Our History

We are excited about the future and proud of our past.

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“Science, science unite. Promise to protect mankind!”


Prof. Aina Muceniece (1924 – 2010)

Author of ECHO-7 virus Rigvir discovery

1960


Scientists in the Institute of Microbiology and Virology of the Latvian Academy of Sciences discover that viruses recovered from the intestines of healthy children are capable of destroying tumors.

1960

1965


The Cancer Virotherapy Laboratory is established at the Institute to study this virus phenomenon further under the leadership of Aina Muceniece.

1965

1968


The Ministry of Health Protection (the competent regulatory authority) approves the start of RIGVIR® clinical trials in the 2nd Department of the Oncology Dispensary and the 18th Chemotherapy Department of the Pauls Stradiņš Clinical Hospital in Riga.

1968

1985


Extended RIGVIR® clinical trials start in three Riga hospitals: Latvian Oncology Center (the former Oncology Dispensary), the P. Stradiņš Clinical Hospital, Riga Stradiņš University Institute of Dentistry (at that time AML), and the Saratov Oncology Hospital (Russia). At that time the studies were, however, neither randomised nor double-blind. Over 700 patients are enrolled in these clinical trials until 1991.

1985

1987


Part of the multicenter and multinational Rigvir clinical trials also start at the All-Union Cancer Research Center in Moscow.

1987

1990


With the destabilization and collapse of Soviet Union the registration and research process of ECHO-7 virus and oncolytic virotherapy is interrupted and halted.

1990

2004


RIGVIR® is registered by the State Agency of Medicines of the Republic of Latvia, thus Rigvir becomes the first approved oncolytic virotherapy medication.

2004

2008


International Virotherapy Center is established in Riga, Latvia. Its mission is to provide virotherapy information for every cancer patient who wants it.

2008

2011


Oncolytic virotherapy with RIGVIR® is included in the list of reimbursable state-funded medical products in Latvia for skin melanoma patients.

2011

2015


Oncolytic virotherapy with RIGVIR® is included in the clinical guidelines of the National Health Service of Latvia entitled “Diagnostics, treatment and dynamic observation of skin cancer and melanoma”.

2015

2016


The first cancer virotherapy excellence center, the Global Virotherapy Cancer Clinic, is opened in Jūrmala, Latvia.

2016

2016


The RIGVIR® marketing authorization holder receives a grant from “Horizon 2020” to support activities for registration in the European Union.

2016

2017


RIGVIR® receives special recommendations for medication registration in EU from European Medicines agency (EMA).

2017

2017


RIGVIR® manufacturer receives intellectual property award “WIPO Enterprise Trophy”.

2017

2017


RIGVIR® manufacturer receives Seal of Excellence award given by European Commission.

2017

2018


Rigvir Group becomes a biotech company.

2018

2018


Rigvir Group assigns the Global Virotherapy Cancer Clinic to a new partner.

2018

December 2018


Rigvir Group has sold International Virotherapy Center.

2018

2019


Rigvir Group received a grant of 360,000 EUR from the European Regional Development Fund for Rigvir GLP toxicity study

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2019

2019


At the end of 2019, Rigvir holding successfully attracted investments of EUR 500,000. Investments are attracted from an investor syndicate, including Pharma VC, a company managed by well-known and respectable venture capital investors in Northern Europe. The investment will be used in accordance with the Rigvir science program to strengthen the product's scientific capacity.

2019

2020


Rigvir Holding concludes a deal with Chinese biotech company Sinorda Biomedicine on development and commercialisation of ECHO-7 oncolytic virotherapy cancer medicine in Chinese market and agrees on sales of minority shares in the manufacturing company.

2020

2020


Rigvir's new API (Active pharmaceutical ingredient) center of manufacturing has received GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice) compliance certification for the production of Rigvir virus ECHO-7.

2020

2021


​Rigvir Group has signed a license agreement on the manufacturing, registration and sales of Rigvir medicine in the CIS (Commonwealth of Independent States) region countries.

2021

2022


Natural Intelligence Cancer Prevention Project
​Rigvir Group has signed a licence agreement with a UK-based company Smart Nanovirus Limited on a fundamentally new approach to cancer prevention, that would allow to identify high cancer risks timely and address them effectively, using the oncolytic virus Rigvir.

2022

2023


Food supplement Rigvir SE is launched on the market
Company Smart Nanovirus Limited that has received a licence to develop the Rigvir virus in the non-medicine sector has successfully launched Rigvir SE on the market on 1st of July, 2023.
More information on www.smartnanovirus.com

2023

2024


Rigvir virus celebrates its 20th anniversary
Rigvir virus celebrates its 20th anniversary since it was registered as a medicine. It happened in 2004 in Latvia, and Rigvir became the first virus in the world to go through all preclinical and clinical trial phases, proving high effectiveness and safety.

2024

2024


Aina Muceniece 100
100 years ago, on March 23, 1924, the inventor of Rigvir and the founder of Rigvir group, Aina Muceniece, was born.
Aina Muceniece passed away in 2010, but her initiated work is continued by her educated colleagues and her family, now in the fourth generation. With Muceniece's blessing, the Rigvir virus continues to live on and help many sufferers around the world. Thank you, dear Aina, with love from Rigvir group and your family.

2024

2024


Exclusive License Agreement
Rigvir Group has concluded an exclusive license agreement with an Estonia-based company AramaPharm Ltd for the manufacturing and use of the virus Rigvir in the science and industry segment.

2024