year, and UK Health Security Agency statements that liver disease is the third leading cause of premature death [0][1]. The company describes three linked capabilities: a Human Discovery Platform, in which it says it has invested over $20m to build human liver datasets that integrate proprietary gene perturbation atlases with patient disease atlases to make causal predictions about drug targets; a Human Validation Platform combining AI with perfused whole human livers, diseased tissue slices and primary cells; and an in-house RNA platform for synthesising its own RNA therapies [0][1].

Its approach centres on genomic deep phenotyping, precision RNA medicine and testing in live human donor livers, addressing challenges from increasing donor liver supply to reducing cirrhosis complications [3]. Donor livers, including organs discarded for transplant because they are too fatty, can be kept alive outside the body for several days, allowing extended testing of RNA therapies and "reprogramming" of the organ [4][5].

The disclosed pipeline comprises four programmes: OB-220, a cytoprotection mechanism for significant fibrosis at development candidate stage (internal); a metabolic programme for cirrhosis (F4 MASH) in lead development (internal); a multi-mechanism programme for significant fibrosis in discovery and validation (internal); and a regeneration programme for cirrhosis in discovery and validation, run as a partnership [0][1].