Agilent and Singapore’s NATi Partner to Advance Lipid-Conjugated Oligonucleotide Research

Collaboration expands research of new delivery platform beyond liver tissues supporting potential preclinical development and strengthens Singapore’s position as a biomedical innovation hub

SINGAPORE, May 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Agilent Technologies Inc. (NYSE: A) today announced a two-year research collaboration agreement with Singapore’s Nucleic Acid Therapeutics Initiative (NATi), hosted by Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), to accelerate research into complex oligonucleotide (oligo) candidates, a promising frontier in precision therapeutics with potential applications across cardiovascular-metabolic, rare and infectious diseases.

The global oligo therapeutics market exceeded $7 billion in 2025 and is projected to reach $18 billion by 2030¹, driven by clinically validated DNA- and RNA-based therapies that continue to face analytical challenges beyond liver-targeted delivery².

Under this agreement, the collaboration will focus on developing end-to-end analytical and preparative workflows to support ligand-conjugated strategies, a new platform designed to extend oligo delivery beyond the liver tissues, unlock access to extrahepatic tissues and expand the therapeutic addressable market.

By combining NATi’s extensive expertise in nucleic acid and chemical modifications with Agilent’s 1290 Infinity III Bio UHPLC system, InfinityLab Pro iQ Plus mass detector, Preparative HPLC system, 6545XT AdvanceBio Quadrupole Time of Flight LC/MS, and Seahorse XF technologies, the collaboration will enable precise characterization, purification and quality assessment of lipid-modified oligo, a key modality to accelerating more efficient preclinical development.  

“Lipid-conjugated oligonucleotides represent a promising next frontier in nucleic acid therapeutics, particularly in expanding beyond hepatic delivery. Working with strategic partners like Agilent allows us to tighten the value chain from research to clinic, accelerating the development of next-generation oligo therapeutics that address areas of significant unmet medical need,” said Dr Mohamed ElSayed, Executive Director of Nucleic Acid Therapeutics Initiative (NATi).    

“As oligo-based therapies continue to transform precision medicine, the ability to reliably analyze and purify complex conjugates becomes increasingly critical. Our priority remains to help existing and new biopharma customers accelerate new discoveries through research advancement. This collaboration is yet another example of our commitment to investing in high-growth markets while delivering on Agilent’s mission of improving the quality of life,” said Bharat Bhardwaj, Vice President of APAC Sales at Agilent.

The agreement includes structured training and access to advanced analytical capabilities at Agilent’s Global Solution Development Center (GSDC) in Singapore, along with a broader suite of Agilent analytical instruments.

With more than 25 years of investment in Singapore, Agilent has grown its local presence to about 600 scientists, engineers and skilled professionals and operates an 860,000-square-foot manufacturing facility recognized by the World Economic Forum. The expanding footprint underscores Agilent’s long-term commitment to building local scientific capabilities, talent development and strengthening Singapore’s position as a leading biomedical innovation hub for the region and beyond.

About Agilent Technologies

Agilent Technologies, Inc. (NYSE: A) is a global leader in analytical and clinical laboratory technologies, delivering insights and innovation that help our customers bring great science to life. Agilent’s full range of solutions includes instruments, software, services, and expertise that provide trusted answers to our customers’ most challenging questions. The company generated revenue of $6.95 billion in fiscal year 2025 and employs approximately 18,000 people worldwide. Information about Agilent is available at www.agilent.com. To receive the latest Agilent news, subscribe to the Agilent Newsroom. Follow Agilent on LinkedIn and Facebook.

About the Nucleic Acid Therapeutics Initiative (NATi)

The Nucleic Acid Therapeutics Initiative (NATi) is a national platform based in Singapore and hosted by Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), dedicated to advancing RNA medicines from discovery to early clinical development. NATi combines deep scientific expertise with scalable technology platforms to generate differentiated nucleic acid therapeutic assets. Through close collaboration with industry and public partners, NATi drives translation, enables commercialisation, and strengthens Singapore’s capabilities in next-generation therapeutics. Learn more at www.nati.sg.

Media Contacts

1. MarketsandMarkets. Oligonucleotide Therapeutics Market Size, Growth, Share & Trends Analysis
   https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/oligonucleotide-therapeutics-market-41710113.html 
2. AlShaer D, Al Musaimi, O, Albericio F,  de la Torre BG. 2025 FDA TIDES (Peptides and Oligonucleotides) Harvest. Pharmaceuticals (Basel). 2026 Jan 30;19(2):244. doi: 10.3390/ph19020244. PMID: 41754785; PMCID: PMC12943124.