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Ribonucleic acid (RNA) is a biologically important type of molecule that consists of a long chain of nucleotide units. Each nucleotide consists of a nitrogenous base, a ribose sugar, and a phosphate.

Some bacteria avoid antibiotic treatments by going 'off the grid' like rogue secret agents

Going "off the grid," like rogue secret agents, some bacteria avoid antibiotic treatments by essentially shutting down and hiding until it's safe to come out again, says Thomas Wood, professor in the Artie McFerrin Department of Chemical Engineering at Texas A&M University.

26 Apr 2011

Study: HIV infection linked to increased risk of heart failure

Patients with HIV infection without a prior history of coronary heart disease may be at a higher risk of developing heart failure, according to a report in the April 25 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

26 Apr 2011

Rwanda, QIAGEN and Merck launch comprehensive national cervical cancer prevention program

The Government of Rwanda, together with QIAGEN N.V. and Merck, known as MSD outside the United States and Canada, today announced the launch, in Kigali, Rwanda, of a comprehensive national cervical cancer prevention program that includes vaccination with GARDASIL [Human Papillomavirus Quadrivalent (Types 6, 11, 16 and 18) Vaccine, Recombinant] for appropriate girls 12 to 15 years of age and modern molecular diagnostic screening for women between the ages of 35 and 45.

From QIAGEN Manchester Limited 25 Apr 2011

PVT1 gene may help reduce diabetic nephropathy

A gene called PVT1 may help reduce the kidneys ability to filter blood, leading to kidney disease, kidney failure and death, according to a study published today by researchers at the Translational Genomics Research Institute.

25 Apr 2011

Idera announces delay in commencement of IMO-2125 Phase 2 clinical trial in treatment-naive HCV patients

Idera Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced that it has chosen to delay initiating its planned Phase 2 clinical trial of IMO-2125 based on preliminary data from a 26-week nonclinical toxicology study of IMO-2125 in rodents. The Phase 2 clinical trial involves the evaluation of IMO-2125 plus ribavirin in treatment-naïve, genotype 1 hepatitis C virus (HCV) patients.

22 Apr 2011

Research solves challenging problem of industry-scale production of large RNA molecules

Nanotechnology researchers have known for years that RNA, the cousin of DNA, is a promising tool for nanotherapy, in which therapeutic agents can be delivered inside the body via nanoparticles. But the difficulties of producing long-lasting, therapeutic RNA that remains stable and non-toxic while entering targeted cells have posed challenges for their progress.

22 Apr 2011

Repligen anticipates 30% increase in total revenues for 2011

Repligen Corporation today announced preliminary financial results for fiscal year 2011 which ended March 31, 2011. Total revenue for the year is expected to be $27.3 million compared to $21.0 million in the prior fiscal year, an increase of 30%.

21 Apr 2011

Blocking abnormal movement of mutated human FUS gene also blocks ALS process

In the first animal model of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), developed by Dr. Udai Pandey, Assistant Professor of Genetics at LSU Health Sciences Center New Orleans, Dr. Pandey's lab has found in fruit flies that blocking the abnormal movement of a protein made by a mutated gene called FUS also blocks the disease process.

20 Apr 2011

New method allows single microchip to screen tens of thousands of genes simultaneously

RNA interference technology, which is used in cell biology, has revolutionised functional research of the gene products in the last ten years. VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland has developed a method which allows a single microchip to be used to screen the functions of tens of thousands of genes simultaneously by means of RNA interference.

20 Apr 2011

Alnylam, Precision NanoSystems enter collaboration for discovery of novel small lipid nanoparticles

Precision NanoSystems, Inc. and Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a leading RNAi therapeutics company, announced today that the two companies have formed an exclusive collaboration focused on the discovery and development of novel lipid nanoparticles, known as small lipid nanoparticles ("sLNPs"), using microfluidics technology.

From Precision NanoSystems Inc. 20 Apr 2011

EraGen, Applied BioCode partner to commercialize molecular diagnostics

Applied BioCode, Inc. and EraGen Biosciences Inc. today announced that they have entered into a strategic partnership and license agreement. The agreement provides EraGen with access to Applied BioCode's Barcoded Magnetic Bead technology and the CE-marked BioCode-1000 system.

19 Apr 2011

Quest Diagnostics launches AccuType IL28B test for HCV

Quest Diagnostics Incorporated, the world's leading provider of diagnostic testing, information and services, today announced the availability of its AccuType® IL28B test for aiding in the prediction of patient response to peginterferon alpha-based therapy for hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection.

From Quest Diagnostics 18 Apr 2011

Scientists identify networks of genes critical in embryonic-heart development

Scientists at the Gladstone Institutes have identified networks of genes that play an important role in embryonic-heart development, advancing knowledge of how healthy hearts develop-and offering clues about how to combat a common birth defect known as congenital heart disease.

18 Apr 2011

Idera's gene-silencing oligonucleotide studies published in Journal of Medicinal Chemistry

Idera Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced the online publication in the Journal of Medicinal Chemistry of its studies of a novel class of compounds, which we refer to as gene-silencing oligonucleotides.

18 Apr 2011

Study: Borna disease virus does not contain exact copies of genomic RNAs

Like bacteria, viruses have their own genome. The ends or termini of a viral RNA are especially interesting for virologists because they play an important role in reproduction and in the reaction of the innate immune system to the virus.

18 Apr 2011

RXi prices underwritten public offering of 11,950,000 shares of common stock

RXi Pharmaceuticals Corporation, a biotechnology company focused on discovering, developing and commercializing innovative therapies addressing major unmet medical needs using immunotherapy and RNA-targeted technologies, today announced that it has priced an underwritten public offering of 11,950,000 units at a price to the public of $1.00 per unit for gross proceeds of approximately $12 million.

15 Apr 2011

FEN1 enzyme might serve as anti-cancer therapy target

An enzyme essential for DNA replication and repair in humans works in a way that might be exploited as anti-cancer therapy, say researchers at The Scripps Research Institute and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.

15 Apr 2011

Scientists identify novel small molecules that block human tumor cell growth

Researchers from the Cancer Institute at NYU Langone Medical Center have identified three novel small molecules that interrupt a crucial cellular communication pathway that regulates many aspects of development and cancer.

15 Apr 2011

Researchers temporarily turn off essential gene using RNAi technology

One way of discovering a gene's function is to switch it off and observe how the loss of its activity affects an organism. If a gene is essential for survival, however, then switching it off permanently will kill the organism before the gene's function can be determined. Researchers at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) have overcome this problem by using RNA interference (RNAi) technology to temporarily turn off any essential gene in adult mice and then turn it back on before the change kills the animals.

15 Apr 2011

Quest PharmaTech, Hemispherx Biopharma enter clinical development arrangement

Quest PharmaTech Inc., a pharmaceutical company developing and commercializing products for the treatment of cancer, today announced a clinical development arrangement with U.S. based Hemispherx Biopharma Inc. to evaluate the clinical utility of combining Quest's antibody immunotherapy technology with Hemispherx's immune activator in a thirty patient clinical trial.

15 Apr 2011