Atrium Therapeutics launched with roughly $270 million after Novartis carved out Avidity Biosciences’ precision cardiology programs. The spinout inherited Avidity’s Antibody–Oligonucleotide Conjugate (AOC) delivery platform and two lead candidates: ATR-1072 for PRKAG2 syndrome and ATR-1086 for PLN cardiomyopathy, with IND plans slated for late 2026 and 2027 respectively. Kathleen Gallagher, Atrium’s CEO, told GEN the company intends to pioneer targeted RNA therapeutics for rare genetic cardiomyopathies by leveraging AOC tissue selectivity to deliver oligonucleotides to cardiac muscle. The new firm will focus on first-in-human trials and advancing programs that Novartis did not retain. Cardiac RNA delivery has been a high-priority but technically challenging area; Atrium’s funding and AOC platform aim to address tissue-targeting limitations that have stalled broader application of RNA therapeutics in the heart.