About us
A Legacy of Innovation. A Vision for the Future.
At ReiThera, we are building the future of genetic vaccines and advanced therapies—grounded in decades of pioneering science, translational success, and GMP manufacturing excellence.
Decades of Collective Experience
Our team combines academic authority, scientific talent, and commercial expertise—placing us at the forefront of the new wave of modern medicine driven by viral-vectored technologies. This achievement is built on decades of collective experience in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries, offering unmatched expertise in the clinical management of infectious diseases.
Our History
A History of Breakthroughs in Viral Vector Technology
ReiThera’s scientific and management team has a proven track record in the development of genetic vaccines targeting some of the world’s most challenging infectious diseases—including hepatitis C, malaria, HIV, RSV, and Ebola.
These efforts began at Okairos, a biotech company co-founded by Prof. Riccardo Cortese, Alfredo Nicosia, Antonella Folgori, and Stefano Colloca. At Okairos, the team developed the chimpanzee-derived adenovirus (ChAd) platform, a breakthrough in immune system priming.
Unlike human adenoviruses, chimpanzee adenoviruses evade pre-existing immunity, enabling strong activation of both T-cell and B-cell responses. These vectors were used as powerful delivery vehicles, inserting pathogen-specific antigens to create robust ChAd/MVA vaccine regimens—a strategy that demonstrated potency and safety in both animal models and human trials.
Deep Roots in Molecular Biology Excellence
ReiThera’s founding team also established the Istituto di Ricerche di Biologia Molecolare (IRBM) in Rome, later a subsidiary of Merck Inc. While at IRBM, they made key discoveries in infectious disease research—such as defining the mechanisms of hepatitis C protease and polymerase, and co-developing the HIV fusion inhibitor ISENTRESS®.
From Okairos to ReiThera
Following the acquisition of Okairos by GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) in 2014, the team continued its mission under a new name: ReiThera. The company worked closely with GSK to further develop and validate the ChAd technology, progressing to large-scale clinical trials involving thousands of subjects across age groups and health conditions.
These studies confirmed the safety, immunogenicity, and clinical relevance of viral vectored vaccines—and reinforced ReiThera’s expertise in translational vaccine development.
GMP Manufacturing Meets Cutting-Edge Science
Today, ReiThera combines scientific innovation with industrial-grade manufacturing capabilities. Our GMP-certified facility meets the highest international standards, enabling the production of clinical-grade material for advanced therapy medicinal products (ATMPs) including genetic vaccines, viral vectors, and gene therapies.