Trana Discovery

Trana Discovery, founded in 2005 as a spin-off from North Carolina State University, provides a proprietary discovery technology platform for identifying new treatments for bacterial, viral, and fungal infectious diseases. The company's innovative approach focuses on screening compounds that inhibit a pathogen's ability to use transfer RNA (tRNA), which is essential for their propagation. This novel mechanism of action targets the ultra-conserved region of tRNA, specifically the anti-codon stem loop (ASL). By identifying chemicals that bind to the ASL region, Trana Discovery aims to develop new drugs to combat infectious diseases, addressing the growing global need for effective treatments in the face of increasing antimicrobial resistance.

The company's technology is based on research conducted by its founders, who have extensively studied the structure and function of tRNA. Their work has led to the development of assays that can screen compounds for their potential to selectively inhibit pathogen-specific tRNA. This approach is particularly relevant in an era where many formerly effective antibiotics have lost their efficacy due to resistance, leaving some bacterial strains without any effective treatment options. Trana Discovery's platform also has applications in addressing emerging viral resistance, potentially contributing to new treatment modalities for HIV and other viral infections.