Apertura Gene Therapy Launches Open Aperture, a Material Transfer Agreement Program to Facilitate Non-Commercial Access to TfR1 CapX for Academic Researchers

— Open Aperture provides no-cost access to TfR1 CapX, a leading central nervous system-targeting AAV capsid —

NEW YORK, Feb. 12, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Apertura Gene Therapy, a biotechnology company developing next-generation AAV capsids for delivering genetic medicines, today announced the launch of Open Aperture, a material transfer agreement program that provides qualified academic researchers with access to TfR1 CapX, a leading AAV capsid that leverages human transferrin receptor 1 (hTfR1) to enable intravenous delivery to the brain and spinal cord.

Open Aperture democratizes access to TfR1 CapX for academic researchers conducting non-commercial research at accredited institutions. Key benefits of the program include no-cost capsid access for eligible academic laboratories; a streamlined online application; practical guidance on chemistry, manufacturing, and controls (CMC) and preclinical development; and introductions to third-party CMC vendors and contract research organizations (CROs) that are experienced with TfR1 CapX.

"Academic labs are doing important early work in CNS gene therapy, but progress can be slowed or even stopped when attempts to gain access to clinically relevant capsids are unsuccessful," said Dave Greenwald, Ph.D., Managing Director at Deerfield Management and Executive Chairperson of the Board of Directors at Apertura. "Since there are far more promising payload ideas than any one research team can pursue, one exciting way to expedite the development of genetic medicines is to enable work across the academic research community by expanding access to capsids."

Leveraging a platform developed by the Deverman Lab at the Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Apertura engineered TfR1 CapX to bind to hTfR1, with the goal of transporting genetic medicines across the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and achieving broad distribution throughout the CNS. hTfR1 is a well-characterized receptor that has been investigated by industry and academia for more than 40 years; one approved therapy and several clinical-stage programs already benefit from an understanding of its biology. Apertura is the first biotech company to successfully target hTfR1 with an AAV capsid, leveraging a well-characterized BBB-shuttling mechanism for use across patient populations.

Apertura is preparing TfR1 CapX for use in clinical studies. Programs that use the capsid are expected to enter the clinic this year and next, positioning TfR1 CapX as a leading IV-administered, BBB-crossing capsid. Clinical readiness is supported by preclinical development, regulatory engagement, and established manufacturing by contract development and manufacturing organizations (CDMOs).

To sign up for Open Aperture, visit the program page.

About TfR1 CapX

TfR1 CapX is a leading IV-administered, BBB-crossing capsid. Multiple for-profit and non-profit organizations have validated TfR1 CapX and are in discussions to license the technology. Clinical readiness has been supported by several preclinical development programs, including regulatory engagement and manufacturing by contract development and manufacturing organizations (CDMOs). TfR1 CapX is a proprietary, second-generation capsid that demonstrates superior CNS delivery compared to Apertura's first-generation capsid, BI-hTFR1. Research on the first-generation BI-hTFR1 was published in Science.

About Apertura Gene Therapy

Apertura Gene Therapy develops genetic medicines and next-generation AAV capsids that precisely engage human-relevant receptors, aiming to enable more effective and selective gene delivery. The company's lead capsid, TfR1 CapX, leverages human transferrin receptor 1 to enable intravenous delivery to the brain and spinal cord. This well-established transport mechanism has a strong clinical track record in pediatric and geriatric populations, expanding its potential to treat serious neurological and genetic diseases. Apertura has licensed its next-generation capsids to multiple partners, with programs expected to enter clinical trials this year and next year. Founded in 2021 on technology from the Broad Institute and supported by Deerfield Management Company, Apertura Gene Therapy is headquartered in New York City. Learn more at aperturagtx.com and follow the company on LinkedIn.

Contact

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SOURCE Apertura Gene Therapy