Jimmy Weterings
Vice President, Head Oligonucleotide Therapeutics Bonito Biosciences
Jim Weterings, is VP, Head of Oligonucleotide Therapeutics at Bonito BioSciences where he is dedicated to bring novel (targeted) Oligonucleotide therapeutics to patients.
Working across Sweden, the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany and USA, Jim previously worked for Sirnaomics, AstraZeneca, Cristal Therapeutics and Cenix BioScience where he led the setup and growth of biotech & pharma organizations, provided leadership, synthesis and bioconjugation expertise for various (targeted) oligonucleotide research and clinical programs. Identified diverse delivery technologies, coordinated external collaborations, and contributed to IP generation/protection and innovation strategies within cross-functional teams. In total, he now has more than 20 years of experience in the oligonucleotide therapeutics field.
Jim holds several patents for drug delivery enabling technologies, including TMTHSI (registered CliCr®), a new “golden standard” conjugation compound for antibody drug and oligonucleotide conjugates. This compound provided critical freedom-to-operate and revenue in this space to Cristal Tx. In 2022, CliCr® was exclusively licensed to Synaffix to develop “Best-in-Class” Antibody Drug Conjugates (ADC). In 2023 Lonza initiated a collaboration with Cristal Tx on CliCr®. Iris Biotech GmbH has made CliCr® commercially available under licensed agreement with Cristal Tx. In addition to the patents, Jim (co)authored 13 peer-reviewed papers.
In the public domain, Jim is an active advocate for the awareness and use of oligonucleotide therapeutics to cure diseases with unmet need. Jim contributes regularly as invited speaker, chair or panel lead at internationally renowned oligonucleotide therapeutic conferences. In addition he hosts a biannual TIDES training series workshop on targeted delivery of Oligonucleotides. As advisory board member, he contributes to a balanced agenda at TIDES Europe, SAE Oligonucleotide Therapeutics & Delivery and Oxford Biologics series: all yearly occurring oligonucleotide/peptide therapeutic conferences.
Seminars
RNAi therapeutics are constantly expanding into increasingly challenging tissues and chronic disease indications, making optimising oligonucleotide chemistry essential for improving both therapeutic performance and commercial viability. This workshop will explore how novel chemical modifications can enhance stability, circulation time and tissue exposure, enabling more durable gene silencing and less frequent dosing. Attendees will examine emerging approaches designed to overcome key barriers such as RNA degradation, poor intracellular trafficking and limited endosomal escape, while balancing potency, safety and manufacturability. The session will also discuss
how advances in chemistry are helping developers extend the clinical lifespan of RNAi assets, reduce dose burden for patients, unlock applications beyond traditional liver-directed therapies and, with an off-target strategy lens, how these decisions are assessed and defended through the regulatory process.
Join this workshop to:
- Assess chemical modifications that enhance durability and circulation time
- Improve therapeutic performance while reducing dose burden
- Extend the commercial and clinical viability of RNAi assets
- Overcome challenges like endosomal escape or RNA degradation
- Understanding the drivers of RNAi-related toxicity
- Optimizing delivery, chemistry & dosing to improve therapeutic index
- Building confidence in safety as RNAi expands beyond the liver
